Oscar

Astronotus ocellatus is a species of fish from the cichlid family known under a variety of common names including oscar, tiger oscar, velvet cichlid, or marble cichlid In South America, where the species naturally resides, A. ocellatus are often found for sale as a food fish in the local markets. The fish can also be found in other areas
including China, Australia, and the United States. Although its slow growth limits its potential for aquaculture, it is considered a popular aquarium fish.

 A number of ornamental varieties of A. ocellatus have been developed for the aquarium industry. These include forms with greater intensity and quantities of red marbling across the body, albino, leucistic, and xanthistic forms. A. ocellatus with marbled patches of red pigmentation are sold as red tiger oscars, while those strains with mainly red colouration of the flanks are frequently sold under the trade name of red oscars. The patterning of red pigment differs between individuals; in the United Kingdom, one A. ocellatus reportedly had markings that resembled the Arabic word for "Allah." In recent years long-finned varieties have also been developed. The species is also occasionally artificially coloured by a process known as painting