Size window in Tocantins
12 cm (maximum 40 cm)TOTocantins-Araguaia
In Tocantins the oscar/apaiari may only be kept between 12 and 40 cm.
Source: Portaria NATURATINS/GABIN nº 47/2026 (annexes amended by Portaria nº 105/2026)
catalog
Cichlidae · predator
oscar
Astronotus ocellatus
Freshwater
Robust cichlid from Amazon lakes, with an eyespot on the tail and orange blotches. Famous in the aquarium hobby as the oscar.
Also called: acará-açu, oscar, apaiari, cará-pirosca
- common size
- 20–30 cm
- maximum
- 46 cm
- common weight
- 0.3–0.8 kg
- record/max.
- 1.6 kg
- depth
- 0.3–3 m
- ideal water
- 25–30 °C
overview
who is the oscar
The acará-açu is a large, robust cichlid of floodplain lakes (várzea), igapós and still-water backwaters. It eats insects, shrimp, crabs and small fish, which it sucks in with its big mouth. It lives in warm, low-oxygen water, near submerged timber, grass and roots. It pairs for spawning, lays eggs on a clean surface and the parents guard the young. It is widely known in the global aquarium trade as the oscar. It was released into Northeastern reservoirs and other basins, where it established itself. For anglers it is a fun target on ultralight tackle and on fly, and it is a common food fish in local communities.
fun facts
- The tail eyespot fools predators, which strike the wrong "head".
- It is one of the best-selling aquarium fish in the world, with albino and red varieties bred in captivity.
how to recognize it
identification
Oval, thick body, dark olive to black with orange-red blotches and edges. Black eyespot with an orange ring on the upper base of the tail. Thick lips and small scales that give a velvety look. The peacock bass also has a tail eyespot, but its body is elongated with vertical bars. Tilapia has no eyespot and has fine stripes on the tail.
how oscar fishing looks
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
distribution
open on the large map where found
Floodplain (várzea) lakes, igapós and backwaters of the Amazon and Araguaia-Tocantins. Introduced to Northeastern reservoirs, the São Francisco and lakes and reservoirs in the Southeast.
Habitat: Floodplain lakes, igapós, backwaters and still-water reservoirs with submerged timber, roots and grass.
native to the basins
AmazonTocantins-Araguaia
introduced in
Eastern Northeast AtlanticSão FranciscoParaná
states
Amazonas, Pará, Amapá, Acre, Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Maranhão, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo
famous destinations
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: Jul–Nov
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Bites all year; in the Amazon the dry season concentrates fish in lakes. In a Northeastern reservoir it produces all year.
best time of day
Daytime. Active by day, mostly early morning and late afternoon.
what affects the oscar
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Very sensitive to cold water; below 20 °C it nearly stops.
atmospheric pressure
Moderate effect.
moon
Little effect.
rain
Little effect.
water level
A falling lake concentrates fish.
noise
Wary in shallow water.
wind
Little effect.
depth
Shallow, close to vegetation.
how to fish
- rod
- 5'6'', light action, 6 to 12 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 1000 to 2000
- line
- monofilament 0.20 to 0.25 mm or braided line 10 to 15 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 12 to 15 lb
- hook
- 1 to 1/0
lures
- micro jig
- spinner
- mini mid-water lure 4 to 6 cm
- nymph and small streamer fly
natural baits
- minhoca
- shrimp
- small lambari
- massa
accessories
- small pliers
tip from an angler
Small natural bait under a float, right next to the submerged timber, and patience: it sniffs and tests before swallowing.
rules for the oscar
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026). Non-native in Northeastern and Southeastern reservoirs.
Minimum size: 12 cm (max. 40 cm)
TOTocantins-Araguaia
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 47/2026, Annex I, as amended by Portaria nº 105/2026
piracema closures in the basins where the species lives
Closed season in Goiás (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02GO
Allowed: Sport and guided fishing only in reservoirs, catch and release with barbless hooks (no keeping, transporting or eating). Subsistence: up to 5 kg per day, for household consumption only.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)
01/10 to 31/01MT
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Araguaia River basin
01/11 to 28/02GOTOPAMT
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with handline, rod, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Fish may only be eaten on site, not transported. Competitions prohibited. Subsistence: 3 kg + 1 fish. State rules (GO and TO) may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Tocantins and Gurupi river basins
01/11 to 28/02TOPAMAGO
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Tocantins (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02TO
Allowed: In 2025/26: catch and release with barbless hooks and recreational fishing card; subsistence fishing on foot or from a rowboat, with simple pole or handline.
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 244/2025 (2025/26 season); INIs MPA/MMA nº 12 and 13/2011
Closed season in the rivers of Marajó Island (PA)
01/01 to 30/04PA
Allowed: The same recreational-angler exceptions as in Portaria 48/2007 apply (handline or rod, 5 kg + 1 fish), unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Closed season in the Amazon basin in Amapá
15/11 to 15/03AP
Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Closed season in Roraima
01/03 to 30/06RR
Allowed: Subsistence fishing only.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Border rivers MT/RO and MT/PA
05/11 to 28/02MTROPA
Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Easy to handle: hold it by the mouth with your thumb and release it quickly.
in the kitchen
White, tasty flesh, fried whole or baked. Popular in riverside communities and in the Northeast.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0155301, b = 3.02; FishBase (bayesiano, espécie + forma do corpo da família); coeficiente a ajustado ao porte máximo registrado). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase — Astronotus ocellatus (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 — Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Astronotus ocellatus (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2025. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Astronotus ocellatus (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 04/11/2020)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Kullander, S. O. (2003). Cichlidae (cichlids). In: Reis, R. E.; Kullander, S. O.; Ferraris Jr., C. J. (orgs.). Check List of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, p. 605–654.Printed book chapter; the URL is the bibliographic record on FishBase, which cites the chapter for the species.
