![]() When a wintry blast settles over the Everglades, oscars are generally among the early casualties, which isn’t surprising considering its tropical origins. In the Everglades, after a prolonged period of warm weather, the South American fish becomes even more numerous - it does well when there are no freezes or bouts with cold that, while uncommon, occasionally do happen. The oscar’s kryptonite, it seems, is cold weather and cold water. ![]() In its native range, it’s prized for its table fare, and anglers in south Florida don’t seem shy about harvesting these fish, either. These efforts were generally unsuccessful, even in warm-weather states like Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The oscar, like the peacock bass, seems to be a preferred non-native, and there were efforts to stock it in other states - even states like Wisconsin and Alaska. The oscar is joined by predatory snakeheads, prized peacock bass, various other cichlids and tilapia subspecies, walking catfish, knife fish, surgeon fish and even freshwater jellyfish. Of course, the Everglades canal system - particularly on the east side of the complex where fresh water dominates - is home to dozens of invasive fish species from tropical climes the world over. Not only is it established in the Everglades, but its largest representatives come from Lake Okeechobee and points farther north. Fish and Wildlife Service, the oscar in its various hybridized forms makes up a big portion of the recreational fishery in south Florida. But, according to a 2018 revised report from the U.S. The oscar ( Astronotus ocellatus) is native to Amazonia, and swims abundantly in its home rivers, like the Amazon, the Oronoco and the Rio Negro. Today, it might be the most abundant invasive fish in what has become perhaps the most manipulated plumbing system for both urban and agricultural support in the United States. What once swam quietly in fish tanks, navigating miniature sunken treasure chests and tiny deep-sea divers alongside those adorable neon tetras and the surly betta that just hung out in the upper corner, scowling at its neighbors, the oscar suddenly swam freely in the near-tropical freshwater canal system on the eastern edge of the Everglades. decided to deliberately introduce a small South American fish into the canals of suburban Miami. Sometime in the late 1950s, an aquarium fish farm in southeast Florida - apparently dissatisfied with just selling exotic fare to enthusiasts around the U.S.
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