Oscar Struggles w. Infection

[Big Vine]

Thanks Avalon and JW.
I'd be happy to keep going on an update of all the pertinent details in the hopes that it will help others.

Let's start with an update on how I administered Triton's injection...
First, I had to get him out of the tank, but I did not want to net him. Accordingly, I removed the light strips and glass lids, and used a plastic bin with holes in it to scoop him up to the water's surface. At that point, I should have secured him with a net, but instead he ended up flopping out and onto the carpet---hence the slime coat and scale disturbances you see in the following pic.


My initial intent was to inject intramuscularly through his pectoral fin muscle, because I had read that the site was less likely to experience 'blowback' (when a portion of the injected drug exits from the injection site upon withdrawal of the syringe) than other areas. This ideal proved impractical with the amount of struggling Triton was doing, so I instead chose to insert the syringe into the thick muscle midway between the lateral line and the dorsal fin. I inserted the syringe at a slight angle between two scales with the needle aimed in the direction of his head.

You can see the injection site on the darker patch of coloration where one of his scales appears to be slightly raised.


Overall, his slimecoat is in better condition than it was yesterday.
His behavior has changed somewhat since the injections began and since the rearrangement of his tank aquascaping.

Up next, I will give a brief rundown of his behavior as of late.
BV

[Big Vine]

Oscars are known for their 'sulking' behavior---particularly when introduced to a new tank or when their current tank environment is changed in any way. Accordingly, I would not find it odd for Triton to 'sulk' after rearranging his tank. The antibiotic injections certainly would be expected to trigger some behavioral changes as well.

It turns out that he has sulked somewhat, but not as much as you might expect. This didn't surprise me, because Triton didn't take long at all to adjust to his new tank on the very first day I brought him home. Nevertheless, you can tell from his lighter coloration in the following pic that he was somewhat distressed a little while after today's injection.


As a matter of fact, this is what I have been seeing the majority of time now whenever I look into his tank. This is an example of sulking behavior---normally Triton would be out and about, swimming around and watching me.


In spite of the major upheavals he has been encountering, I'm happy to say that Triton is acting like himself for the most part. He fed within minutes of his injection this morning, and he has since spent at least some of his time (when his back isn't turned toward me, lol) up at the front of the tank watching me at my computer desk (as he normally does).


He has been swimming around as well, albeit not nearly as much as he used to prior to the injections. Mostly I attribute this to sulking behavior as opposed to any actual physical trauma from the injection process. The fact that he has been feeding is a good sign, and I can tell that he has kept his strength up based on all the water he splashed on the carpet whilst netting him this morning.

I'll end this update with a pic of him swimming about the tank not long after his injection...


BV

[Katie217]

Aw poor Triton
Glad you are actually spending the time and money on helpin him out though!
BV we are both having oscar problems lately arnt we?

[IDunnoWhy]

Fantastic Informative thread BV! (Shame it has to come at Tritons distress )

Although I don't have an Oscar, this info could still be very useful. I agree with Avalon & JW, this thread could definitely serve as a nice resource for Oscar treatments (or at least this specific issue).

Do you know if this particular ailment is Oscar specific? or is possible to infect other species?

Anyway, keep us posted, and good luck with Triton's therapy! (poor lil' guy )

[Big Vine]

Thanks, Denny.

Originally Posted by IDunnoWhy

Do you know if this particular ailment is Oscar specific? or is possible to infect other species?

Definitely not oscar-specific...

The bacteria believed to be responsible for Triton's infection is ubiquitous (present everywhere) in water. Normally, fish living in healthy conditions would not be affected. Unfortunately, Triton's water quality had been fluctuating for quite some time before I realized it and before I was able to begin taking steps to correct it. He was stressed and immuno-compromised, leading me to believe that this is why infection was able to set in.

As to why we have been associating this bacteria with infections in oscars...
I'd have to guess that the main explanation would be the fact that oscars are such personable fish. They are quite long-lived when kept in healthy living conditions (to put it in perspective...Triton should out-live my pug, who was still a puppy just a few short months ago). In sum, they have been deemed worthy of receiving medical treatment that goes beyond what your average aquarist would ever consider providing for the vast majority of fish.

BV

[Big Vine]

Pics that follow were taken two days ago.

The gill-plate infected tissue was mostly scraped off by the vet when he had a closer look at the tissue sample. It seems to be healing up, and it does not appear that any further signs of infection are setting in on that particular area.

My initial concern with Triton began with his head/'temple' area in and around what I had, earlier on, deemed to be perhaps early onset of HITH---I would like for folks to focus on this area as well when looking at the pics.








Overall, I've noticed that he seems to be getting a much smoother appearance to his head and especially 'temple' areas. There seems to be less slimecoat production in these locations than there was prior to treatment (which I thought was somewhat excessive, indicating irritation/illness), and the lighter grey patches (mostly inside each cluster of sensory pits on the head area) he had---check out my earlier pics in this thread---seem to be darkening to the color of the rest of his body.

Note: I gave injection 4 of 7 before these pics were taken...leaving 3 more to go (Tues., Thurs., Sat.).

BV

[IDunnoWhy]

Thanks for the update!

I know it's been said, but I really need to applaud you for going this far with "just a fish" Your setting a great example for people that are just starting out in this hobby, as well as those that have been doing it a long time.

[MissFishy]

Aww, poor Triton looks like he's had a rough few weeks. Hopefully he'll be feeling and looking better soon! I also applaud you for the effort you're putting in.

I just wish I could have heard the Vet telling his assistants that someone was bringing their fish in for treatment this afternoon. What a riot. I'll bet that doesn't happen often!

[Big Vine]

Thanks Denny & MissFishy, I appreciate it.
Denny...I wish I could say that I'd be willing to go to these lengths for any fish, but sadly that's not the case. It just so happens that Triton is such a personable fish---such a good 'wet pet' who has really grown on me in the past months---that I could never let him go without a fight.

MissFishy...you're right---Triton has definitely had a rough time as of late.
His appetite has gone downhill over the past day or two. He's now mouthing on food and then spitting most of it out, so I have had to cut back on food offerings. I've been careful about removing any uneaten chunks as well.

Triton is scheduled for a vet appointment early Saturday morning.
At that time I'll know whether or not the antibiotic injections will need to be continued. Overall, he appears to be on the mend even in spite of his loss of appetite. I'll keep you updated...

BV

[Katie217]

At leaste your oscar is eating
Meaty doesnt like his home in the 33gal I think, he refuses to eat and is cranky all the time lol. BRAT