Oscar Fish Sick / Need input...

[T.Shaw]

Hey everyone, my Oscar is sick. It might be fin/tail rot from what I have read so far, bacteria or fungus maybe? I have attached a couple pictures. Sorry for the poor quality. Let me know what you all think it might be and what I can do to treat it. He wont eat and acts very cautious and shy. I put him in a 20 gallon by himself with no gravel (my quarantine tank) as soon as I noticed problems. This all started though in my 90 gallon with him and 2 other Oscars in it. The other 2 seem fine though.

This has been going on for about 2 weeks.

 

[KcMopar]

Fin rot is usually due to poor water conditions and occurs in weaker fish. There are meds you can buy to treat this, one is Melafix and Pimafix or you can get an antibiotic that treats gram negative organisms as well. You should do water changes of 25-50% every 2-4 days to keep up with the bio load and help keep the water pristine. The products have directions on how much to add and dose. To prevent future break outs of this your 90 gallon needs vacuuming and water changes of at least 50% weekly. Oscars are very dirty fish and can cause bad water conditions quickly. I have Three in a 125G and HAVE do two weekly water changes of 40% minimum to keep up with the nitrates. Every third week I do this three times a week. You can keep your Oscars happy and healthy by weekly vacuuming and water changes.

 

[Meleemaker]

Im thinking that doing water changes like state above could cause a mini cycle to happen....you need to elave some of the organisms in the water....I have a really messy aggresive astronotus occelatus in a 55 gallon tank and I change 25-30 percent of the water every 10-14 days and he has survived quite well for over the past couple years. I would deffinantly put in some freshwater salt and check the nitrates and nitrites along with ammonia.

There are some treatments you can add that fix it like stated above in addition to salt and possible bumping the heat up a little higher to discourage cyst and parasite growth

 

[KcMopar]

Water changes will not cause a cycle, the beneficial bacteria lives on the surfaces of the tank, substrate, and media provided for growth as well. I change 70% of the water in my 70G African tank every week with out cycle issues. Fin rot, in most cases is a secondary infection caused by a wound to the fishes fin area, usually caused by a scuffle between your fish. However raising the temp as mentioned can make it harder for the bacterium to survive when used with meds. Also be sure to feed the fish some food with veggie content so they get vitamins that they need, mix up the food types a bit. Also be sure you get meds!!! This rarely goes away by itself.

 

[T.Shaw]

Awesome guys, thanks for both replies! I have been doing 25% water changes every week as is, but I will increase that definatly. So for now with my "sick Oscar" in the (20 Gallon quarantine tank) I am starting to treat him with PimaFix and MelaFix. I'll stay posted up to date.

Thanks Again Guys! *thumbsups

 

[KcMopar]

We hope the best for your little buddy!!!!

 

[T.Shaw]

Me too brother! They are such a beautiful fish. *PEACE!*

 

[KcMopar]

I call them my water dogs because they have dog like personalities. I have 3 tigers.

 

[T.Shaw]

Ya I was checking out your "signature" below. That is so true. Out of all my fish I love my Oscar's the most! I'm excited I just recently got 2 "Lemon Oscars" that I had never seen before. The pictures below are not mine but its exactly what they look like. They are currently in a 20 Gallon quarantine tank so I can get them adjusted and eating well.

My second favorite is my Puffers. If you like Oscars I'm sure you like Puffers as well . Totally different fish, almost same personality haha. They are some crazy eaters too haha.

 

[KcMopar]

I seen you had those listed in your signature. I have been wanting another Oscar and thought about an albino or a Rare Lemon. My local says they can get the Lemon ones a few times a year but I don't have a place for him because he would be a baby. So they told me they would give me first dibs on a rescue/donated/buy back Albino Oscar or a Lemon but I doubt they will see a Lemon being brought in because someone didn't want it. I have considered the puffers for SW but they are not reef safe so its out for the SW. Maybe one of these days I can do a fish only SW and have puffers or maybe the brackish or FW tank. Before that I am going to do another 150G with all community and schooling type fish of about 50-100ish count depending on species. Something in the order of 10-25 per schooling species and a couple to a few dozen barbs and rainbows. There would be a ton of action in this tank.

 

[T.Shaw]

Ah that would be pretty sick! I have never had a community fish tank, yet... haha Probably get there one day I'm sure. It would definatly be awesome to have some nice size schools to watch.

The pictures below are of "my" actual Lemon Oscar's. Yeah, they must be pretty seasonal. The store here never had them till about early September.

 

[KcMopar]

Wow, those are nice looking Lemons!!!!! You know its rare for an Oscar not to have the eye spot at the base of its tail, and you have one!! Those are awesome. Good find for sure.
I have only had a coupe small 10-20G community tanks back in the late 70's to early 80's when I was a kid/teen but I thought those where BORING after time so ventured on to the cichlids. My local has a 200G community tank that really inspired me. I guess because of all the action, I never even considered a community tank until my local set one up. I thought BORING!!!! Until I seen it all complete, its amazing to say the least.

 

[T.Shaw]

Yeah I was actually talking to my wife about that the other day. I noticed all my Oscars have that circle spot right before the tail except that one Lemon. Thanks for the good news that its a little "rarer". I was thinking it was kinda odd that it didn't.

Well as soon as you get that bad boy going drop me a post! I wana see pics !

I think my next one I am going to try a reef tank out for the first time. Maybe a NanoCube, 14 gallon. Small but efficient!

 

[KcMopar]

I would suggest nothing smaller then a 40G breeder tank for your first SW (no less then 20G if 40G can not be done). The more water the easier. SW is a big learning curve. Check out this post on a SW filter that works:http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/sal...a-powerful-nitrate-phosphate-remover-diy.html . After years of wasting thousands of dollars on commercial products I finally built this, it works so well I am building one for my FW 150G. I hope to have it done in a couple weeks. I have ONLY this type on all my salt tanks.

 

[T.Shaw]

Day 2 MelaFix/PimaFix

My Tiger Oscar still is not looking any better, maybe even worse, though I am not surprised. Its only day 2 of treatment. Just wanted to keep up to date.

 

[KcMopar]

Just keep at it as the instructions say and it will work. It might be a week before you see a change. Kind of like us with an infection, it just takes some time. We wish him the best of luck and a speedy recovery!!!

 

[T.Shaw]

I'm ready for the long hall. Got me the larger 8 oz bottles of Mela and Pima. Keeping that filter and water crystal clear and clean. I got my fingers crossed lol.

 

[KcMopar]

He is in good care he will be fine.

 

[T.Shaw]

I completed the mela/pima treatment for 7 days about a week or so ago. He is doing alot better now. All his fins are slowly growing back and he has started eating Hikari Cichlid Gold sinking pellets again.

 

[KcMopar]

That is great to hear!!!!