Oscar health issue

Kuiwi

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 30, 2024
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Ok, slow down. If you have a plastic tub like a tote to put her in, do that. Add an airstone. You have to let the medicine work, and follow the treatment it isn't instant. Does your water have chlorine? If it does you'll have to add a dechlorinator every time you add fresh water. Add enough for the full volume. Keep things quiet around her.

It sounds as if you got oscars with little information? Care for a betta is completely different. Oscars need two things more than anything a BIG tank (90+ gallons) good filtration and clean water on schedule. They make a lot of waste and will get sick and HITH (hole in the head) disease if not cared for properly. If the oscars are too much right now rehome them. You dont have a lot of options. They will not survive long term otherwise.
I dechlorinate the water everytime i add fresh water. I found a big enough bucket that ill be keeping her in, does she need light source? Ill make sure to clean every two weeks. I havent gotten to research alot about oscar necessities but the tank i have is way bigger than what they had them in.
 
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Kuiwi

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 30, 2024
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It’s important to add aeration when dosing any medicine.
As for water changes, getting a siphon would make it much easier. I can do 3 tanks in an hour and a half with no stress at all with it. Just doing buckets would make it a whole day process for one. You’ll find a siphon will make it far less stressful for both you and the fish.
Welcome to the forum by the way!
I can barely lift 5kg thats why its really hard for me to clean the tank but i try my best :), thank you. Ill put more search into their necessities to ensure them a longer life.
 
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FINWIN

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I dechlorinate the water everytime i add fresh water. I found a big enough bucket that ill be keeping her in, does she need light source? Ill make sure to clean every two weeks. I havent gotten to research alot about oscar necessities but the tank i have is way bigger than what they had them in.
She should be ok with regular light, you don't want to stress her. One thing that happens is if water quality isn't good fish will pop up with bacterial issues like sores, fin rot, excess slime and redness on the body and eyes. Sometimes it takes awhile or it can happen suddenly. Oscars are clumsy and can scrape themselves. All decorations should be smooth or soft. No jagged edges or rough surfaces.

Water can look clear but be full of toxic waste the fish produce. That's why water changes are so vital.

Do your oscar research asap. There's good and bad information online. But to make a long story short:

90+ gallons for 1 oscar
125 gallons will work for 2
water change out once or twice a week
keep mechanical filtration clean by washing in old tank water
don't touch the bio media that holds the good bacteria
get a water testing kit

whatever you do a maintenance schedule is essential with oscars. Good luck!
 

Kuiwi

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 30, 2024
8
5
3
20
She should be ok with regular light, you don't want to stress her. One thing that happens is if water quality isn't good fish will pop up with bacterial issues like sores, fin rot, excess slime and redness on the body and eyes. Sometimes it takes awhile or it can happen suddenly. Oscars are clumsy and can scrape themselves. All decorations should be smooth or soft. No jagged edges or rough surfaces.

Water can look clear but be full of toxic waste the fish produce. That's why water changes are so vital.

Do your oscar research asap. There's good and bad information online. But to make a long story short:

90+ gallons for 1 oscar
125 gallons will work for 2
water change out once or twice a week
keep mechanical filtration clean by washing in old tank water
don't touch the bio media that holds the good bacteria
get a water testing kit

whatever you do a maintenance schedule is essential with oscars. Good luck!
Thank you so much for your help:)
 
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tlindsey

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Aug 6, 2011
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I bought a tiger oscar 5-6 months ago and it has been doing well, but up until the last few days, agter i cleaned the water it has stopped eating and would be really picky with the food, it would lay down at the bottom of the tank not moving its fins and i noticed a scrape on the side of her belly that has continued to grow bigger, ive spoken to the place where i brought her from, they gave me medicine for fungus. And said im just not cleaning the water properly. Its my first fish and i dont want to lose her. The other oscar is doing fine but she isnt, the scraped part became white

View attachment 1541349
Welcome aboard
 

tlindsey

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That rock in the aquarium looks like dead coral also called base rock. It typically is used in saltwater aquariums. Any dead coral will cause a rise in ph. I suggest always do research prior to buying any fish for the aquarium.
 

koltsixx

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You've been given a lot of good advice by Deadeye Deadeye , FINWIN FINWIN and tlindsey tlindsey . Honestly the issues you have are many and the info. we have is minimal. You mention lifting the tank by yourself but say you can barely lift 5kgs, 5kgs is 11 pounds and one gallon of water is 8.34 pounds a little less than a gallon of milk. Which leads me to wonder what size is your tank?

We also don't know what kind of filter or heater you're using. You say there's no test kits, I can believe perhaps not locally but I imagine you could source one online and it's a necessity. The Oscars wound could easily be ammonia burn or any other number of ailments caused by poor water quality. The fact that the other Oscar isn't showing any signs yet doesn't mean it won't. Like people all animals have different tolerances of poor conditions and it's only a matter of time before the other Oscar also succumbs to the conditions it's being kept in.

Based on what little I know of your situation I agree with FINWIN FINWIN when she said you probably shouldn't keep fish at this time. You don't appear to have the time, money or equipment nor have done the research necessary to keep fish. All aspects of the hobby are integral to keeping fish. Water quality being probably the most paramount and to ensure good water quality you need all that I mentioned which you don't seem to be able to provide at this time.
 
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