• We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Sick Oscar fish, please help!

D

DToner718

Feeder Fish
Hey,
I'm having some health issues with my oscar fish. I read the Fish Health Diagnostics sticky and I want to give you as much information as possible so I'm going to follow that.

1. My oscar is in a 55g tank.
2. I use API Freshwater Master Test Kit and these are the parameters:
Ammonia - 0.0
Nitrite - 0.0
Nitrate - 5.0
pH - 7.6
3. The tank is a freshwater tank.
4. The tank has been established for 3 years.
5. I only have my oscar fish in this tank. He is about 4 in long.
6. No, there was no quarantine period because he is the only fish in the tank.
7. It is currently 80.6 degrees in the tank.
8. There are no live plants, only fake plants and driftwood.
9. I an using an Eheim Pro II 2026 canister filter and a Aqua-tech 30-60 HOB filter. They are cleaned once monthly.
10. I have a Stealth brand heater as well as an air stone for added oxygenation.
11. No natural sunlight reaches the tank.
12. My last water chage was 2 days ago and I changed out 50% of the water. I usually change it once a week or every other week depending on the test results. And yes, I vacuum the gravel every time.
13. I feed my oscar Hikari Cichlid Gold, TetraMin Tropical Crisps, Frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, or frozen beef hearts once daily. I change it so he has a varied diet.
14 & 15. About 2 weeks ago I noticed my oscar had a small crater indention right on his left gill and it is white in color. I was worried it might be Hole in the Head so I purchased API Cure All and followed the directions exactly. After the treatment was over I did a 25% water change and put the carbon filters back in. He didn't seem to be getting any better, in fact he seemed to be getting worse. He started refusing to eat, he keps opening his mouth and he looks like he's gasping for air and just generally acting like he's not feeling well. It has been 6 days since the treatment ended and although he is eating again, it is only a tiny bit. He does not seem to be feeling better but he will come to the top of the tank when I walk by. He still constantly has his mouth open, and he opens his gills pretty wide non stop, as if his breathing is getting worse. Parts of his lips have taken a whiteish tint as well as the inside of his mouth. The crater is not just an indention anymore, its gone all the way through his gill and there is a small hole in the center of the white area. I was able to capture a few photos of him, he really does not like getting his picture taken and acts real nervous when I approach with a camera, or my phone so these are the best I could do.

I am beginning to think this is not HITH. Can anyone please help?

096.jpg


099.jpg


001.jpg


002.jpg
 
:welcome: to MFK!

First of all, I would like to commend you for trying your best to answer thoroughly as much as possible. The details are exactly what some of us would like to hear to give us the clear picture of what exactly is going on. This goes to show you are a responsible hobbyist wanting to give your fish a new lease of life from the ordeal.

Now regarding your situation, your situation seems to involve bacterial infection. I don't believe this is HITH at all. Do you have access to Maracyn and Maracyn 2? If so, please combine both to provide a shield of broad spectrum antibiotics covering both the possible gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria that may be affecting your fish. What were the ingredients of API Cure All?

As far as the fish gasping, this puzzles me a bit. What's the expiration date of your API test kit? Please look for the label with the four numbers included at the end of the code. We will be able to know when the test kit was manufactured as there may be a possibility the readings may not be what it seemed but I am confident this may not be the case at all. Does it scratch its gills at all? If not, then we can cross out the possibility of gill flukes being one of the possible suspects. Ammonia burn, parasites attacking the gills tissues and lack of oxygen are the primary suspects although the last one has been sorted by your additional airpump. I am sure your filter is also creating turbulence to produce enough oxygen.

You mentioned your poor fish is not eating very well. If you have access to liquid garlic, try to dose three drops into the food and mix it very well. Feed the fish with food smeared in garlic to persuade him to eat. While you're at it, stick to your food schedule varying the food diet over 2-3 times of meal in a day. This will enable him to strengthen his immune system as he resists the suspected bacterial infections.
 
I do have access to both Maracyn and Maracyn 2. I will pick some up asap and try that. Umm the ingredients for the API are copper sulphate, trichlorfon, and metronidazole. The test kit was manufactured 10/07. I use this test kit with all of my tanks and it seems to detect ammonia, nitrites, etc quite well so I don't think that is an issue.

He never scratches his gills, other then his breathing, keeping his mouth open and flaring his gills up he never acts like it itches him at all. I fed him some brine shrimp this morning and he ate everything really quickly. I'll give him some crisps later today to see if he will eat that.

Thank you for your help! I will keep you posted.
 
Hello,

I'm sorry about the delay of response due to personal commitments. The previous med doesn't seem effective for bacterial infections. None of the ingredients are. Trichlorfon should have eradicated any suspected flukes and external parasites but as you indicated, neither are causes of your fish's situation.

The test kit is fine as you indicated. I'm still baffled though why the fish keeps breathing slightly heavily despite the precautionary measures taken. Just do with the antibiotics and food regimen I recommended.

Keep me updated and good luck.:)
 
Quick update, we started the Maracyn and Maracyn 2 treatment yesterday, but this morning we found him laying on the bottom of the tank. No longer with us :(. Thanks for the advice.
 
Sorry for your loss :(

Just a thought though...try not to blame the meds for the oscar's death (not meaning to imply you were...). Diseased fish are already on the brink, sometimes they just can't be helped, even with the right meds.
 
I'm sure he had what my EDJD had which is mouth fungus you must use TETRACYCLINE it works like a charm!!! MY prize EBJD came back to life within days
 
Yea, I know, I should've started his meds sooner, it was already too late for him so I dont blame the medication at all.
 
Sorry to hear that, buddy.:( That was totally unexpected and a big blow for me as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top