White Oscar

[juliemichelle]

I just committed a sin this weekend...I bought a beautiful tiger oscar from...Petco. Sorry! I didn't know!!! The little guy was beautiful in the store but when I brought him home and put him in my tank he'd turned white/gray! I've been told that Stress Coat is marijuanna for fish and not to use it--and the KID at Petco squirted a ton in his little bag. did this make him worse? How can I make him black and orange again. (he is also getting over a horrible case of ick that I treated with CopperSafe and MelaFix.) Any advice from you seasoned vets? He still eats and swims all over my tank, he just lost his color. I've also added salt to my aquarium.

 

[Punkymom]

Ok...for starters, how big is the tank he's in? Full grown Oscars need at least a 55 gal tank. When you put him into your tank, did you add the water from the fish store? Do you know anything about cycling and testing the water and doing water changes when necessary? Possibly, it could be all the meds you're using. Someone else should come on here to give you some more advise, but they're going to need to know the answers to these questions. Also, if you have tested your water, what were the numbers for ammonia, ites and ates?

 

[juliemichelle]

My tank is a 55 gallon tank with several caves and lots of (fake) plants, gravel bottom. My oscar turned white on the car ride home and waited 2 days before breaking out in ick. My ammonia is right at 0 because my tank only has a few fish (12?) and is cycled, also my ph is at 7. That is all I test for. I acclimated him by floating him for 15 minutes (with the lights off in the tank--rearranged the plants/ornaments) and added a cup full of my tank water to the bag and let that set for about 10 and then went to the sink and dumped out all but about 2-3 tablespoons of bag water and then I opened the bag and he swam out. Since he has been in there I have done one 25-30% water change (and vaccuum) to lower the level of the meds after he was ick spot free for 3 days. He still eats (he doesn't like the expensive Omega food, just cheap fish flake)--he attacks the brine shrimp and baby guppies when I feed everyone. He also is sociable--he and my male adult convict cichlid are building what looks like a nest together (moving plants and gravel, etc.) Also my tank temperature is 80 degrees. Thanks for any advice!

 

[Punkymom]

Is he doing any better? Have you taken the carbon out of your filter if there is any? It's usually a good idea to take it out while medicating because it takes it out of the water. You can also raise the tank temp to 86 degrees F I think and add the salt (which you've already done) and that helps get rid of Ich, also. Glad to see you know what you're doing! If I may ask, what are the other inhabitants of the tank? How big will they grow? Are you aware that as the Oscar grows he'll eat ANYthing that will fit into his mouth? Even his childhood buddy??? So sad. LOL So how long have you had him for? You said he's ich free already? That's good. And it's good you're still medicating. You might have to keep trying the expensive food for a while. He might eventually take to it. He's probably used to cheap flakes in the fish store so that's what he wants to eat. I can't think of anything else...is his color coming back yet?

 

[bettacove]

Aww poor guy! When i first got my oscar he was pale for a few days, but not white, then after he settled in he was fine and back to being bright and colourfull.

Even his childhood buddy

LOL, i know eh! I had a pleco in with one of my oscars for like a month, then one day i come home to find that he would rather have his friend in pieces.

hope hes ok!
ashley

 

[juliemichelle]

UGH! I was in the middle of a novel length reply and my computer "burped" and lost it!!! Oscar is still alive and swimming. He does have this odd little ....um.....white hangy downy thing in the middle of his belly. Is he excited? It grew yesterday to twice it's size and then half of it fell off. 8O I thought it was just weird pooh. Any suggestions as to what it is? Oscar is now kindof a brownish color. I didn't remove my carbon from the filter with the CopperSafe because it said to leave it in. Also I'm supposed to treat the water once a month to prevent future outbreaks (I think that's why I'm supposed to do that.) My tank has mostly african cichlids--2 firemouths, 2 juvenile pink convicts, 2 juvenile convicts, one adult male convict (his mate died 3 weeks ago), 2 plecos, 1 male betta, and 4 feeder goldfish that won't DIE! Thanks guys for replying and thinking of us!