White Spots on Hungry Oscar

[materbona]

I am the same one that just posted about ph problems in 3 tanks...Now I am noticing a problem with my huge Oscar Buddy. I think he must have a parasite. At first I thought he was just damaging himself because he was getting mad every time my neighbor tried to feed him over the weekend,,,biting rocks,,,pushing things around,,,,running into the glass with his face,,,he actually had a crooked jaw for a bit. Well,, he has these white spots which I thought were scraped off scales...but I think there are small holes developing and they have spread! Never had anything like this... they are not cottony at all.... he also seems starved all the time....the whole picture makes me think parasites of some sort. He eats Hikari food and some dried krill and has been really healthy...is now probably 9 -12 inches long. I have pictures which I will try to attach...please help... I just noticed the drastic changes in his appearance after a two day absence.

 

[limnologist]

That looks like hole-in-the-head disease

 

[materbona]

What Do I Do if It is Hole in the Head?

I have always done partial water changes weekly or sometimes more often and vacuumed the tank at the same time. He is in a 60 gal by himself because he tried to kill the pleco, so I had to move it. The only real problem has been brown algae which I clean with a scraper before I vacuum. So what do I do now? I've had Buddy about 2 years or more. Please help! Thanks so much I thought dirty aquariums caused that hole in the head---?????

 

[limnologist]

most cichlids get it no matter how well you care for them. I might be wrong, but, I believe you must get the water cleaner, check the water parameters and get a medication for him. Im no expert when it comes to hole-in-the-head cause ive never had a cichlid that got it so i suggest google-ing it.