Sick baby Oscar - Need Help - New to Oscars

[Jaybritts]

I got him about a week ago. He now only wants to lay on the bottom of the tank and will flop to the side. Will not eat anything. I have a wide variety of food for him from Frozen to Special Chiclid food. But will not touch anything. Tank Temperature is between 79 - 81. I got a close up look at him and there is very tiny almost can't see it little white specks on his head and eyes. I have treated for Ick for 4 days but he is going down hill I feel! I am taking in a water sample to a fish store for testing right now. I am picking up some live Black worms to try to get him to eat. He will have slight moments of swimming once in a while. There is other fish in his tank but they do not bother him, like 4 Guppies , 3 Glass Fish , 2 Mollies , 2 Tiger Barbs , 1 Tetra . All the other fish are fine.

What can I do to save Oscar ( Tiger Oscar about 1 1/2 inch. )
I know Oscar will grow huge and we will house him in a big home when he grows. ( right now my tank is 65 Gallons ) I just want him to live to that point!!

 

[Zagz]

Welcome to AA! First things first. Post your water parameters as soon as you can get them. First I would do a large pwc and then stop treating with meds if you are treating with meds, turn the heat up one degree every 6 hours to get the temps to 86 to kill the ich. Keep the temps there for 2 weeks after the last spot is gone. How long has the tank been set up?

 

[Jaybritts]

Well I'm afraid my baby Oscar past away a few hours after I posted this request to help. I got the Water tested and they told me the water was good and not the problem with Oscar. I was told at our fish place that he had an inherited genetic problem with his swim bladder ( if I understood correctly ) . Before I posted to this in the beginning - on Saturday morning we did a pwc ( Partial water change ) about 20 percent. I think now it was not ick. He was acting strange and not eating a few days before I spotted the very tiny spots. His color Faded also. Near the end he was only pooping whitish strings. I figured it was because of not eating. I was told he was a Black Oscar. Very beautiful. Black with cream markings.
My Tank was only set up for about 2 weeks which I have live plants also. I guess I made a big mistake in rushing in to getting fish. I did get first the recommended first fish to get the tank started before I got Oscar but I guess I didn't wait long enough. I also got Oscar at Wal-mart and I'm assuming that was a big mistake also and not at our fish supply place.
You may think I'm terrible! I'm learning and I'm determined to learn all I can in order to raise an Oscar for his full 20 year life span. I just love how they bond with their owners I'm told. They are special fish!
I was heart sick that I could not save him!! I found your website to late also to get advice in time. But I have book marked it and I'm going to read it over fully .
Very sad
Lori

 

[An t-iasg]

I'm so sorry to hear that. You're not terrible at all. You're learning and researching and that's how all of us started, with a few mistakes along the way, but we learn and improve our fish skills.

A sign of internal parasites is the long, stringy white poop. There are anti-parasite foods available - the Jungle brand has one - and some parasite meds that you add to the water, like Metronidazole from Seachem. I have started to give all my new fish some of the anti-parasite food when I first get them.

Another thing I thought of when you said very tiny white spots was velvet. Velvet is another type of parasite and it can be very hard to see or diagnose. Fading color is a sign of stress or disease.

I'm glad you are going to try again with an oscar, and that you will continue to read our website! Please post if you have any questions!

Here's some reading to get you started - the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=21

Fishless cycling:
http://www.algone.com/fishless_cycling_pf.htm

You could also google "fishless cycling aquarium" and "nitrogen cycle aquarium" to get more results.

Good luck!

 

[rich311k]

Sorry for your loss. If you decide to try again with another one. Your 65 gallon tank should be large enough. All of you other fish will be lunch in very short period of time however.

 

[Zagz]

So sorry to hear of your loss. Also when getting test results from your lfs, ask them for specific numbers in ppm, as many lfs employees do not know what "good" water parameters are.

 

[Jaybritts]

Thank you An t-iasg
I will look up thoses web links you sent.
I did read about internal parasites after he past away. I will look into the anti-parasite foods available and Meds right away to have on hand for my next Oscar. Thank you!! I am just up set I found out to late to safe him if that was his problem which I think it was now.

Thank you rich311k
I am going to try again with another Oscar. I want one so bad! I have read how intelligent they are and how they will bond with you.
I do have another tank that I will set up for my smaller fish soon. I'm going to have to clean it really well though and Check for leaks first because we have a snake in there last , about 4 years ago. So my Oscar will stay in the newer tank and the others will move in time. I have read that Oscars like companion fish so I will do some research to fin the right Companion fish for him.
I love my Livebearers also , like my Guppies so I will work at getting them out of Oscars way soon.

Thank you Ann ( Zagz )
I should have asked them for the parameters. I will get the Test Kits myself and learn how to use them.

 

[LindaC]

Hi Ann, I'm so sorry to hear that your Oscar didn't make it. Please don't feel like your a terrible person because your not, if you were a terrible person, you would have never came to this forum looking for help for him. Believe me, we've all made mistakes.

Stick with it and like you said, read, read, read and you can't go wrong. Here's hoping that your next Oscar lives a long happy, healthy life.

Good luck!
Linda

 

[Jaybritts]

Thank you LindaC

My name is Lori who owned the Oscar that past away. I replied to a Member named Ann though and it might have looked like that was my name.

I am going to try with another Oscar. I found the internal parasites Medication that ( member: An t-iasg ) told me about. I'm going to start to give it to my new ones right at the begining as a proventive. I also got a Master Water Testing Kit. So I will learn the parameters of my water. So much to learn. But I want too.
I'm so glad I found this website!
Thank you again for your kind Words! It helped but I still feel heart sick that I might have been able to save him if I only had learned first before getting him.

Thanks again though From Lori!

 

[Zagz]

Lori don't feel heartsick about it. We've all been there. It is places like AA that help us through these times, through support, knowledge and general advice. We learn from our lack of knowledge. I think it's great you are going to try again!