View Full Version : Oscar with disease (?)
PeteSC
07-24-2003, 8:12 PM
My 4 year old Oscar has developed this white blotch on it's body.
Any idea what it is, and how to treat it?
Otherwise.....it's healthy, and normal.
I have done a water change....and added some melafix.
http://www.banditalley.com/fish/az72403.jpg
I have two ideas. If it is hard then lymphocystis. If it is fungal looking (can't tell from the pic) then he bumped his head and a fungus has set in. This is the more serious of the two as it indicates poor water conditions.
PeteSC
07-24-2003, 10:00 PM
It doesn't look fuzzy.....so I kind of doubt it's fungus.....
Water conditions are pretty good.....I change 50-75% or more weekly. It's in a 55G with just a pleco as a a tankmate.
One possible factor.......my A/C has been acting up, so the room temperature is pretty warm. Tank temp has climbed to 84 during the day.
It is possible it's a wound from something.......the oscar like to knock loose the spraybar at times....
It seems to me the hole started out smaller.....that's why I though it was a disease of sorts. It is a hole, or erosion type wound.....but not in a typical HITH position.
This Oscar also had severe HITH about 3 years ago....
google lymphocystis. That might be it. It looks like a white head zit.
PeteSC
07-26-2003, 8:20 AM
I did a search for lymphocystis.........this doesn't seem to be it,
This may just be a wound that is healing slowly......(I hope)
The affected area is indented, like a gouge, or erosion......kind of like HITH, but on the wrong part of the body.
Anyway.....will increase the water changes...and have added some salt to the tank. Will watch it. Thanks.
i have an oscar in a 90 gal with just a plec, and he loves to rearrange the tank for me and is always trying to break my heaters and filters. in doing so he has in the past cut himself, which to me is what it looks like your fish did. i just made sure the water was clean and let it take care of itself and it would just heal up over a period of time. hes done this several times over the two years that ive had him and hes seems healthy and very active to me.
k
PeteSC
07-26-2003, 6:49 PM
Thanks. I'm 'hoping' it's just a 'Oscar Spaz attack' injury.
Usually it heals pretty quickly........
I'm used to 'self inflicted' wounds in my Oscar!
.:rolleyes:
Usually there's an obvious flap of skin....or something.
It's active.......doing fine. I'll keep up the water changes....and salt, and melafix
:cool:
PeteSC
07-31-2003, 9:08 PM
I was out of town for a couple of days, came home and found the Oscar dead. (Has an autofeeder and this is a regular routine)
Have had it 4 years......will miss the bugger!
The Pleco is OK. Not sure why the Oscar died.
The tank was extremely clouded.......did a 80% water change.....
Not sure if I'll get another Oscar........or use the 55G for a community tank.
PeteSC
08-02-2003, 6:02 AM
The pleco in this tank is doing fine. I've done two 80% water changes.....with some serious vacumning.....and the water has cleared up.
I did buy a baby oscar yesterday to put in this tank eventually.
(It's happy right now in a 29G community tank....is 2 inches long)
http://www.banditalley.com/fish/baby.jpg
My time frame is kind of SEPTEMBER to move the Oscar into the 55g.
I'd like to keep the pleco in the 55g so I don't have to cycle it again, but want to quarantine the tank before I put the baby Oscar in.
I plan on doing regular water changes on the almost empty tank.
Am I missing something? Would I be better off draining the tank and totally cleaning it.......cycling it again? I don't want to preserve some parasite or disease that may have done my Oscar in!
Maybe I'm just getting paranoid.....and a 4 and a half year lifespan for an OScar isn't too bad......and it died of natural causes?
Little Oscars are so cool!
As far as the tank all I can think is treat with some methyl blue and keep up the water changes. If you have untill Sept though your best bet might be to break it down and bleach it. Make sure to rinse well and dechlorinate. Good luck. Sorry your buddy died.
Afterthought.........A Pleco and Oscar are a pretty big bioload for a 55 I would recommend heavy filtration and a 60-70 percent water change weekly.
PeteSC
08-02-2003, 7:28 PM
I'm a firm believer in HEAVY filtration......actually probably too much.......
My 55G has an Eheim 2128......a Hot Magnum....and a UV Sterilizer. There's also a large airpump driven sponge filter.
I'm lazy.......I probably service each filter every 2-3 months......and I can totally clean it knowing another 'cycled' filter is in place.
I average changing 2/3 of the water weekly.......sometimes more......
I would like a bigger tank for the Oscar....and that **** pleco.....
Someday!
It's too much fun watching the OScar swim around to have it cramped.......
Luckily......this little guy gives me a year or so to get a bigger tank.
It's doing fine.......holding it's own in a 29G with a Festivum, and a large Angelfish. The other big fish don't seemto mind it....
so far......but it does have a pvc 'retreat' the other fish can't get into. It was propped up on the striped Raphael cat this morning,,,,,,:D
My friends think I'm crazy with my **** Oscars.....but what else can always make you smile?
(That's legal!)