"Sick Oscar"

[Hogie]

Looking for some help.

I have a Oscar that is aproxamatly 11 or 12 years old. He has become a little bloatted in the stomach area and he has not eaten for a few days. Also he seems to be gasping too. Does anyone know what I can do?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Bantam]

hi,

he is getting on a bit - it might just be old age:(

alternatively; have you tested the water at all? what was the last thing he did eat/do you use live feeders? does he share the tank with anything?

this site; http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/disease/diagnosis.htm might also be useful

regards
craig

[Faramir]

Could be constipated. Is he still passing faeces? If not, then since he's not eating try a 1 hour bath in epsom salts in the water - half a teaspoon per 2 pints, according to http://www.geocities.com/angiemcg2000/feces.html.

There are other possibilities but they are all a bit sinister - tapeworms, organ failure, tumour, dropsy....

[Hogie]

The water has tested good, a little soft but everytheing else is oksy. All other fish in tank are great. It does appear that he has not passed anything for a while. Kinda hard to tell because I can't watch him all the time.

[Hogie]

Well he did'nt make it. I tried treating him and only got through two treatments before he got to sick and was just laying on the bottom barely gasping. Because of his sixe I had to treat him in a cooler and then put him back in the main tank. All the other fish would'nt leave him alone so I euthanated him. Almost 12 years with him. It's gonna be hard to keep the tank up with out him. He really had a great personality.

Well thanks for the help. Just wish something would have worked.