Help...

[HorrorShowRot]

Allright I have a single oscar in a 75 gallon temps hold at 78 during the day at night it goes down to 76 But I went out last night and didn't come home this morning I come home his coloration is odd. His normal orange and black is a wierd light brown orange color. Also he has some sort of fungus and have no idea how he got that..... Nothing has been added to the tank at all He can only swim with one side fin the other one he is not using and it looks pretty fungusy. Any help would be awesome I will be taking a picture shortly... Poor little guy:(

[HorrorShowRot]

Here he is

[Lab_Rat]

Parameters?

[Nobodynotime]

I don't know about the whole fin issue but I had an oscar that would change color like that when he was excited.

[HorrorShowRot]

Give me 2 seconds and ill measure them for ya.

[HorrorShowRot]

K ph is about 7.2 Amonia is 0ppm Nitrite is also 0ppm Nitrate I would say is about 1ppm. Its not 0 and the closest on it would be 5 but its inbetween.

[Lab_Rat]

I would do a wc now, and dose with pimafix if he has fungusy growth. No carbon in the filter. Something has stressed him and made him susceptible to a fungal infection. How is his diet?

[HorrorShowRot]

Right not its wardleys cichlid pellets dont want to get him more sick. He was fed feeders at the petstore so I am not sure if its still from that.

[Scrup]

you sure the nitrates are that low?

did you just do a water change?

What are you using to measure them? strips or drops?

Its possible, and likely, unless you just did a huge water change, that your testing kit is not working right. 1ppm of nitrates in an oscar tank is pretty unrealistically low, but I could be wrong.


how long has the tank been setup, and how long have you had him in it?

[HorrorShowRot]

its been set up for 2 months did about a 80 percent water change last night when I noticed he was feeling like crap. And I use drops.

[Scrup]

so was it cycled with him in it? If so, that's most likely the culprit.

Adding some aquarium salt will help ease some stress on him, but it is not a long term thing. I would just use it while he is sick, then do a few water changes to dilute it out.

Lots of people have different opinions of salt, how much, when to use..etc, but you can judge for yourself..good site with pro's/con's.
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personally I use 3TBS for every ten gallons, dissolved in a cup and spread around the tank. usually instantly a change in the fish, almost like they are buzzed. thumbs2:

that paired with the proper meds should get him back to health in no time. I am no expert on meds so, can't really help you there...sorry.

[HorrorShowRot]

Does table salt work or no lol.

[Scrup]

ohohoh no....

bah even told myself not to forget to put that in.

Table salt is NOT advised at all, unless it is kosher(additive free).

one thing I used a few times was rock salt made for an ice cream maker. most table salt has some extra gunk in it, non-iodized is safe as well I believe. if you read the ingredients and it is just sodium chloride (NaCl) it is fine to put in. Anything else in the salt and I would stay away.

sea salt and cichlid salt are both different types than what I am referring to as well.


Rock salt is cheap as dirt btw.

[Aeonflame]

Table salt must be non idodized for use in a tank. This is very important.

[robflanker]

I posted this elsewhere - but why are we adding salt? I didn't know it de-stressed stressed fish...

Anyways - are there any tank mates? and as L_R asked - whats the diet like?

[Scrup]

Right not its wardleys cichlid pellets dont want to get him more sick. He was fed feeders at the petstore.


.........not enjoying this triple post madness..lol good luck with the oscar.

[Aeonflame]

I posted this elsewhere - but why are we adding salt? I didn't know it de-stressed stressed fish...

Anyways - are there any tank mates? and as L_R asked - whats the diet like?

My thoughts exactly.

[domjd05]

I don't think adding salt is the answer.. usually taking something out of the tank works better than putting something in...

did you cycle your tank with the oscar in it?

any idea of the parameters before you did the large 80% WC?