help us please

**slowpoke_moosa** · 08-29-2009, 01:00 AM

my boyfriend and i have an oscar in a 29 gl tank and then we have a 10 gl tank we keep feeder fish in. we normally use feeder fish from our local pet shop but we bought minnows from a bait shop and after a few days they started dieing off like four a day. and then we started to notice a thick clear, guey substance on there bodies and then the next day we noticed the live ones had the same thing on them! we are trying to find out what it could be and how to treat the tank for it can you help us please

**LadyHatred** · 08-29-2009, 02:37 AM

Welcome to AC. This isn't really the thread to say this but....

Ok, first, feeding oscars on "bait" is not going to work. You really should read up on the fish you are keeping. Please do not take this the wrong way.

Do your research.

Oscars will not thrive on "bait" alone and the tank you have them in is not going to do.

Crude, I know. Just wait till the other's post.

Please, do some research!!

**Wiggs** · 08-29-2009, 02:39 AM

Welcome to AC! While some responses, probably mine, may seem a bit harsh, please keep in mind we are trying to stress important factors. Do your best to take it for what it is, Advice :)

Your first problem, while unrelated to what you believe the problem to be, is that Oscar is in far too small of a tank. 75gal is the smallest I would put an Oscar in as he will get longer then that tank is wide.

Second, are you sure the minnows are Freshwater Minnows? And not a saltwater bait fish such as Spot or mullet? 4 a day is a lot to be losing. Is the tank that you keep the feeders in cycled with a heater, Filter, and all the essentials?
Do you normally feed the Oscar on nothing but feeders? While it may be enjoyable to watch an oscar chase and eat feeder fish, its far from healthy for them.

I know I answered your questions wit questions, but we need to know the essentials before we can give you any good advice for your oscar, and anything you may want to feed him once in awhile

**Lab_Rat** · 08-29-2009, 02:39 AM

Welcome to the AC!

Please post in the diseases forum with your question. It sounds like there are many changes that need to be made.

Also, please check out the free ebook, a link is located on the side bar.

**rich311k** · 08-29-2009, 02:42 AM

Welcome to the forum! Please stick around and keep an open mind. We are a great bunch of helpful folks.

**Oscar_freak12321** · 08-29-2009, 02:55 AM

Welcome to the forum! The truth is that an oscar cannot be kept in a 29 gallon. It just does not work. However, if you can't afford to get a bigger tank, I would recommend to get rid of the oscar and try something like a single leopard ctenopoma or a single firemouth. Cheers.

**Northernguy** · 08-29-2009, 02:56 AM

Welcome to the Fabulous AC!

Please read this http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/ebook.html
and this http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/oscar.php and then start a thread in the Oscar section!

**Little Embers** · 08-29-2009, 05:33 AM

WELCOME to the community..

Regarding the feeder fish....if they are not saltwater fish as already asked, and you have ruled that out..I would check all your water parameters, it may be something to do with the water quality in the tank....How many feeders do you have in it, how often do you do water changes etc? The slime may be from the overproduction of the fish's own slime coating which is used as a defensive mechanism when something is wrong and helps keep bacteria/parasites from entering the skin .

**Crispy** · 08-29-2009, 07:40 AM

I'll tell you exactly why you can't feed minnows as feeders... they're coldwater fish... even moreso than bass, sunfish, etc. Even when we're fishing, we keep an icepack and aerator in with the minnows just to keep them alive for 4-5 hours. As soon as they get warm, they die. They only live in 80 degree aquarium water for a couple of minutes before they're dead. They are VERY VERY messy also... your tank probably looked a snow-globe (from their scales) if they were getting eaten by your Os. You're better off getting earthworms.

You've already been told about your tank being too small also, but instead of harping about that, I thought I would solve your minnow problem... but yes, you need a bigger tank for Os.