Oscar with Possible JSS or HITH

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Popplefish

Small Fish
#1
Dec 7, 2009
38
0
0
Somewhere in the Depths of Washington State
#1
Hello all.

I've a tiger oscar, about 6 inches, in a 29 gallon tank. The nitrates an ammonia are zero, pH is around 7.6, and nitrites are cruising around 1 or 2 ppm. I can't move him into a larger tank. I've attached a photo of what seems to be ailing him.

He sulks mostly, but eats still and does swim around the tank. He's got one friend, a dwarf plecos, and they get along and the plecos is fine.

Any help you have would be great.
 

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OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#2
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#2
You'd have to do massive water changes to keep an oscar that size in a 29 gallon tank, in my opinion. Can you move the oscar to the 55 gallon?

Nitrites should be zero if the tank is cycled. Nitrites of 1 or 2 indicates you are in the middle of the cycle, not completed. What dechlorinator do you use? Some can be used to detoxify nitrite.

What do you feed the oscar? What is your water change schedule like?
 

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Popplefish

Small Fish
#3
Dec 7, 2009
38
0
0
Somewhere in the Depths of Washington State
#3
I'll admit right off the bat that the last few weeks I've been lax with the water changes, due to work issues. Not an excuse, I know, but the only reason I have.

I recently moved him from a 20 where he had to reside (until I could get the 29 a stand that didn't break) and that might be the problem. He moved this week, so the tank is probably not fully cycled.

USUALLY, the last few weeks not-withstanding, I'm doing 50% water changes twice a week.

Is this something I should find a vet about? It couldn't hurt, I guess, but I wouldn't mind trying to take care of it without resorting to that. I use the Stress Coat Dechlorinator that they sell at Drs Foster and Smith; our water is chlorinated, but there is no chloramines.

Moving him into the 55 isn't an option right now, as it will take me almost a month to get it up and running.

Thanks for your help,
PF
 

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OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#4
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#4
Poor water conditions, poor diet, inadaquate tank size are all linked to the deteriation of flesh you see.

The water condtions and tank size you have addressed. What about diet for the fish?
 

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littletankbigworld

Superstar Fish
#6
Aug 16, 2009
1,318
0
0
SW Pennsylvania
#6
You need to use a liquid water test and test the water daily. If the water tests high for anything (ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate), immediately do partial water changes until tests are lower. Please read about cycling tanks.
I highly recommend that you immediately move the oscar into the 55 gallon tank. If not, please give the fish to a friend or pet store with a proper tank. I'm not an oscar expert, but I know of someone who kept two very small baby oscars in a 100 gallon tank and had to upgrade the tank because even 100 gallons was too small.
I also urgently suggest that you sell your two goldfish. Two goldfish belong in a 55 gallon tank, not an overcrowded 20 gallon. You must also test the water in the goldfish tank, as I can only imagine the high levels of toxins.
 

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Popplefish

Small Fish
#7
Dec 7, 2009
38
0
0
Somewhere in the Depths of Washington State
#7
The goldfish are less than 2 inches long at the moment, and have stayed that way under pristine water conditions, for almost 2 years; when they grow bigger, I'll upgrade.

I don't have any intention of giving up my tiger Oscar; as he gets bigger, I hope to get him into the 55 gallon tank as soon as I can get it going, but that will take awhile. I'll continue to treat for HITH and see what happens.

Thanks for your help!
PF
 

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littletankbigworld

Superstar Fish
#8
Aug 16, 2009
1,318
0
0
SW Pennsylvania
#8
The goldfish have stayed small because of being cramped in a small space. Fish are just like animals and people. When they are crushed into a small space, their body produces a hormone that stunts the growth of their skeleton. However, their organs continue to grow and push out of their skeleton. The fish die a very painful death from organ failure, since trying to fit the organs of a foot long fish into a tiny body obviously doesn't work.
What do you mean by pristine water conditions? What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? If they are all 0, your fish tank is not cycled and your fish will suffer from a number of silent, deadly diseases if they aren't already suffering.

I'm not sure if 55 gallons is big enough, so you will need the opinion of the oscar experts.
 

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Popplefish

Small Fish
#9
Dec 7, 2009
38
0
0
Somewhere in the Depths of Washington State
#9
Littlefish,

I usually do water tests on Sunday for the GF tank. I'll do them tomorrow and post the results. They spent the first part of their lives in a 55 gallon tank that I had previously (which broke in a move), and they didn't grow then either, and that tank was fully cycled.

As for the Tiger Oscar, I did another partial water change (about 1/3), added some aquarium salt according to package directions (which I haven't used for a long time) and am starting him on a 4 day course of water-administered antibiotics. The readings from his tank are as follows:

Nitrites are down to zero; nitrates cruising at 1 ppm; zero ammonia; pH steady at between 7.4 and 7.6. Temperature steady at 78 degree Fahrenheit. No real change in behavior. I use the liquid tests from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, so exact numbers are impossible. If there are better tests to use, please let me know.
 

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