Oscar missing scales and likely fin rot

[junquenito]

I'm trying to do some research for a friend here. He's had an oscar for 3 years or more who is missing scales on his head (thought it was HITH for a while but not pussy, feces are normal, no lateral line issues, etc...) and has what appears to be advanced stage of fin rot (caudal fin is split in 2).

I can't figure out what the missing scales issue is and am wondering if anyone has any ideas. He looks 100% normal except for the missing scales on his head (starting to lose scales by his caudal fin as well) and the ratty caudal fin (dorsal fin starting to show some signs of rot). The fish is extremely active, has never been reluctant to eat, and never shows any signs of lethargic behaviour or being "sick".

This oscar is the only fish in a 55g aquarium with a fluval 404 as filtration.

Water quality:
0 ppm Ammonia
0 ppm Nitrite
~6.4 pH
very low (below 1 degree) KH
very low (~1 degree) GH

He's kept this fish in this same state for over 3 years so honestly I'm a bit apprehensive to do much since it's behaviour shows it to be rather happy.

My first suggestion to him is going to be a mild salt treatment and probably a bit of baking soda to increase KH/GH. I know he did a bacterial treatment when this started (don't know the name of the medication but believe it started w/ "M"?) but it had zero effect.

Anyone have any other comments / suggestions?

 

[Clare]

Hi,
How big is the tank he`s in? If the fin rot isn`t treat he will certainetly die so i would recommend a waterlife treatment for that.
Our Oscar is manic and frequently swims into things and tries to move clay pots around the tank, so if there is anything he could be harming himself on i suggest it is removed from the tank.
Oscars need a lot of room to swim around. Is it definately not hole in the head he has?
Myaxin is a really good treatment for fin rot. Ours was torn to pieces when we bought him. Someone had kept him with aggresive fish and returned him to the fish store when he was close to the point of no return. Since then his fins grew back and he is much better.

Good luck and although the fish seems happy, it is always hard to tell. Does he go around trying to wreck the tank? That is usually a sign of a happy oscar!!!
Hope to of helped
Clare

 

[ger87410]

I don't know about advanced stages, but beginning stages of fin rot can be treated really well with salt. That water is extremely acidic. I'd raise the ph up, he ain't keeping discuses. He keeping oscars. As far as I know they don't like the water acidic. They like nuetral. Make sure the water isn't a lower ph. The ph of battery acid (if I remember right) is 2. So the closer you get to 2 the more it starts eating stuff away. Get a low range ph tester.