Sick Oscar

[Thief_Catcher]

I'm new here so I hope I get the right info in the right places.
I have a 2yr old oscar who has been in the same tank all his life. I have fed him goldfish regularly without problem. I added some goldfish bought from the local pet store about 24 hours ago and he has developed gray/white blister-looking marks along his sides. The area around his eyes also looks cloudy. For the last 2 yrs the water been kept at a consistant 70 degrees and 6.8PH. The only factor that has changed is the latest addition of food. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Rod

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[playfulalliecat]

Hi and welcome!

I don't know a lot about Oscars as the one I had never got sick. I am doing some research for you as I type this.......not sure what I will find though. I would think that you have contracted some type of fungus or something of that nature from the feeders. Having no idea what your process is concerning adding feeders to your tank, I can only say that the coincidence of putting them in and a day later the oscar having problems suggests that they introduced something to your tank. When I used feeders long ago, I kept a separate container for them. I used just a styrofoam fish shipping box, added a filter and air pump and would put fish in there with a treatment to kill any diseases they had. I used mercurochrome then as it was good for most anything. From what I have read maracyn would be its counterpart in today's fishkeeping world. I never had any problems with introducing anything into my tank because my feeder fish were always healthy and I used minnows bought from a bait shop as they were a lot cheaper than buying the goldfish. The only time I used them was when the finicky fish I had, a piranha, oscaar, and 2 water dogs (salamanders) would stop eating the other food, namely cichlid tablets or freeze dried tubifex worms. Just one feeder every so often and they would go back to eating the cheaper foods that as an added benefit offered less chance of disease introduction as well.

I'll see what I can come up with and we'll go from there. Maybe someone will come in who has experience with the conditions you are describing and can help you more than I can.

 

[reg2k2]

I'd read that feeders have virtually no nutrition and that fed as a staple in the diet of oscars and some other cichlids over a period of time can affect their immune system, leading to illness. Won't help you w/ where you're at now, but maybe something to consider for the future.

Hope you can get him fixed up. CM (Cichlidmaster) sh. be able to help you out w/ it.

 

[dolphin]

Hi thief-catcher

I have two Oscars which I feed floating pellets and the occasional angel fish (I breed them so have plenty of them). I have never had any problems, but have found this forum which may be able to help.

oscar forum

Dolphin

 

[Redbled]

I'm fully convinced Oscars do better without feeder fish. They have little nutritional value its true. Mine have always done really well on floating cichlid pellets. I'm also one of the weird people who can't stand the thought of feeding something living to my fish. Seems to go against the whole survival of the fittest thing when stupid goldfish have no chance of escape, but aside from that, I'd cease feeding feeders to your Oscar. Many fish stores will tell you this is all they'll eat, but to me, that's just their way to drum up business. When an Oscar gets hungry, most all will eat whatever you feed them.

 

[Thief_Catcher]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I think my Oscar is back on the road to good health. I gave him a 50% water change, added some salt and he is showing rapid improvement. I found the Oscar Forum especially helpful. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to help.

Thanks again,

Rod