Tiger Oscar Missing Scales With Something Growing On It's Side Nee

[Rousall]

I have 4 baby tiger oscars in a 20gallon tank. One of the oscars recently looked like he was missing scales a little up from his tail. At first I thought that the biggest one was starting to pick on it even though is is the second biggest in the tank to establish dominance or something. But now he have separtated himself from the other 3 and stopped eating. It also looks like where the scales are miss like while stringy fuzzy things are starting to grow on its sides. I'm sure it has to be some kind of fungus or parasite, but am having a hard time determining what it is.
On a different note I also need help with my tank water. The tank is cycling right now, and it is to the point where nitrite is building up. Ever since the ammonia started building up I have been doing daily water changes of about %50. My alkalinity (KH) in my tank along with the ph has steadily been dropping and now not looking all that great. I haven't done my daily water change today and right now my tank is
nitrate- 0ppm
nitrite- 2ppm
hardness (GH)- 75ppm
alkalinity (KH)- 0ppm
PH- 6.2
Ammonia- 0

Everytime I do a water change I use the recomended amount of Kordon brand Amquel Plus which is supposed to detoxifie Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, chlorine & chloramines. I only treat the water I'm replacing, and I also use aquarium salt in the water I replace, because from my understanding it helps with nitrite levels. The tank is very well airated. I am at a point now where I need help, and am not sure what to do. Anything anyone can recomend to me would be very appreciated. My number one priority is to treat the fish with the fungus or what ever it is so he wont die and wont spread it through out the tank to the other fish.

 

[mtbdean]

Your cycling your tank with Oscars? You must be made of money! and 4 babies in a 20gallon?

 

[KittyKat]

Rousall: ammonia and nitrite over 0.25 ppm are very toxic to fish so keep up water changes with warm, dechlorinated water to keep those well below 0.25 ppm.

Oscars are aggressive, territorial and need large tanks, you'd be looking at 6*2*2 ft at least.

I recommend you take them back and do a fish-less cycle, then stock with more appropriate stocking. You will learn a lot from the cycle (especially patience) and will not have any of these issues with better stocking.

 

[Rousall]

Rousall: ammonia and nitrite over 0.25 ppm are very toxic to fish so keep up water changes with warm, dechlorinated water to keep those well below 0.25 ppm.

Oscars are aggressive, territorial and need large tanks, you'd be looking at 6*2*2 ft at least.

I recommend you take them back and do a fish-less cycle, then stock with more appropriate stocking. You will learn a lot from the cycle (especially patience) and will not have any of these issues with better stocking.

 

[KittyKat]

p.s. there really is nothing you can do about their personalities in a tank that size.

 

[Fawah40]

I have 4 baby tiger oscars in a 20gallon tank. One of the oscars recently looked like he was missing scales a little up from his tail. At first I thought that the biggest one was starting to pick on it even though is is the second biggest in the tank to establish dominance or something. But now he have separtated himself from the other 3 and stopped eating. It also looks like where the scales are miss like while stringy fuzzy things are starting to grow on its sides. I'm sure it has to be some kind of fungus or parasite, but am having a hard time determining what it is.
On a different note I also need help with my tank water. The tank is cycling right now, and it is to the point where nitrite is building up. Ever since the ammonia started building up I have been doing daily water changes of about %50. My alkalinity (KH) in my tank along with the ph has steadily been dropping and now not looking all that great. I haven't done my daily water change today and right now my tank is
nitrate- 0ppm
nitrite- 2ppm
hardness (GH)- 75ppm
alkalinity (KH)- 0ppm
PH- 6.2
Ammonia- 0

Everytime I do a water change I use the recomended amount of Kordon brand Amquel Plus which is supposed to detoxifie Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, chlorine & chloramines. I only treat the water I'm replacing, and I also use aquarium salt in the water I replace, because from my understanding it helps with nitrite levels. The tank is very well airated. I am at a point now where I need help, and am not sure what to do. Anything anyone can recomend to me would be very appreciated. My number one priority is to treat the fish with the fungus or what ever it is so he wont die and wont spread it through out the tank to the other fish.

I'm new to fish keeping but have always wanted Oscars because of their size, and from I read, personality. Unless you have or are planning to get at least a 200-300 US gallon tank in the near future bring the back. They will only end up dieing, from what I understand from all my reading they are VERY messy fish and a 20 g is never going to support the amount of ammonia they will put out.

Personally I think this is the equivalent ofr trolling in MMORPGs, but if not bring them back and read up on what you are doing.