# IM ABOUT TO GIVE UP HELP!!!!!!



## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I am not sure if I have posted here on this fish or not. I have a 125 gallon Aquarium with the following fish all of which are happy less one.

2 Tiger Oscars
1 Parrott Cichlid
4 Silver Dollars
2 High Fin Synodontis
2 Synodontis Multi 's
1 Raphael Catfish

Again all are happy eat play etc. less one Tiger Oscar. He Looks just Beautiful bright colors perfect fins etc. He just goes threw these periods where he acts like he doesn't feel well, stops eating (hykari Gold Bio Plus is base diet) Lays on the bottom allot. The Tigers love each other they will play but never hurt one another. I have just moved to the country off city water to a spring water well (by the way he did this with both water types or should I say the city water and out here) API Test PH is 7.8ppm, Ammonia was at .10ppm before my water change yesterday. Nitrite/Nitrate all are 0ppm. I do at least one 50% water change a week. Filters are 2X Fluval 406, 1 FX5. Only Additive is Prime. Don't use Carbon just Bio and Mechanical in filters. I have treated the whole tank with Metronidazole with daily water changes Have used Seachem and Aquascience brands. The Water changes are wearing me out I have physical impairments so WC's are a major work out even with a Python. I read not to use Carbon with Oscars but I was wondering if I should try it a few days just to see if there could be a mineral in the water that is bothering him. Or do I just need to find a Fish Psychiatrist?

HELP!!!!!!! :-? !!!!!!


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

How long has this been going on?

How large are the oscars?

Oscars can be sulky and pout. They don't adapt as well to change. That doesn't necessarily mean they are sick, it just means they can be VERY moody.

My first thought was to try to increase the water changes to 2 a week, but from what you have said, that's not a good option for you. Oscars require higher tank maintenance because of the amount of waste they produce and the foods they eat. Would it be possible to increase the amount of that weekly water change? Would that be easier for you to up it to 60-70% weekly for a week or two to see if this changes anything?

I only kept Oscars for a brief period of time, but I did use carbon while I kept them without any problems. It sounds like the ammonia is your only issue water wise, and to have it at .10 with only weekly changes is surprising, however, it is enough to make the fish react to the ammonia level, since any ammonia level at all can do damage.

Try checking the ammonia 2 days after the water change, and monitor it daily for a week. See how quickly it's rising. Try a larger water change, if at all possible.

You don't want ammonia showing in the water, ever. So, for your sake, if you can't control it with water changes, you might consider keeping fish that do not produce as much waste.

You might also look at how much you are feeding, although that is probably not the issue here. I had to do 2-3 water changes a week with my oscars to keep the water pristine.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks for your reply. Yeah it's the strangest thing. They are both about I'd say 8" plus. He is absolutely beautiful just not eating. At the moment he's sitting on the bottom rear Conner of the tank. Every once in awhile he will get up and swim around a bit than go back. I know its not the healthy Oscar picking on him as he seems to keep going back and checking on him almost like he's trying to get him to leave the conner very gentle. I figure the ammonia is the medication messing with the bacteria. So here's my plan I'm going to do one last dose today then a large water change tomorrow. I figured I'd add my extra HOB filter with some carbon. Then treat the tank like it is in a cycle until I see steady numbers again. Then I hate to say leave this guy to his own devices, as I'm starting to worry about the well being of the other fish with all this medication. I don't have any extra tanks to separate him. Your right maybe it is a mental thing Oscars are so smart? I just don't understand how he can look so good and be sick? Again all my other fish eat and play, I follow strict hygene, vacuum half the tank with each water change. According to all the ratings Hykari is a good diet. I do know Oscars almost seem to require interaction more like a dog.

I had read on a Oscar site where they are claiming steady use of carbon as a cause for Hole In The Head. Of course I never ran carbon all the time anyway.

Sorry, if this post seems so fragmented I was just trying to keep it as short as possible. So much of this could be a posting of its own?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

That is why I said it could be just a moody oscar!

How long has he been refusing food? What are you feeding? You said in your first post that he goes through 'periods' of this behavior. Does he eat at times?

Yes, I know about the opinions of carbon leading to HITH. At this point, since you haven't been using it, I would just add it temporarily to help clear out the water from the meds.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks again. To my knowledge he has not eaten in 4 days. I feed Hakari Bio Gold + standard. In this case I have also tried earthworms, mealworms. The first time he did this he was sick for sure his stools where a white mucus and he swam with his head tilted down. The medication made him better in a couple days. He has done this twice since I thought the water might be off but test were all fine. As mentioned above I only add Prime. As I write this I am doing a Hugh water change about 80% and I am going to run Carbon for a few weeks. I am going to treat the tank as if it was in a cycle as far as the schudle. I have wondered if he might just have a internal disorder? From this point forward I will try to keep water as well as I can and if he makes it that will be great But I am no longer going to put all my other fish in that tank threw the stress. I wish I had another large tank to put him in. Truthfully I'm hoping he's just moody as his personality is neat and he is very pretty.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Post back with an update. I am going to move this thread over to the illness/health section, to see if anyone has any other thoughts health wise.

Good luck!


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

Well I'm sorry to say this guy did not make it. He looked great right up to the time he died just could never get him to eat. I've wondered if he might have been born with a disorder of some sort he just never seemed to thrive. All others are happy and doing fine they seem to like this well water much better so far(still using Prime). I'm going to wait a short allow 5 or 6 water changes and try another one as I would like two. On good food these guys grow so fast what length would you expect them to reach in a 125 with good husbandry?


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## earled (Jan 3, 2013)

Healthy Oscars can reach 15' if kept in the proper conditions. Your tank is not really big enough for all those large fish. The 2 oscars are a perfect fit


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