# This is a hard one...



## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

My lutiano red oscar has been scratching like crazy. The water tested good. Her white area on her forehead is looking dirty. Other than that she looks great. No gasping or anything.
Anyone have any ideas what it could be?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

What is your tank maintenance routine on the tank?

Are your test kits fairly new?

Does she seem to be focusing on the forehead area when she flashes?

Can you tell if it's fuzzy or cottony looking at all? (Hard to tell in a white area, I know!)

Kim


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## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

it's not fuzzy at all, I was telling my hubbie that I wish I could take a toothbrush and scrub her head clean...but I was joking, I know it would be bad for her. it just looks like dirt.
she does to seem to focus on her head when she's flashing.
I just got a new test kit a week ago...the stupid thing is I never wrote them down...so I'll do the test again and write things down this time...what was I thinking... :roll: 
and I do a weekly water change of about 50% because her and her old man are in a 100 gallon tank together.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Well, this is a hard one. It sounds like possible fungus, but could also be early signs of a bacterial infection.

I don't think external parasites would discolour the place on her forehead.

I guess isolating her is out of the question???

I would treat with daily water changes and an antifungal med.

Should the areas become cottony or fuzzy in appearance and her condition worsen, you might need to switch to some broad spectrum antibiotics.

Kim


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## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks, I put some pimafix and melafix in there, I hopw it works.

I was wondering about a bacterial infection, I guess it's hard to see isn't it?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It is hard to determine whether you're dealing with a fungal infection or a bacterial infection. Had you said it was cottony or fuzzy in appearance, it could still be both.

Anytime anything like this occurs in the "facial" area of a fish, I'm concerned about Columnaris, which is bacterial and requires broad spectrum antibiotic treatment. But, it's almost always fluffy and cottony in appearance, with red around the edges as it progresses, and it moves to the fins and tail and all along the body.

It's hit or miss all the time with these guys. If you don't see any improvement after a few days, it may be necessary to change treatments.

I would go with something stronger than Pimafix, though...It's a good preventative, but it sounds like this girl already has something going on.

Kim


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## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

My hubbie was saying this morning that he saw her flicking her fin as well. He disagreed with me that it had something to do with only her head. hHe thinks that it gotta be around her fin area.
It's weired, but other than that, they look very healthy.
...and there isn't an issue with eating either.


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## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

Well, now she's starting to gasp a bit. :-?

Could it be gill flukes? If it is, can it be treated with salt?


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## Shah269 (Mar 5, 2008)

When my little guy had a similar issue it turned out to be an infection.
A week of penacilin and a bit of salt and he as as good and pissed off as ever.


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## jbjack (Jul 10, 2005)

keepup with salt and melafix, with high levels of O2, hopefully it will work, HIGH O2


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It could be gill flukes. The discoloured area on her head could be from her trying to scratch her head against something.

I would pick up some PraziPro and give it a try. If it is gill flukes, you have to be really persistent and aggressive to eradicate them.

Keep up the water changes, squeeze in as many as you can.

Kim


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## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

Is that stuff basically like Malachite green? I have some of that kicking around right now.

There isn't a pet shop for 40k around here...but my hubbie works out there, so he's going to phone me from town after work to see what to pick up.
Should I stop with the Pimafix and Melafix then?
...and what about salt....should I have extra in there?


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## jbjack (Jul 10, 2005)

i wouldnt have malachite green and salt together unless you have little oxygen masks for each of your fish


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## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

Gotcha .... :thumb: It's a good thing I asked first


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Quick Cure? Is that what you have?

If so, it might work. PraziPro has praziquantel in it, which is really, really effective against parasites, and that's why I suggested it.

(If you can talk your husband into picking some up, that's what I would go with...)

Kim


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## Izzydawg (Jan 4, 2008)

No it's not quick cure...it's just malachite green.
The only reason I was asking was cause I had some on hand, and I would have done a big water change and and got the process going sooner. 
I think I'm going to wait till my hubbie phones though.

I'm relly confused though...someitmes it seems like she is gasping...then it stops and she just sulks....she still has an appetite, which makes me sooooo hapy cause I know that when the appetite is gone ....things aren't going good. 
She's still scratching...it comes in spurts....hmmmm.


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