Oscar parasites or constipation?

BenPen

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 5, 2018
42
5
8
MA, USA
I recently got an Oscar at a box pet store and from the day I brought him home his uhhh fishy butt has been swollen and he has white poop, not stringy. He’s in a 20g quarantine tank, daily water changes ammonia & nitrites are 0 and nitrate is pretty dang close to 0 with the daily changes. I’m running the temp around 82-83F and currently salting the water a 1 tsp per 7 gallons to try to help kick whatever this is. Behaviour wise I haven’t noticed anything wrong, eats fine, chases his reflection, no abnormal breathing or being lethargic, etc. however he does have that swollen bit that did start to go down as the first 4 days I have a fish I don’t feed them but as soon as I fed him(I wanted to see if he WOULD eat) it stared swelling again. His stomach is also slightly sunken in.
Any ideas if I’m dealing with a parasite and what I should do? Would the high temp and salt be enough to clear it up? Any help at all would be much appreciated.
 

Deadliestviper7

The Necromancer
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Aug 6, 2016
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I recently got an Oscar at a box pet store and from the day I brought him home his uhhh fishy butt has been swollen and he has white poop, not stringy. He’s in a 20g quarantine tank, daily water changes ammonia & nitrites are 0 and nitrate is pretty dang close to 0 with the daily changes. I’m running the temp around 82-83F and currently salting the water a 1 tsp per 7 gallons to try to help kick whatever this is. Behaviour wise I haven’t noticed anything wrong, eats fine, chases his reflection, no abnormal breathing or being lethargic, etc. however he does have that swollen bit that did start to go down as the first 4 days I have a fish I don’t feed them but as soon as I fed him(I wanted to see if he WOULD eat) it stared swelling again. His stomach is also slightly sunken in.
Any ideas if I’m dealing with a parasite and what I should do? Would the high temp and salt be enough to clear it up? Any help at all would be much appreciated.
Sounds like parasites
 

kno4te

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Reduce temps to 78-80. Add some metronidazole and prazipro to the water. Add Epsom salt at 1 tbsp per 5g. Get some metroplex and feed to the fish. Keep the water pristine. My suggestion. Best of luck.
 

BenPen

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 5, 2018
42
5
8
MA, USA
Reduce temps to 78-80. Add some metronidazole and prazipro to the water. Add Epsom salt at 1 tbsp per 5g. Get some metroplex and feed to the fish. Keep the water pristine. My suggestion. Best of luck.
Thank you! I have another Oscar in the tank with him but he is not showing any symptoms, do you recommend that I treat him anyways since they were purchased from the same tank and kept together so far? Not sure how easily transferable what I’m dealing with is and the only way to separate the two Oscars would be to put him in with my black ghost knife and I don’t want to risk infecting him if there’s even the slightest chance he could have the parasite too now.
 
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kno4te

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Would treat both oscars if in the same tank together.
 
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BenPen

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 5, 2018
42
5
8
MA, USA
Would treat both oscars if in the same tank together.
Thanks! Should I stick with their usual pellet food for soaking with the MetroPlex? Sorry, for all the questions, just wanna make sure I give them the best chance for getting over this.
 

kno4te

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Dec 24, 2005
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Thanks! Should I stick with their usual pellet food for soaking with the MetroPlex? Sorry, for all the questions, just wanna make sure I give them the best chance for getting over this.
Yes go ahead and mix with it if able.
 
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