Oscar is Looking a Little Suspicious

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Have you tested your water?

No

If I did not test my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

If I do not change my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

Hey y'all! I was checking on my fish and noticed that my Oscar had a big gash on its head. I know it happened today, as there was no gash this morning. How should I treat it? Should I do multiple water changes and hope for the best, or can I put meds in the tank?

I attached pictures of him; it was a challenge as he kept moving and only paused briefly.

He is eating well and is active. But he does frequently turn shades and kind of floats on the back edges of the tank, he does this daily, especially in the mornings (I think it is because he is waking up and getting used to the abrupt shift of light and darkness as some of my other fish change pattern/shade in the mornings).

Thank you in advance for any help!

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

I've also noticed white edging around his dorsal and tail fins, and I wonder if that is normal or a sign of disease.

 

[FINWIN]

Cutie. O's are clumsy, especially juvies. Remove anything with sharp edges. Keep water CLEAN and it should be fine. Bricks' gashed himself up more than once and with clean water he'd heal in 2-3 days. One time he tore a 3 inch chunk in his meat with the skin/scales flapping off.

The white edges are fin growth. Sometimes you see less or more.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Cutie. O's are clumsy, especially juvies. Remove anything with sharp edges. Keep water CLEAN and it should be fine. Bricks' gashed himself up more than once and with clean water he'd heal in 2-3 days. One time he tore a 3 inch chunk in his meat with the skin/scales flapping off.

The white edges are fin growth. Sometimes you see less or more.

So either thing is nothing to seriously worry about? Thank goodness lol. I will go ahead and remove my wood, it is the only thing in the tank that is sharp enough to hurt him.

Thank you FINWIN@!

 

[FINWIN]

You can put some large smooth stones in piles and bunch up some silk vines for him for play/shelter to explore. Young O's sometimes spook at nothing and bang themselves. Brick went through that phase when he was 6-8 inches. He would randomly shoot across the tank and hit his head on the glass.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

You can put some large smooth stones in piles and bunch up some silk vines for him for play/shelter to explore. Young O's sometimes spook at nothing and bang themselves. Brick went through that phase when he was 6-8 inches. He would randomly shoot across the tank and hit his head on the glass.

I actually was planning on putting large smooth cobbles for my new tank decor, lol. Silk vines? Never heard of those.

 

[FINWIN]

Amazon or Ebay will work:

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Good news: I did a water change this morning, and my Oscar is looking better already (my water wasn't dirty before, to clarify). I plan on doing a water change every other day for a little while until my Oscar is mostly healed.