albino Oscar deformity?

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S

sizzlegozz

Feeder Fish
Jan 31, 2016
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Hey y'all I've got a 7in presumably male albino Oscar with what I'd say is a moderate-severe deformity.
I've had the poor guy for about a year now, since he was about 2in. I feed my 3in Oscar feeder guppies but any live food for the big one is out of the question.
All he has been able to eat the past year is cichlid flakes and the little freeze dried bloodworms. I noticed his mouth begin to close on one side and his entire jaw and face to shift to where it's lopsided when he was about 4in and it's only gotten worse from there. When he was smaller I fed him cichlid pellets but as it progressed even though he's much bigger he cannot anymore. He currently resides in a 35 gallon as I am hesitant to put him in my 55 with my other fish- a parrot cichlid, due to the fact that it takes my Oscar over an hour to devour one cube of bloodworms. He just wouldn't be able to compete for food.
I was wondering if any of y'all had any small food suggestions I'd be able to give him to vary his diet? Or even if this could've been caused by a disease or if it's genetic? Hes never been ill with anything since I've had him. I've been questioning a lot his quality of life lately, and whether to put him down or not. I can only see his condition getting worse as it always has been. He should be eating a wide array of live foods and pellets but literally can only eat flakes and those tiny worms. Tried giving him a pinch-literally a pinch- of hotdog and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't fit it in his mouth.
Sorry for the crappy picture.

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he's only grown 5" in the last year? thats not a good sign either.
if all he can eat is the flakes then just keep feeding him the flakes. he'll do fine on that.
i hope he hasnt been in a 35 gallon the enitre time youve had him...
 
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Yes he's always been in the 35. Like I said I have a 55 to move him to but there hasn't been a need to as he has quite a bit of difficulty finding food let alone eating it. He doesn't grow because again, he is unable to eat normal food an Oscar his size should be eating. I was able to take a better picture of him, you can really see how busted his face is. I put him in my 55 while I was doing a water change in the other tank.

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As long as he's eating he's okay, I've seen some seriously deformed fish in my days fishing. Id second the shrimp, any little chunks of meat and some carnivore pellets or food sticks just to help him get more food and better nutrition. But like I said I've caught seriously deformed fish and if they can survive in the wild he'll make it in your tank
 
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I had an oscar about 7 years ago that was about 8-9inches that had a deformed mouth where it was always open. He did fine in with another oscar of mine and he was able to compete for food with no problems
 
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He should be fine and fine with pellets, Oscars do not chew, they have crushers in the throat that takes care of that, and a high protein diet is not good for Oscars.
 
Woah he's so malnutritioned if he's grown only that big. I understand only flake but try to get him on beef heart, brine shrimp, or krill.

I understand his deformity but flakes are probably the only thing that can fit do he eats it. What I described above should be his staple
 
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