I have an Oscar with blotchy clouding on the surface of his eyes. It looks like something is growing/eating away on the outer layer, and it doesn’t look like any other disease I have found a description of. Here is a link to pictures. Any thoughts on what this might be or suggestions for treatment?
He initially had symptoms that looked like ich, but possibly larger spots. He was treated with salt and high temps for ~3-4 weeks. In the past this has handled any ich problems. Other fish in the tank did not show symptoms and the treatment did not seem effective. The spots would start as a white bump, then eventually fade leaving a depression ~1mm in diameter. He then started to get spots on his eyes and the forehead spots started to get deeper with white in the center and look like HiTH. At this point I stopped the salt and heat and moved him to a hospital tank.
On the way to the tank I dipped him in a solution of API Fungus Cure and Methylene Blue. I kept him in the hospital tank with API General Cure and Methylene Blue for 3 days, but was unable to keep the ammonia levels down (despite 50% water changes and removing all feces rapidly). I gave him a stronger, longer dip on the way back to the main tank. The eyes initially looked clearer, but since going back in the main tank they have gotten worse. He no longer has white spots and the skin depressions seem to be getting better. He was eating and happy prior to the dips/hospital although he had trouble with depth perception because I think one of his eyes lost sight for some time. Now that he is back in the main tank he seems healthy enough, swimming around, hassling other fish, etc. However, he no longer is as crazy about food as before. When I go to the tank he gives me the Oscar stink eye and sits under his rock. I think he is still mad about being netted so many times.
The tank he lives in is 300g with a few other SA/CA cichlids and a few silver dollars. He is not bullied, but not the toughest fish in the tank (that honor goes to the 3-inch-long parrot fish!). The tank gets weekly 50% water changes, has a large sump and an algae scrubber. I try and keep the nitrates around 10 ppm, but sometimes they get up to about 30. There are 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia on all of my tests. The pH is around 8.2, my water is very hard and pretty impossible to change the pH on. The Oscar was bred in the water (least that’s what LFS says) so I assume he is happy in the pH.
I feed Hikari Gold (the Oscar goes nuts when he sees the red bag and will chase it across the tank)! One time I ran out of Hikari Gold and tried to feed Hikari Staple (comes in a green bag) and he sulked for a week until I got the right color bag again. I also feed blood worms, peas, crickets, meal worms, lettuce, etc. as treats but the Oscar doesn’t eat them if he can get the pellets.
I have some meds on hand and am happy to pick up anything I need. I would really appreciate any suggestions to get my Oscar better!
Thank you everyone!
He initially had symptoms that looked like ich, but possibly larger spots. He was treated with salt and high temps for ~3-4 weeks. In the past this has handled any ich problems. Other fish in the tank did not show symptoms and the treatment did not seem effective. The spots would start as a white bump, then eventually fade leaving a depression ~1mm in diameter. He then started to get spots on his eyes and the forehead spots started to get deeper with white in the center and look like HiTH. At this point I stopped the salt and heat and moved him to a hospital tank.
On the way to the tank I dipped him in a solution of API Fungus Cure and Methylene Blue. I kept him in the hospital tank with API General Cure and Methylene Blue for 3 days, but was unable to keep the ammonia levels down (despite 50% water changes and removing all feces rapidly). I gave him a stronger, longer dip on the way back to the main tank. The eyes initially looked clearer, but since going back in the main tank they have gotten worse. He no longer has white spots and the skin depressions seem to be getting better. He was eating and happy prior to the dips/hospital although he had trouble with depth perception because I think one of his eyes lost sight for some time. Now that he is back in the main tank he seems healthy enough, swimming around, hassling other fish, etc. However, he no longer is as crazy about food as before. When I go to the tank he gives me the Oscar stink eye and sits under his rock. I think he is still mad about being netted so many times.
The tank he lives in is 300g with a few other SA/CA cichlids and a few silver dollars. He is not bullied, but not the toughest fish in the tank (that honor goes to the 3-inch-long parrot fish!). The tank gets weekly 50% water changes, has a large sump and an algae scrubber. I try and keep the nitrates around 10 ppm, but sometimes they get up to about 30. There are 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia on all of my tests. The pH is around 8.2, my water is very hard and pretty impossible to change the pH on. The Oscar was bred in the water (least that’s what LFS says) so I assume he is happy in the pH.
I feed Hikari Gold (the Oscar goes nuts when he sees the red bag and will chase it across the tank)! One time I ran out of Hikari Gold and tried to feed Hikari Staple (comes in a green bag) and he sulked for a week until I got the right color bag again. I also feed blood worms, peas, crickets, meal worms, lettuce, etc. as treats but the Oscar doesn’t eat them if he can get the pellets.
I have some meds on hand and am happy to pick up anything I need. I would really appreciate any suggestions to get my Oscar better!
Thank you everyone!
