Oscar ROTTING! What is going ON!?

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BrookKeeper

BrookKeeper

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 26, 2015
371
125
61
Shenandoah Valley, VA
The other day I noticed a fuzzy patch on my oscar's side. Clearly there is some scale damage, and some sort of infection. What I find to be suspicious is the shape and location of the damage. This fish is well known for 'bumping his head' on rough or sharp objects in the tank and has had more than one injury on his nape, all of which I have assumed to be self inflicted (oscars are not the smartest fish, although they are very playful...) It is difficult to imagine how this could be a self inflicted wound, given the size, shape, and location. This fish is between 6-7", and the injury is roughly 1/2" in diameter. Tank mates are 4 silver dollars, 1 pictus catfish, and 1 rubber lip pleco. Any thoughts on potential causes?

OscarRot1.jpg
 
Is there any decoration in the tank,perhaps it scraped it's flank on something as it chased another fish.
 
krichardson said:
Is there any decoration in the tank,perhaps it scraped it's flank on something as it chased another fish.
Click to expand...
There are lots of rocks in the tank that could scrape a fish, but the size and shape of the injury make it difficult to assume self infliction. He would have to be doing some seriously weird contortion to manage an injury of that size on the flank. This guy doesn't get overly excited about chasing his tank mates. He mostly takes the opportunistic jab at the silver dollars when they hover too close. Maybe if he was wedged between two rocks, but even then the injury is only on one side, and is not at the thickest part of the fish. Seems mysterious...
 
What are you doing for/about it?
 
That is rather mysterious.I can't see any of those fish inflicting such a wound.Keep your water clean via frequent water changes and it should clear up.I used to keep some stuff on hand called Bio Bandage for such injuries.It is made by the makers of Prazi Pro.
 
My common pleco enjoyed attacking smaller fish in the dept of night until he picked on a hassar, he caught a pectoral fin to the eye.
 
no problems ever with pleco and oscars. clean pristine water best action for a regular wound, Oscars fast healers. long as not infected can add melafix and pimafix as a precautionary treatment. Keep in mind they do not cure anything but are like adding neosporin on a wound. if infected will need to use something stronger.
 
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