Oscar with Digestive Problems

[Agriel]

Hi, guys! I'm new here. I've been a member for a while but never posted. My only "monster fish" is an oscar...who isn't really all that monsterish yet, but anyway.

Unfortunately I'm having some problems with this guy and I hope you can help. I looked for some stickies on posting rules but didn't find any. Hope this is in the right place and that the format doesn't matter.

First thing I want to make clear--I'm a member of FnF (Flippers and Fins . net ), so I've read all of their articles about oscars and HITH and such. I'm currently getting advice from them about this problem, but I need FASTER advice, so I'm coming to you guys for help.

Tank specs:

Size: 55 Gallon (will be upgraded to 75 when fish is larger)
Occupant: 1 Lutino Oscar (3-4 inches) named Francis (sole inhabitant)
Water Temp: 78 degrees F
Filtration/Aeration: Two filters running--one for a 55 gallon and one for a 40 gallon. Hope to buy a powerful canister filter soon.
Heater: Have a heater but not running it since the weather is warm.
Water changes: 40% weekly, sometimes twice per week for good measure
Feeding: Hikari Bio-Gold Cichlid pellets, HBH Oscar Grow, Hikari Cichlid Staple Pellets, Earthworms

PROBLEM:

So, about two weeks ago I noticed holes in my oscar's gills. I have a few pics I'll post in a moment. I started to scrutinize his appearance more closely (hard to see anything on a white oscar) and noticed some pits in his head that were not the little sensory spots. I panicked and started a post on FNF, though I have yet to really figure anything out. Tested the water--great parameters: 5 nitrates, 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia. I feed Francis (the oscar) only the best cichlid food that I can buy at our pet stores. Hikari has the best vitamin levels on any of the brands that I've seen.

Someone suggested I increase his diet a little, so I tried earthworms as well. He eats them but they come out undigested. I found this a little strange. My frogs (African clawed) eat earthworms sometimes too and have no problems digesting them. Earthworms are also one of the recommended insects for an oscar to eat.

Anyway, until today my assumption was just that I am not giving him good enough food despite these many pellet varieties and such. I was going to start him on crickets too but the store was out.

But today I found poo of undigested pellets everywhere.

I am concerned that he might have a parasite or something that's preventing him from digesting his food, which means he isn't getting the nutrients he needs, which means that he has HITH. I don't know--is this possible? Some fish that I bought from this LFS about a year ago had columnaris, by the way, and the water system is the same for the whole store. So if they're buying wild-caught fish with parasites, and all the water is the same, then I think it's likely my oscar might have a parasite. Someone even remarked that I need to feed him more--but he is getting lots of food. Just not absorbing it.

Any suggestions? I want to hit this quick. I need some medication reccomendations. I looked for metranidazole (sp?) for the HITH but our store doesn't stock any. Now I'm wondering whether I should treat for parasites instead?

Thanks.

Picture time!

Here's Francis. That spot on his body is actually a spot on the tank wall, sorry.

Here are some uh, arrows pointing to pits which are unfortunately hard to see after the camera flashes. The part with "sensory pits?" was a question that now I have determined they are not but instead more HITH. FnF people told me to ignore "lip tumor," which is a callous from digging in the gravel.

Pits.

Another view of pits on the gills.

So remember, my primary concern now is not the HITH but the undigested food (consistently for a week now, since that worm incident) and what I might do to help him digest his pellets again.

 

[2004exrider]

Im glad to see you're atleast doing everything right! You seem very knowledgable about what you are doing. I've had my oscar since he was 2" so i can help you out the best i can, hopefully others will jump in too. Lets start with the "Hole," when mine started getting bigger i noticed one just like that and panicked and treated my tank for HITH. To find out it's common and a sensory pit, mine still has it to this day and its not eroding so its not HITH. The other pits on his jaw maybe keep an eye on them to make sure they dont get any worse, they might just be scrapes from decorations or gravel. If they start getting worse then it might be HLLE/HITH (which im highly doubting because your doing everything perfect). Im pretty sure he wouldn't have the Hexamite parasite because he'd still digest his food but it would come out a white/clear color. I know that when mine was still young anytime he would eat hickari pellets it didnt even look like they were chewed up or anything, they came out looking the same. So to sum it up he looks and sounds fine to me, i think that with him/her getting older its looks will start changing and making you wonder if it might be sick. I'd say that if it's still got an appetite, swims fine, and looks good overall you should be fine! But if you are still worried Jungle makes a medicine called Hole In Head that you can by at your LFS. Its a powder that you add every other day for three days while doing a 25% water change before treating. Hope this helps and if you have any other questions please feel free to ask more or even pm me and i'll help you out as best as i can. Good Luck!

Jimmy

 

[Agriel]

Thank you for your answers. I'm relieved to read your reply. I will buy that HITH powder, though I'll have to order it online. Do you know of any reliable sites?
The problem is that the pits on his head at least--there seem to be more of those pinhole ones. And I've seen pics of sensory pits, but those look more like clusters, whereas these are more individual? And that combined with the stuff on his gills just makes me think HITH.

 

[2004exrider]

You can try Jungle's website maybe, other than that i would just try a lfs.

 

[doc-55]

I think you are doing a fantastic job so far and Francis is a great looking "O"
I would continue to vary the fishs diet even more. Your choice of pellet is good, and earthworms are good as well. I would also try to add fresh spinach, freshwater deveined shrimp, an algae wafer now and again maybe a cricket ot two. Boyds Vitachem vitamins are a good option I inject a small amount into a shrimp twice weekly. Water changes are key, but it looks as though you have that covered and Nitrate of 5 is very good. Keep up the great work, Much luck your way..........Dave, By the way my "O" goes bonkers over fresh cucumber!!!