PLEASE HELP: Oscar Fish Gasping Badly, Lethargic

[duanes]

On a 125 gal tank, I'd normally be doing at least 2 maybe 3, 40 % water changes per week, to keep nitrate below 10ppm.
If this is a newly set up tank, daily water changes to bring nitrate into a healthy range appear to be needed.
On my 180gal, I do a 20% water change per day as part of normal maintenance, to keep nitrate at no higher that 5ppm, and consider any nitrate reading above 20 ppm chronically unhealthy . Most cichlids (including oscars) natural water nitrate level is non-detectable.
Depending on what type catfish they may be able to handle much higher concentrations.

And I agree it looks like the beginning of columnaris, which is very common in high nitrate high nutrient conditions, and "if" water temps are above 82'F make it most virulent. Columnaris bacteria thrive in dirty filters or in excess detritus in the substrate, so regularly rinsing mechanical filter media, and vacuuming the substrate every other water change (with a more frequent schedule) would help.

 

[tarheel96]

My ammonia, pH, and nitrite levels have all stabilized since he began to show signs of labored breathing. I would lean towards the 2nd scenario as being the culprit, when I replaced the biomedia I kept the old biomedia in a bucket of aquarium water so I don't believe it dried out. Currently, only my nitrate levels are above normal. I plan to follow what the others said above to try and combat that. As for the medication, I currently have the oscar quarantined, and I'm worried that if I don't treat him soon, and correctly, it may be too late. He has the "lipstick" in his mouth and all the signs that line up with Columnaris, so I'm wondering if you think it's a good idea to treat him while he's quarantined and return him to the tank once the nitrate levels are sterilzied. Im worried since I have been treating it for a parasite when it may have been a bacteria all along.

You mentioned ammonia and nitrite stabilized. Does this mean that they are both at 0 ppm? Because ammonia and nitrite are MUCH more toxic than nitrAte and it is difficult to treat a fish successfully if ammonia and/or nitrIte are in the water.

Regarding treatment in a quarantine vs. original tank ... I would lean towards in tank as long as ammonia and nitrite levels are at 0 ppm. Otherwise, I would treat in quarantine and perform large (75%) water changes every other day during Furan 2 administration. (I forget what the instructions on the box are regarding water changes.)

 

[dlee4three]

On a 125 gal tank, I'd normally be doing at least 2 maybe 3, 40 % water changes per week, to keep nitrate below 10ppm.
If this is a newly set up tank, daily water changes to bring nitrate into a healthy range appear to be needed.
On my 180gal, I do a 20% water change per day as part of normal maintenance, to keep nitrate at no higher that 5ppm, and consider any nitrate reading above 20 ppm chronically unhealthy . Most cichlids (including oscars) natural water nitrate level is non-detectable.
Depending on what type catfish they may be able to handle much higher concentrations.

And I agree it looks like the beginning of columnaris, which is very common in high nitrate high nutrient conditions, and "if" water temps are above 82'F make it most virulent. Columnaris bacteria thrive in dirty filters or in excess detritus in the substrate, so regularly rinsing mechanical filter media, and vacuuming the substrate every other water change (with a more frequent schedule) would help.

This tank has been established for years but I recently cleaned the canister filter. I will amp up my water changes to get nitrate levels down and also be more consistent with the amount of water changes I do. He's currently in a quarantine tank, so I was wondering if you think I should attempt to treat him in that tank while I get the nitrates under control.

 

[duanes]

You mentioned ammonia and nitrite stabilized. Does this mean that they are both at 0 ppm? Because ammonia and nitrite are MUCH more toxic than nitrAte and it is difficult to treat a fish successfully if ammonia and/or nitrIte are in the water.

Regarding treatment in a quarantine vs. original tank ... I would lean towards in tank as long as ammonia and nitrite levels are at 0 ppm. Otherwise, I would treat in quarantine and perform large (75%) water changes every other day during Furan 2 administration. (I forget what the instructions on the box are regarding water changes.)

I agree about treating the entire tank, at this point because the bacteria that cause columnaris are already in the main tank, and need to be neutralized.
It would be less trouble;some treating in a smaller separate tank, but since the bacteria are already in the main tank, they could reinfect the oscar once its cured, and when reintroduced.
And although columnaris is sometimes species specific, you may want to be proactive consider that it could infect the other fish.
Relationship between Columnaris Disease and Water Hardnesswww.aquaculturenorthamerica.com › fish-health-relatio...

 

[dlee4three]

You mentioned ammonia and nitrite stabilized. Does this mean that they are both at 0 ppm? Because ammonia and nitrite are MUCH more toxic than nitrAte and it is difficult to treat a fish successfully if ammonia and/or nitrIte are in the water.

Regarding treatment in a quarantine vs. original tank ... I would lean towards in tank as long as ammonia and nitrite levels are at 0 ppm. Otherwise, I would treat in quarantine and perform large (75%) water changes every other day during Furan 2 administration. (I forget what the instructions on the box are regarding water changes.)

yes both the ammonia and nitrite levels are at 0ppm. Thank you so much.

 

[dlee4three]

I agree about treating the entire tank, at this point because the bacteria that cause columnaris are already in the main tank, and need to be neutralized.
It would be less trouble;some treating in a smaller separate tank, but since the bacteria are already in the main tank, they could reinfect the oscar once its cured, and when reintroduced.
And although columnaris is sometimes species specific, you may want to be proactive consider that it could infect the other fish.
Relationship between Columnaris Disease and Water Hardnesswww.aquaculturenorthamerica.com › fish-health-relatio...

Since it's been a couple days withot the correct treatment, would you recommend giving him a higher/more frequent dosage than recommended?

 

[Niki_up]

I appreciate you responding. He's in a 125 gallon tank with a small convict cichlid and an assortment of medium sized catfish. I have a fluval fx6 hooked up to the tank that I just cleaned out a week ago, and replaced a majority of the biomedia, left some to keep some beneficial bacteria alive. I'll definitely take your advice about a water change schedule, and will move him back to his tank in the morning. Come to think of it, after I did a water change and cleaned the filter out last week, the water level was above the output so this may have contributed. Thank you so much!!

I do believe you replacing The bio media has caused a mini cycle or a complete cycle crash within your tank. You will def need to monitor this tank and do extra water changes until your BB is back in stable condition.
(I’m not commenting on the disease that is potentially present as I’m not as knowledgeable When it comes to sick fish as the other posters who are giving to advise are. I would also follow their suggested treatments)

 

[LBDave]

My oscar (#2 is his name - almost 6 years old) has been a bit lethargic the last couple days. Breathing a bit hard. Staying in a spot near a tree stump. But he has been swimming later in the day. I, like many have a well established tank and don't test the water.
So I did a bit of reading and saw this. Even if your tank is well established things can crop up. I put some Safe and Stressguard in the tank. Also turned the pump up a bit. He's back in business swimming about. Monitoring for any gill damage. But so far he looks good.
Tomorow is tank cleaning day. So there will be a thorough cleaning. The sump is well managed but the substrate needs a thorough going over (which I had been planning anyway). I am also cutting down on his feedings. He's too fat and there is too much poop. Wife relegates me to only 2 cleanings on 2 days for 2 tanks - per week. We live in a small place.
I will dust off the old test kit and take a look at water next week. Will administer Safe as needed.
I just want to say kudos to MFK and MFK community.
Even people who have had fish for many years may have things that crop up. The only good answers I get when I search are on MFK. There really isn't any competition. With other sites I may (if I wasn't seasoned) be medicating this tank already.
Anyway, hats off to MFK and the admin's.

 

[LBDave]

BTW - My oscar didn't look too much different than the original poster's oscar. So I hope I'm not dealing with columnaris. We shall see. But my 2 cents, for this subject/ issue - administer Prime, Safe or Stressguard immediately if you see something like this. Follow up with monitoring, improved tank maintenance/ water changes and start testing the water again.

 

[LBDave]

So this whole thing is really weird. I change about 80-90% water weekly. Vaccuum out sump thoroughly weekly. Tank is 110 gal with 20 gal sump.
Clean filter sheets weekly. Clean sponge roughly monthly.
I vacuum substrate weekly. Pretty thorough on that.
Been doing this for years. With same fish. 2 silver dollars (very large) and one 5" earth eater.
Only the oscar shows the "gasping". He looks fine. Practically perfect. Did notice his pect finds are a bit whiteish.
95% water change today. Stirred up gravel. I have a big artificial stump in the tank which is hollow at bottom. Could hydrogen sulfide build up in this space?
I haven't picked up the stump much lately so I made sure I did that.
Duanes sorta freaking me out with talk of columnaris.
Administered kanaplex today also.
He's swimming around now. Reason for my post is just info I have. I know what it is like to search for info when your fish is showing abnormal signs.
I will keep you posted on outcome.