I just joined MFK. My Oscar "billy" my son named him got sick several months ago with a bacteria that was eating portions of head. I did several water changes, cleaned the filters and used melafix and Stress Zyme, which cured him completely, skin grew back nicely. But it just started happening again . It is not affecting the other fish Angels, clown loaches and Plecoptera. Has anyone experienced this? I am repeating the process, any suggestions are appreciated. He is in a 55 gallon, tank with two 45 gl rated filters for over filtering. Temp is 80 to 82. All are peaceful. Occasionally the oscar and Plecoptera get on each other's nerves. I will up load a pic of Billy's head. Thank Alan
Sick 7yr old tiger oscar needs advise
- Thread starter clownloach7
- Start date
Sounds like HITH, very common in Oscars; what's your water change schedule like
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+1 that's exactly what it is. Oscars are extremely prone to it, and in most cases I would say its linked to water quality. you are doing something right if its a 7 yr old fish, but I would up your water changes to every few days, and keep some salt in the water to keep bacteria/fungus at bay. If you saw a decline in the pits after you did a thorough cleaning I would have to suspect your nitrates may be high and causing the problem. At 7 yrs old he has to be fairly large, and a 55 is definitely small for an Oscar alone, but with tankmates that's an overcrowded tank. I assume you mean pleco instead of Plecoptera because I'm fairly certain that's a type of insect haha. With a pleco, loaches, angels, and an Oscar in a 55 you have a lot of messy fish going on in a small space.
+1
This is one of the common sources based on what many people experience. Mediocre or poor water quality can enable organisms to injure an otherwise healthy fish. The fact that it took months for recurrence is good, but this bout needs to be cured and if there are water quality issues, those need to be addressed.
Do more water changes, add some aquarium salt, get some hole in the head (HITH) treatment, and get a bigger tank for billy. He will live longer and happier! HITH is very very common in oscars. Mine had it as well at one point.
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