Sick Baby Oscars - I don't know what this is.

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Desdinova

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 1, 2010
119
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Kentucky
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Does anyone know what this is? Looks like little salt crystals all over the body. I got 4 oscars from AquaScapeOnline and they were really sick. One died already and I got an albino to replace him, but now the new fish is just as sick. I treated the tank with 2 different medications for Ick and White Spot. Right now, I've increased the temp to 86F and I've put 10 tablespoons of aquarium salt in the tank. Five more will complete the recommended dosage on the carton of salt.

What is this? I figured it was White Spot, but the medication didn't work at all. I removed the carbon filter, I have Pond Matrix in the power filter, and I have a spong filter.

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Its hard to see anything on this picture. Are the spots on the oscars white and opaque or are they translucent? Are they eating and behaving normally? Also, can you post your water parameters for good measure, and how long have they had symptoms? I know from experience ich looks like opaque white spots on the fish. It takes days to go away. Sounds like you have taken good first steps in treatment. How often and how large are your water changes while treating?
 
Nitrate is about 20 ppm right now, because I stopped the power filter for a while. It's got denitrifying Pond Matrix in it. I'll probably do a water change soon, but I generally don't have to do them to keep the nitrates low. 4 small fish in a 75 gallon tank.

Nitrites and Ammonia are about 0 at all times. My two big sponges and the Pond Matrix really keep them down.

I believe the spots are opaque. I can see them pretty well on the fins and the body. The oscars are platinum and one albino, so that makes it even harder to tell.

PH between 7.2 and 7.6, total alkalinity b/t 120 & 180, total hardness about 50. According to my testing strips, all those numbers are "safe" or "idea range".
 
Yeah it sounds like your conditions are pretty good. If the spots are solid colored, about the size of a pin head or slightly larger on average, and speckled through out the fish, it is probably ich. Definitely keep up on the medication and follow the water changes the medication recommends. The water changes wont be for your standard parameters, its to keep the medication in proportion and to dilute whatever bug is causing the sickness. You said the fish arrived sick?
 
If you zoom in on the pic, I would agree it looks like ich. Ich has to get worse before it gets better. Don't mix meds, raise the temp, add salt, and keep up on water changes, I would be doing 50% changes daily to help remove the parasite.
 
Yeah it sounds like your conditions are pretty good. If the spots are solid colored, about the size of a pin head or slightly larger on average, and speckled through out the fish, it is probably ich. Definitely keep up on the medication and follow the water changes the medication recommends. The water changes wont be for your standard parameters, its to keep the medication in proportion and to dilute whatever bug is causing the sickness. You said the fish arrived sick?

STOP the medications. The only time I recommend meds for external parasites are those that cannot be eradicated by salt & higher temps such as gill flukes, velvet, etc. Ich can be very easily controlled/get rid of as long as you follow some basic steps:

--50% Water change (twice a week is fine) -- you seem to have a low bio-load.
--Add carbon to take out as much meds as possible -- you don't need meds for ich.
--temp at 86 is good -- do add an airstone as oxygen is depleted at higher temps.
--add salt -- recommended dosage is 1 to 3 tablespoons for every 5 gallons. I'd recommend 2 tablespoons for every 5 gallons. -- remember to add salt only for the amount of water taken out during water changes.
-- continue to keep your filtration on -- actually, depending on the meds you used, the meds may have decreased/wiped out your good bacteria. Use media from an established tank if possible.
-- do not share nets etc with your other tanks as you run a very good chance of contaminating other tanks
-- this is the part many do not follow, hence the re-occurrence of ich in an already treated tank -- you must treat with high temps & salt for a minimum of 3 WEEKS to make sure it is gone. Just because it is no longer visible, does not mean it is not present.

follow these simple steps, & you will be good. O's are hardy & should have no problems with the higher temps & salt.

p.s. If I were you, take all the substrate out. Consider this tank your hospital tank. best of luck.
 
Thanks for all the help guys. I'm going to continue the salt + temp treatment. Hopefully by July, they'll be healthy.

Now if only I could get them to STOP EATING THE SALT!!
 
Thanks for all the help guys. I'm going to continue the salt + temp treatment. Hopefully by July, they'll be healthy.

Now if only I could get them to STOP EATING THE SALT!!

You are just pulling my leg right? Dissolve in a separate container -- you don't want your fish ingesting straight salt granules.
 
i add it in a pitcher all measured out and mix tank water till its diluted and pour that water out add more to the pitcher and stir again
 
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