Hi, all.
My oscar, Jasper, is a klutz; he pretty regularly knocks himself into things and knocks scales off of himself. Several months ago, he broke the glass thermometer and scratched himself pretty impressively on that. Part of the problem is that the tank is too small - getting a larger tank in a few weeks, but have to move first.
So I have seen missing scales, but the flesh underneath never appears to be injured or bloody or missing or anything. Also, his top fin had some missing fin, but it was never frayed or stringy or at all sick-looking - just not-there in some places, as if it had been cleanly trimmed. I thought maybe he had picked a fight with another fish and lost some fin but, again, never any blood or actual injury to his flesh, just the missing scales and parts of his top fin.
This morning, his top fin is gone. GONE. No bloody stump, no stringy remnants - just no longer there. His other fins and his tail are fine. Additionally, he's missing a row - maybe 1/2" tall and 4" long of scales along his back near his fin. Again, while I can see his - whatever it is underneath the scales - ?skin? - it is not red, it doesn't appear broken or unhealthy. It's just like a big bald spot. This morning, I can also see the beginnings of a fungus cloud on his forehead, and he's missing a lot more scales than he was yesterday. His demeanor is good, he's eating and swimming and interacting normally.
My plan is to isolate Jasper in a hospital tank and put some FubaFix in, treating the fungus as a reaction to injury. I may try to keep him in that tank until we move and can get the bigger tank before I re-introduce him to the community. While I've never seen any other fish pick at him - he's the largest, and the other fish are very submissive to him - SOMETHING is causing him to lose these scales/fin.
Can anyone think of anything this could be other than an attack by other fish, and a fungus in reaction to the injury? Is there any disease that causes fish to lose scales without any damage to the flesh beneath, and without any symptoms to the fish's energy/personality? His scales aren't puffed out, his remaining fins/tail aren't straggly, his eyes aren't puffed, his 'breathing' (?) doesn't seem labored, he eats/interacts normally.
Thanks for any insight!
My oscar, Jasper, is a klutz; he pretty regularly knocks himself into things and knocks scales off of himself. Several months ago, he broke the glass thermometer and scratched himself pretty impressively on that. Part of the problem is that the tank is too small - getting a larger tank in a few weeks, but have to move first.
So I have seen missing scales, but the flesh underneath never appears to be injured or bloody or missing or anything. Also, his top fin had some missing fin, but it was never frayed or stringy or at all sick-looking - just not-there in some places, as if it had been cleanly trimmed. I thought maybe he had picked a fight with another fish and lost some fin but, again, never any blood or actual injury to his flesh, just the missing scales and parts of his top fin.
This morning, his top fin is gone. GONE. No bloody stump, no stringy remnants - just no longer there. His other fins and his tail are fine. Additionally, he's missing a row - maybe 1/2" tall and 4" long of scales along his back near his fin. Again, while I can see his - whatever it is underneath the scales - ?skin? - it is not red, it doesn't appear broken or unhealthy. It's just like a big bald spot. This morning, I can also see the beginnings of a fungus cloud on his forehead, and he's missing a lot more scales than he was yesterday. His demeanor is good, he's eating and swimming and interacting normally.
My plan is to isolate Jasper in a hospital tank and put some FubaFix in, treating the fungus as a reaction to injury. I may try to keep him in that tank until we move and can get the bigger tank before I re-introduce him to the community. While I've never seen any other fish pick at him - he's the largest, and the other fish are very submissive to him - SOMETHING is causing him to lose these scales/fin.
Can anyone think of anything this could be other than an attack by other fish, and a fungus in reaction to the injury? Is there any disease that causes fish to lose scales without any damage to the flesh beneath, and without any symptoms to the fish's energy/personality? His scales aren't puffed out, his remaining fins/tail aren't straggly, his eyes aren't puffed, his 'breathing' (?) doesn't seem labored, he eats/interacts normally.
Thanks for any insight!
