Slow Oscar Growth??

[Eazy]

I bought my albino oscar in November 2009 at 3.5" long. It's now May 2010 and he's no more than 4.25" long... Why?

I had an albino oscar years ago in the same tank before I knew how to properly care for it, it was WAY overstocked, I barely did water changes, and it grew from 3.5" to 12" in about a year.


TANK INFO:

• 120 gallon
• one 500gph AquaClear110 HOB, one 400gph Emporer 400 HOB, one 1500gph Seio powerhead
• fed Hikari Cichlid Gold pellets or Tetra freeze-dried jumbo krill once a day
• three 7-9" tinfoil barb tankmates
• 0 ammonia
• 20 ppm nitrate
• 0 nitrite
• 6.8 pH (the pH was originally around 6.0 in November, but it has naturally raised since then)
• 30-50% water change every 1-1.5 weeks
• no signs of HITH

 

[Toby_H]

Not every fish that is born has the genetics to become a worthy adult. In the wild this is a benefit to the stronger fish as it allows the weaker to serve as prey increasing the odds fo survival for the stronger.

Since in home aquaria we remove the preditoral threats, maybe you got one of the genetically inferrior ones that nature would have culled...

As it seems you have provided a suitable environment for it to thrive...

 

[phillydog1958]

That's odd . . . I have no idea what's stunting it's growth. Everything seems to be in order. Some sort of genetic defect?

 

[dunderman]

How's its appetite, and what are you feeding it?

 

[Eazy]

How's its appetite, and what are you feeding it?

It doesn't act any different from the last oscar I had. It's always attacking the glass at the surface when I go near the tank and it stuffs itself with food.

• fed Hikari Cichlid Gold pellets or Tetra freeze-dried jumbo krill once a day

 

[Sarah88]

what does its poo look like? only thing i can think of is parasites keeping it from growing...

 

[Eazy]

what does its poo look like? only thing i can think of is parasites keeping it from growing...

Actually, I noticed one day a couple weeks ago that its poop was white instead of the dark orange color it usually is.

Also, its pectoral fins have a lot of damage. The tinfoil barbs try to eat its poop for some reason and I wonder if they damage its fins in the process. I never see them touch the oscar for any other reason.

 

[Cakilla]

white poo is a good sign of parasites.

 

[Sarah88]

yeah you need to go out and get some Jungle parasite meds, do a really thorough water change vacuuming up as much stuff as you can and wipe down the sides n then do the full 3 treatments with water changes in between, it'll cost a good bit to treat your big tank but since he has been in there that long your barbs might have them as well so your whole tank needs to be treated, once the treatment is over he should start growing like he is supposed to

 

[Eazy]

yeah you need to go out and get some Jungle parasite meds, do a really thorough water change vacuuming up as much stuff as you can and wipe down the sides n then do the full 3 treatments with water changes in between, it'll cost a good bit to treat your big tank but since he has been in there that long your barbs might have them as well so your whole tank needs to be treated, once the treatment is over he should start growing like he is supposed to

Should I use the Parasite Clear and/or the medicated Anti-parasite food?

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+4756&pcatid=4756

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+12788&pcatid=12788

ALSO,

There are tiny nat-like flies living on the underside of the tank lid (possibly living off the algae that grows on it). My roommate and I have both cleaned the lids in our bathtubs as best as we can and we still can't seem to get rid of the flies. They can jump around on the surface of the water.

And my driftwood has some sort of fungus growing on it...
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329883


I really appreciate the help.