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It's been a while since my last post, and its a shame that this post is concerning a ill young Oscar.

First off, tamk conditions.

In the past couple of days ive noticed a nitrite spike of 0.8 mg/l (arghhh) trying to lower this with Cycle and 20% water change everyday (starting to day)
Ammoina 0 ppm
GH 4 degrees
PH 7
Temp 25 C or 77 F
Capacity 125 imperial gallons. (150 metric gals / 567 lt)

Now down to buisness.
In this tank I have a 9 inch Black Ghost Knife fish Apteronotus albifons (my pride and joy), 2 monster Hoplos Hoplosternum pectorale(5in), 2 Pictus Pimelodus pictus 5in, 2 Tiger Oscars Astronotus ocellatus 2in. ohh yeah 6 neons Paracheirodon innesi and 6 harlequins Rasbora heteromorpha(sort of, I'll explain in a minute)

The Oscars are only in there as I rescued them a few days ago from a friend who didn't thave a clue and kept them in a tiny 20lt tank (idiot!).

The Problem is this. When i acuired them they both had bright eyes and full of energy and lots of colour. They both took no time in starting to eat the neons and harlequins. (which my GF got to entertain the BGK and Pictus) In two days 9 of the neons etc have been eaten and one of the oscars have lost the brightness in his eye and lays listing at the bottom of the tank with very little energy. He also seams to be taking to long time to poo (its being hanging out for about 12 hours). He has lost no colour but seeing him listing on the bottom motionless is killing me. It amazing how attached I've become in a very short space of time so please, please put forward any ideas.

I don't think the Nitrite spike is the cause as everyone else is tip top, Is it posible for a fish to be constapated?

Sorry for the long post

If you ate four or five Neons you might be listing at the bottom of the tank also...

Someone's going to say he must have eaten a bad Neon.

He's probably stuffed and will pull out of it if his diet is reduced to something less filling, perhaps a smushed green pea or two will help things along.

--garyroland.

Thank you for the quick reply i'll try the pea..... if he'll eat.

If it's not constipation, then it is most likely an Internal Bacterial Infection. Luckily, you're in the UK and have access to Interpet's Treatment No. 9 - Anti Internal Bacterial Infection. This medication is very effective in treating these sort of infections. The listlessness and lengthy excretion-time (huh) are characteristics of this infection. So, try the pea first, and if that doesn't work, go out and buy some of the medication and hopefully he'll be better in no time.

Scott

[span class="edited"][Edited by scott2336 2004-07-01 14:08][/span]

I have interpet No 9. for my other tanks already. Is it safe to use with the BGK and Pictus?

Since there's no definite diagnosis, meds are not called for...

Fish that refuse to eat can be on their way out and there's not much that can be done.

--garyroland.

The Oscar is swimming around again now (next Day), but the Poo is still hanging out, but I'm not convinced its a poo. Its white and looks abit like squid flesh once the skins removed. For a sence of scale hes 2 inchs long (tip of head to end of tail) and the

poo

is protruding about 10mm (half inch). On a plus note hes eating a little bit.