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55usg

ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrite: 20ppm
ph: 6.5

i bought a small albino tiger oscar a few months ago and he got cloud eye within a couple of days. i treated with furan-2 and do 20% weekly water changes. the eye has gotten no better and now he has become very sluggish to the point that he barley moves and just lies on in side at the bottom of the tank. he is eating fine, cichlid gold pellets in morning and beefheart at night, but i can't figure out why he does not move. i don't see anything physically wrong except for the cloud eye in his right eye. i do not want to loose this fish but feal that that may be around the corner. does anyone have any clue what might be wrong.

the only other thing in the tank is 3 synodontis catfish witch stick to themselves and are doing fine.

chris

2 days ago i moved him to his new home, a 125usg and did not attempt to feed at all that day or the next morning but tried to feed last night and this is the first time he has never accepted food. i awoke this morning to see him lying on the gravel motionless and he stayed that way for about 5 min. with no movement what so ever, i mean i thought he was dead but now he is up and showing more movement than i have seen in days, what is going on


chris

Welcome to Oscar ownership. What are the water param's in your new tank? Is there anything else in your new tank? Does your Oscar have any 'toys' it likes to play with?

It sounds like your fish is sulking or bored. If it's eating, then it's probably fine. The only time to be worried about your swimming stomache is when it stops eating. What time in the morning did you see your fish? If it wasn't long after light, then your fish might still have been 'asleep'. I've caught my O's sleeping in some very weird ways.

Your old tank param's look O.K... though i would say the nitrates were a little on the high side for any fish. Whats your water temp as well? If the water is cold you'll find the oscars are a little more 'lifelss' as well. It should be around 24-25degrees Celcius. I've got no idea what that is in F, but this site has a converter for it.

Last edited by jester_fu at 15-Oct-2005 20:15

It sounds like your fish is sulking or bored

I agree Jester and with everything else you've said, if your water all checks out ok then I'd be thinking that your oscar is not happy about something.

new problem, two feedings in a row now that he did not eat his beefheart cube. mabey it's because of the new tank.

the parameters are listed and the temp is about 73-74 F degrees. he just looks very bad.

chris

Last edited by chris1017 at 15-Oct-2005 23:21

Sounds like a later stage of Trichodiniasis, it often starts with eye clouding and later the eyes may clear up and the condition becomes more severe causing a greying of the body due to mucous producution all over the skin, although depending on the fish this may or may not be immediately visible. Depression in the fish is common. Its yet another protozoan infection, so id up his water temps by 4 or 5 degrees for a few weeks to up his metabolism, ease back on feeding and treat with metronidazole .



Last edited by longhairedgit at 16-Oct-2005 00:54

Hmmmm... I wouldn't start treating for anything, yet. There's no harm in increasing your water temp a couple of degree's over a day, but I’d leave the med's for another couple of days and see how the fish reacts. Oscars get cloudy eye's for a number of reasons, and the behaviour described doesn't sound abnormal for an Oscar that's just been moved. Without knowing exactly what caused the cloudy eye in the first place, you could end up destroying your cycle for no good reason.

How long has this 125G been set up, Chris1017? In your original post, you said it was a 55G. Just curious as to how your two tanks param’s can be identical… and if part of the problem is a tank cycling in.

he has only been in the 125 for 2 days, the sluggishness started while in the 55. the tank parameters are very similar because i used the water from the 55 to half fill the tank and then i used the water from a 29 gallon and then filled up with new water. i also used one of the same filters witch has a double bio wheel on it.

i just did a water check on the new tank and the params are as follows.

ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20-40
ph:7.0
th: 180ppm
alk: 80ppm
temp: 73 degrees

well today he is not laying on his side at all but he constantly hides in the same place and has been doing so in both tanks. also, his eye is still not getting any better. i would like to add some more fish to this tank but want to wait until he gets better.

chris

I would treat pre-emptively rather than waiting for him to get worse, when symptoms become visible its often too late, and id definately wait it out, perhaps even several months before adding more fish.Your current fish may have a stronger immune system than others and even if he survives it could be a death sentance for the others as he may act as a disease carrier. Until the tank is properly treated you cannot be sure.

Yeah... if he's still not looking any better now, it's time to start treating. Follow hair's advice... and try to post some pic's of the fish for a better diagnosis.

there is really nothing to look at with a picture because the body looks good, it is only his eye that looks cloudy but after the neosulfex treatment (applyed directly to his eye) it is starting to look a little better and he is starting to move around more but he has not gained his ferocious appetite back yet and the eye is still far from perfect.


chris