Oscar Looks Ill

[valeria.schmitt]

Hi,

I have a large Tiger Oscar who has all of a sudden stopped eating. I have checked all water parameters and they are all within a healthy range. The second Oscar (White Albino) is happy and eating and so are the other fish in the tank. I noticed that his gills movement seem to be working a lot harder than all the other fish (He is making a gaping movement but not on the surface just as as he moves around)and he seems to spend a lot of time either on the surface (but he is not gaping for air at the surface just sitting there) or sitting right on the bottom (but not on his side). I have tried to entice him with the food he loves the most but he doesn't approach. He does respond to me but he is very sluggish. I can not see any visible sign of external disease except that his has become a little pale in colour. I have done a good water change and also clean the sponges in my Eheim Canister Filter. I am starting to dose the tank daily with with extra strength Melafix Cichlid Antibacterial Fish Remedy in case of infection and fungus.
I have a 330l tank with 3 other fish in it including the Albino Oscar. The other fish are small so no problem with over crowded tank. I don't have a heater in the tank but I live in the tropics and it has never been a problem in the past.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

I appreciate your help.

Val

 

[Davo86]

Sorry but have to ask, what do you mean by within a healthy range?
If it is only a 330L tank with 4 fish two of whom are Oscars then the tank is overstocked, One Oscar alone require 300Litres,
also what is the temperature in the tank?

An improper temperature can cause fish to have these symptoms: Gasping, flared gills, lethargy, loss of color, sometimes redness at the base of fins.
If Chlorine or ammonia are present these symptoms can also occur,
As can if there is a lack of oxygen.

 

[Spishkey]

Sorry but have to ask, what do you mean by within a healthy range?
If it is only a 330L tank with 4 fish two of whom are Oscars then the tank is overstocked, One Oscar alone require 300Litres,
also what is the temperature in the tank?

An improper temperature can cause fish to have these symptoms: Gasping, flared gills, lethargy, loss of color, sometimes redness at the base of fins.
If Chlorine or ammonia are present these symptoms can also occur,
As can if there is a lack of oxygen.

totally agree with davo here we need to know the exact water stats in ammonia nitrite and nitrAte to rule outwater problems.
330L is overstocked with the fish you have in there. this could also be causing territorial issues among the fish (especially the two oscars) and as a result the 'sick looking' oscar could be getting picked on and is severly stressed. without knowing what other fish are in the tank, its a good guess to say IF it is being picked on, it is by the other oscar.
do you know roughly how old the oscars are? im wondering if they've reached maturity and are finding whos boss? (around 14 to 18 months of age this usually happens)

what exactly do you feed them? if its 'fresh' foods like fish/mussels, it could have had an 'off' piece and is feeling a little ill (like when a human eats off food and suffers with stomach pain etc) apart from that, and without knowing the water stats/filter size/other residents in the tank...all we can do is guess

could you take a photo of the oscar by any chance, and of the set up?