Oscar Trouble

[damit]

I have a four year old Oscar named Oscar -(very original, huh)- and for the past 2-3 weeks has had an abnormal swell in his abdomen area. For the past couple of years I have fed him Cichlid Gold pellets but once in a while I'll bring him home some feeders. I think that maybe he might not have digested the feeders properly. I have also heard of a fish sympton called dropsy or something of that sort where in which the fishes belly'll swell up? Could this be the problem? thanks.

 

[smb]

It could be the problem. Do the scales look look like they are protruding outward? Sometimes, but not all the time, this happens with dropsy.

Is he eating and as active as always or does he seem listless? Also, just in case, do you have any other fish in there with him?

If you think it might be dropsy you could try and treat with an internal parasite med.

 

[Mogo]

Dropsy can also be bacterial in nature. As smb asked, check for protruding scales, this will help diagnose what the problem is.

 

[damit]

Thanks for the re. smb + mogo but as for Oscar
it seems his scales are as normal as any scale should be. It might not be dropsy after all, maybe just a bad case of constapation. I have noticed though that his stomach area has swollen up a bit since yesterday. Could this be that he is not digesting his food properly therefore building up gas or something?
Also, is it true that if you raise the temp. in your water to a little more than norm. to about 88-90 degrees f that it'll help the fish, you know #2?

Thanks

David

 

[smb]

Like I said before, sometimes, but not always, protrusion of the scales happens with dropsy. The scales aren't the only indication. Usually, the fluids in the body build up and cause the fish to bloat up and the scales to protrude.

There are other symptoms also. Do his eyes look different?

You didn't answer any of my previous questions tho. Can you please answer them so we can all go from there?

 

[damit]

hey c'mon smb, i got 1 out of the 4 questions! lol

Actually his eyes don't seem different at all.

He does seem a little listliss, less active, and does not have the same appetite that he had a few weeks ago. I wave the bag of staples in front of him and he doesn't show that ferocious appetite that he does. Yes, there are other fish in there with him but not in his side of the tank. Where would i be able to buy some internal parasite medicine if it did happen to be or seem like dropsy?

I still get the feeling that it probably was the feeders that he ate. He is extremely territorial and when I fed him the fish, he ate them all probably while he was stuffed and overdid it just because they were invading his space. I was hoping that he learned to consider them food and let them be until he was hungry.

thanks for your help