Please Help, Oscar Bit Bala And He Is Floating Upside Down

[nshockeyplaya]

He is upside down he is still breathing but is jus floating around. The oscar bit him and it started, it doesnt even look like he bit him that bad. Is the poor bala doomed?

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank, plus water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, can you issolate the fish.

 

[wendywc]

Definately put him in a hospital tank or he'll probably get picked at more. Poor guy.

 

[steelhealr]

Agree with wendywc....it may have suffered an internal injury. Get the fish in a hospital tank and I'd add aquarium salt to start. Any puncture sites? SH

 

[CFC]

I wouldnt recomend the addition of salt with a bala shark, in my experience they handle salt badly.

As suggested isolate the bala and keep the tank darkened by covering it with a blanket or towel, adding melafix can also help.

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Okay, I am going to put him in a 10 gallon, what do i need for a quarentine tank. Heres what I have:

Penguin 300 Filter HOB
Aqua Clear 10 Filter
300W Heater
100W Heater

What should I use?

 

[riverman444]

I have had quite a few Oscars in my time. One thing I can tell you from experience is that Oscars will try to eat anything and everything that comes near them as they grow in age and size. I'm guessing that your Oscar is still a juvenile.

You may want to consider a tank for the Oscar. They get LARGE and are eating machines.

I thought it would be safe to put a large Clawed Frog in with my Oscar a few years ago. --GULP!--

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Nah riverman, ive owned oscars before and theyre agressiveness is quite exagerated. This one isnt a juvenile, its just about full grown, id say around 11-12". Oscars have a bad temperment sometimes but really arent that agressive. I believe he had it out with this bala because the bala is weak as is.

Anyways the bala is in a quarentine tank now being treated with melafix. Hopefully he can have a quick and healthy recovery.

 

[PlecMama]

How's your shark doing?

 

[blitztidus]

I don't have many fish that come back fine after swimming upside down, come to think of it... none. oops, am I not helping oooooooops!

 

[nshockeyplaya]

How's your shark doing?

Hes on his first day of treatment but he is doing much better (not swimming upside down or struggling to breath or anything. Things certaintly seem hopeful)

I don't have many fish that come back fine after swimming upside down, come to think of it... none. oops, am I not helping oooooooops!

Lol to tell you the truth me either till now, i thought it was over as soon as he was floating at the top upside down. I dont understand what happened or how he got better, but im sure happy about it

 

[CFC]

Often the fish when a fish turns belly up it is due to shock and this needs to be treated before any physical wounds or illness, the best way to do this is to simply cover the tank with a blanket and turn the temperature up a degree or two and then leave the fish alone for a few hours, a bit like giving a car accident victim a cup of tea and a blanket.

 

[nshockeyplaya]

The Bala in the quarentine tank isnt eating, he wont eat any of the flakes for some reason, why is this?

 

[WILDER]

Because he not well and stressed, try his favourite.

 

[nshockeyplaya]

Glad to report that after roughly 9 days in quarentine with some melafix, the bala is back in the 125 and healthy.