I need help. As my fish are so important to me like my babies!! My Oscar needed a bigger tank. I bought one set it up. Got an algea bloom. Its been like 3 weeks - I tried a partial water change. No results. Thats just one problem my baby his skin looks like someone filet him its terrible. Please help me. I don't want to loose him. Also not eating! He is breathing okay. Seemed stressed but now its his skin. Really it looks like someone fileted him!! So sad and worried. Its weird my other tank no problems - what going on with my fish?? Please if you can help get back soon as possible!! Thanks my name is Linda by the way. Its nice to talk to others that l9ove their fish as well!!

My fish are trained - they actually come up half out of the water and let me drop food in their mouth!!

What size tank was he in? What is he in now? What are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels? Also do you have a picture? I might not be able to anxswer your question but with the above questions answered i am certain that some one will be able to.

Welcome to the site, I wish it was under slightly better circumstances

Okay, we're going to need a lot more information before we can really help you. Now you said your tank has been set up for three weeks? I'm assuming this was from scratch? If this is the case, then it will not be cycle properly. Now this brings me onto my second question, have you got a water testing kit? You're going to need to test the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrates and pH. I'm not keen on getting fish stores to test the water for you. You will be much better off doing it yourself.

It would also be very helpful if you could post a photograph of your fish.

I have moved this post into the appropriate forum and I will delete your latest post which will only confuse people.

My camera is on charge I will try to get a picture. I have done a water test through Petco- they said it was fine.. baffles me.. Its got a bloom going plus my fish looks like you have taken a knife and fileted certain parts! How can your water tests be fine and have a bloom and a sick fish. I figure stress but something needs to be done!! I am in general good and some what knowlegeable. But I have never seen this before!

you are cycling the tank and your fish are suffering health problems........a cycle takes 40 days to complete from the point of your first ammo reading if you introduce fish you care about before the 40-50 day point they WILL SUFFER HEALTH PROBLEMS and it sounds to me like this is exactly whats happening the bacterial bloom will not occur if you are fully cycled..it cant ,sorry to bear bad news but its daily waterchanges 50% untill the period for completing the cycle elapses..as no meds can be used while cycling as you will sacrifice your biofilter if you do............just my opinion,,,sorry and welcome to the boards

The ammonia is probably burning his skin right off... your tank is cycling... i suggest lots of water changes until it is complete... also add some melafix to help healing..

maybe you should try something like this:

www.aquaristic.net/sera-toxivec.html?lang=1

littlewings wrote:
did you start the set up from zero? new water? new filter? or did you use the existing tnak water and filter?

if you did start from scratch, then probably your fish has chlorine or ammonia burn.

we will wait for the picture to evaluate your situation.