HI there hope you can help and hope all is well at your end

I did a usual tank clean ect the other day and put in a change of ornaments that were better for asbo, normally yup he can get a tad well pissed off about this at time as he does not like his tank even having a water change, but he was only annoyed for about 30 minutes and then to my suprise he was fine and wanted food ect and had seemed to be as happy as usual.

I got up the next morning and noticed he had ripped a section away at the front of his head at the top, good gouge of the scales, and a bit further back at the start of his top fin, i have no idea how he done it as there are no sharp objects only thing would be the filter end he can get annoyed at that for some reason.

I am concerened as he has changed totally after this whatever occured, he wont eat his habits just to go up and down and round in the tank, normally when i stood up he shoots over to see me, this time he wont play at all. Any suggestions would be great, many thanks in advance

Heather

Oscars often cause themselves cuts and abrasions. He may have just have swum into the tank, or one of the ornaments, they don't necessarily have to be sharp to cause an injury. Oscars haven't got particularly good eyesight when it is very dark so it could have happened then. He may have got spooked and suddenly swam very fast into something. There is a chance that he has stunned himself slightly and is a little stressed out. The best thing you can do is to keep the water in very good condition, this will aid healing and just keep an eye on him. Hopefully he will come around and get back to his normal self. I don't think there's any need for medication unless the injuries don't heal up within a few days.

Sorry I can't give you any more sound advice, this has happened to me many times over the years and there isn't really anything you can do but just keep an eye on the Oscar and hope he gets back to his normal self. Fish are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat because you can't really examine them the way you would a dog

i have one of those little lights in the tank that is on after his lights go on its the one that is a small circle and gives of a small green glow like a kind of night light, i normally leave it on before i go to bed when i then put it off, it puts a glow im the tank at the back a green tinge, would it be better to leave that on during the night to give him a little light? or it better to be in complete darkness?

thanks again your a star
h

I think it's best to turn all the lights off so it's completely dark. You'll find that your Oscar will go to sleep fairly quick after all the lights go off in the evening. If you leave the lights on, he may not sleep properly.

thanks for that will keep my eye on him he is still the same today wont come near me which is totally out of character, hope he will be okay many thanks
H

Has your Oscar eaten anything today?