I am new to having oscars and have been given tons of different advice and at the cost of my oscars lives i dont dare trust lfs again! I noticed my oscar laying on his side when i fead this morning and he wanted nothing to do with it. From an oscar that would take it from my fingure tips! I tested the water right after and checked the temp and had high ammonia a nitrite. I performed a 50% water change and while doing so in the gravel vac noticed white poo?? My temp is 76-78 and always has been. MY test results after water change are; Nitrate 0 Nitrite 1.0 Hardness 250 Alk turned blue (???) and the pH turned bright pink (???). Also my amonia level is still 6.0... I have added my water conditioner and it has an amonia neutralizer in it! My buddy started to act normal after the change but now is hiding behind the lscape and is still having labored breathing. I feed once daily and I have 4, 2 @ approx 3" and 2 @ 2" and for now are in a 30 gal tank. I already have a 90 gal running and after the winter they will be transfered to it. But I need your help in getting buddy better! PLEASE HELP, I <3 him!!!

Hi Ricky, you have come to the right place, there are some amazing experts here. Let me just clarify this.

You have 4 juvenile Oscars in a 30 gallon tank
Your ammonia is still 6
Your temp is 76 to 78

What filter are you using?
What is the pH I'm sorry but I don't understand the results you posted.
Is your water conditioner Prime?
When did you do the water change?
How are the other fish?
How long have you had them in the tank and did you make any effort to cycle it?

Now I can tell you that your tank is overstocked and not cycled and that until you get them into a bigger tank you are going to struggle with this problem. Do you know that Os grow an inch a month and that even the 90 gallon is really only big enough for two of them...and what does winter have to do with the move to the bigger tank?

But in the short term get some of those questions answered and the folks here will try to help you.

Good luck, warm regards...shaz

First off...welcome to the site.

To better assess the situation we need to know your complete set up. Filters, waterchange schedule, etc.

You mentioned the Oscars are in a 30 gallon, it sounds like you know that isn't big enough; so thats a start. The problem is the smaller the amount of water, the more difficult to keep the water quality good and consistant.

I recommend doing a 30% waterchange daily for the time being. Keep posting your water quality readings. We will help you get this situation turned around. hang in there, more people will pop in with advise very soon.

I was told to cycle for a week with everything but the fish in it. I have had the aquarium set up for approx 6 weeks. The filter is a Tetra EX filter and says its a multi stage filter. I have had the oscars for a little over a month. An inch a month, wow!!! The lfs said no prob on the 30 until I wa ready to move them, what a fool I am to have listened to them! The only reason I was waiting was that I was slowly buying everything I needed for the 90, but after your reply will buy a larger tank. Could you please recomend the proper size? The pH didnt match anything on the chart, not even inbetween! Almost a highlighter pink. I performed my unscheduled change this morning. Ive been doing a 25% weekly change due to this already happening to my babys. This is the only tank out of 4 that I am having any issues. But however is the only tank with oscars, and im sure I speak for many people when I say THANK GOD for this site!!!

Thank you, and I do weekly water changes. Though todays water change was 3 days early. So basically what im reading as far as size is that they will grow regaurdless of the tank size.

rickyD wrote:

having no nitrate yet means your tank is not cycled yet


i believe you are using strip testing kit... i suggest you get API liquid test kit


your ammonia is in the lethal level already... good to know you add prime
but that would be just temporary relief...


as suggested by sharyn and cebosound, you are over stock....


i strongly suggest you move them to the bigger tank...while cycling it.
your fish have a good survival chance in there than in that smaller tank..

btw, WELCOME ON BOARD!

I will certainly buy a better test kit tomorrow morning and I will get them moved, but before I do so I will test the 90s water with the new kit and post here. Oh, and I read some where on the site that the amonia would still show high after change and treatment, is this true?

yes it is... because ammonia remains inside the tank but the prime
just make them less toxic...

are you cleaning your filter system???? IF SO...how?????
YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSE WASH IT UNDER TAP WATER!

Ok, and about the tank size. What is the correct size for 4, as sharyn said above that even the 90 isnt large enough?

Yes I have washed them in tap water, I had absolutely no idea that your not suppose to.

rickyD wrote:

you can keep two at 90 gal tank but you need good filtration in it....
55 gal is ideal for one oscar


washing them direct to tap could kill all beneficial bacteria, the reason
why you don't have nitrate....

rickyD wrote:


For 4 oscars your looking at 150g+

do you have anything in the 90g? why cant you put the oscars in now?

if you have other fish in the 90g then your still not going to have room for 4 oscars.