Our Oscar "Howl" has been entrusted in my care since her owner went off to school. He has become a valued member of our family. He is 3 years old and has never had any tank mates.

Last Saturday morning (8 days ago), I found him completely on his side at the bottom of his tank. I asked a vet on line and followed the advice to do a 50% water change and not feed him for 2 days. He rallied and has been eating ever since but he is lethargic listless and spends his days laying on the bottom of the tank and or laying sideways at the top of the tank. He will right himself when approached swim the length of his tank and continues to snap at his food and eat heartily. His feces are brown and not stringy.

Tank specs: 55 gallons 70 aquaclear filtration system, air stone on a 600 pump.
Water quality: ph 8, GH-18 KH-9 nitrate <.3mg/l, ammonia 0. The readings have been consistently at these levels the entire week. In addition to doing the 50% water changes, I have done 2 25% water changes.
Diet: HiKari Gold pellets every day, peas with husk removed 1-2 a weekand frozen bloodworms 3-4 times a week.

I have used a magnifying glass to examine him at length and can see no external parasites, or evidence of them.
He has had and continues to battle hole in the head. Today 8 days after the initial "Scare", using a flashlight, I noticed that 3 of his healed lesions are active again, with red patches and stringy mucous.
Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post.

What are your nitrite test results? and what are testing with, strips or bottles types. Strips are inaccurate so if you are using them can you retest with the bottle types

The problem is either poor water quality or a swim bladder problem. From your test results posted it looks like your water is ok so the most likely is a swim bladder problem, the treatment is swim bladder meds. Curing swim bladder problems is a bit hit or miss, the earlier you start the better

The most common cause of HITH is poor water quality, and the cure is the best water quality you can get, so lots of water changes, say 3 large ones a week

Can you post a little vid so we can see the problem

Thank you so much for getting back to me. I am using the Tetratest bottle test kit, not the strips. The nitrite is reading at less than 0.3 mg/l. I am not sure how to calculate percentage from that. I forgot in the first post the water temp is 78.

I am not very camera or video savvy but will try to get someone to help me take a picture and post it.

What type of meds should be given for swim bladder infection, an antibiotic?
His hole in the head has been an ongoing thing so we conduct regular water changes, but have not done 3 large ones a week. Will definately begin doing that.

Thanks again

Love the name, is that a house name?

1st I believe the aquaclear 70 is a powerhead and not a filter??? don't you have any media/sponge that the water runs through. is this your filter?? is it set up through a gravel bed?
cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aquaclear-Powerhead-70-Aq...;hash=item2a07ca87b1

if you suspect swim bladder infection treatment is as follows. feed peas(as you have been doing)
Swim Bladder Problems

Swim bladder problems are caused by bacterial and viral infections, or hereditary problems. The swim bladder helps the fish to control its buoyancy, allowing it to maintain its position in the water. Internal bacterial infections can affect its function, making it difficult for fish to maintain position. Fancy goldfish with their short body form are particularly prone to this problem.

Treatment for Swim Bladder Problems

Raising the temperature to 27°C (80°F), adding aquarium salt to a level of 0.5% (5 gm per litre), and using a treatment such as Interpet's Swim Bladder Treatment No.13 is recommended. You should also feed sparingly.

You dont need to work out the percentage of nitrate, 0.3 mg/l means 0.3 mg per litre

Howl was named because as a wee thing his first home had a castle that had a floor in that he could hide in. He used to uproot it all the time and it would float to the surface so he was named "howls moving castle" and we call him howl for short.

The aquaclear has 3 set of filter inserts to it. A biomax filter, activated carbon and a biological foam filter. We have been following the routine for maintenance of the filters as recommended. Rinsing in the aquarium water, changing a different one each month and not changing all of them together. I have removed the activated carbon filter wondering if that contributed to his extreme hole in the head. There is an optional ammonia filter that we have yet to insert.
There is a gravel bed. the readings today are 0 ammonia, <.3 mg/l nitrite

We have continued to feed him peas and he seems to have righted his sideways swimming and is less lethargic. He has been sleeping a lot at the bottom of the tank but upright rather than on his side and he has spent much less time floating on the top of the tank.
I am trying to post pictures of his hole in the head for some advice. It is extensive.

We have started the hole in the head guard treatment and I am supposed to do another treatment today along with the water change. I am reluctant to do that because he is now spitting his food out. He tries to eat his pellets and peas, chews them up then spits them out. I am thinking we should put him on another couple of day fast which worked over a a week ago when all this started happening. Any help would be appreciated.

My picture didn't load, I also have a short video .I will search the forum for instructions on how to attach them.

here's how to post pics:

www.oscarfishlover.com/using-photobucket

vids are uploaded by creating a youtube account and copy/paste the url at the top of the page into the post.
But photobucket will also upload vids, if i'm correct.

marcus wrote:


It's in reference to a book and later film--

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howl%27s_Moving_Castle

Yes Howl's name is based on the book and movie."Howls Moving Castle". He was nameless until he pulled the trick with his castle tank ornament.

Here's the picture, I hope it is visible. This fish has taught me how to find your forum, join your forum, figure out how to post, finally figure out how to load my digital photos on my computer and now post them in the forum ( if it works).

It worked! and WOW.... That REALLY looks like Ammonia burns to me, coupled with HITH... Can you please test your water again...

Your best bet is to keep your water is PERFECT condition, and add some Premafix to stop any secondary infections...

Please check your water again!