Hey everyone! I have a major problem and don't know what to do. I have an Oscar that is about 8 in. long and I know he has got HiTH for starters. Now, he is hanging around the top of the tank, gasping, not eating x 2 weeks now, feces is clear and stringy and now he has this white stuff on the outstide of one eye. I have never had a problem with my fish until now. Our local Pet Store closed, so I have to go out of town to purchase items, meds, etc. for them. I have taken the carbon out the the filter, there is plenty of aeration in the tank, LFS told me to start with Jungle Labs Binox and I also had some Metronidazole that I am also using. No change in him. Water paramaters are as follows:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 40
pH - 7.6
Water temp has been 78 but have just bumped it up to 80
55 gal aquarium
2 Oscars
1 Jack
I know I got to get a bigger tank.. Jack is about 5". and Oscars 8"
Running 2 Emperor 400's
I don't know if this is parasites, bacterial or what. I am so afraid I am going to lose him. I have stopped the feeding while treating with Binox. LFS told me to so they wouldn't poop and raise the ammonia. Which, the sick one is not eating anyway. I couldn't move him to a hospital tank in fear of stressing him out even more. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to what to do? Thank you for any help!!

Hello Pam, welcome to the site, I'm sorry it's under such sad conditions but worry is what brought me here too. The mods here know their stuff and will be able to help you as soon as they get here. It will help you to read my thread (Fungus) and there is a thread about sick fish that you will learn a lot from. I wish you luck, please keep checking back, the calvery will be here soon

how long since the last water change? It's extremely important to keep it fresh, that along with meds will help with the HITH.

I put the meds in on the 7th and the LFS and the bottle says to wait 4 days and do 25% water change and put last dose in and then wait 4 days again.. So, tomorrow, I will be doing the first water change since the meds. Someone had also told me about using salt, but wasn't too sure about all that.. I just hate seeing him in the shape he is in and don't understand how he got that way, when I have been so careful with water changes, parameters and all.

I've learned a lot here by reading the old posts, there's enough here to keep you busy for weeks.
I'm sure by the time you sign back on that one of the mods will have answered you with real help. Read the Fungus thread and see how BigGame told me to medicate, it's differnt than what the bottle says. Good luck to you.

you seem to be doing all you can at the moment........the white stringy poo is increased flagilites in the blood (heximita) which is the same parasite/problem as hith...the most effective treatment is METRONODIAZOLE and perfect water....so theres not a lot unfortunately i can tell you that you are not already doing its a very slow process so be paitient and keep up the metro and good water........sorry i cant help more and im sure the response has been slow as you have already done the best for your fish and members feel they cant realy add to your treatment......thanks to sinstinna for helping here.

it was good to try to help instead of asking for it myself for a change

Thank you all for your help! Going to go do the water change now and continue with the meds and hope for the best.. I will keep you all posted about the condition of him. Once again, thank you and have a great day..

Please do, we all get invested in each others fish and worry till the crisis has passed. Good luck hun!

Sinstinna wrote:



X2............

Thanks again.. and I will definitely keep you all posted on his progress. Thought I would include a picture of my babies. Meet Kenny and Cartman. Here, you can already see the problem beginning. The little dots in the pic are bubbles.. lol Anyway, just thought I would share with you all.. Thanks

Pam

They're lovely , Mine are only about 5 inches, I'm in a terrible hurry for them to grow up and be huge. I have trouble posting pics here but I have them on photobucket. s615.photobucket.com/albums/tt233/Sinstinna/

I'm worse than a new Mommy, I have at least 1000 pics in the month since I've had them lol. I'm not ashamed of it though, I love my babies.