Hi, Im new to the forums and new to Oscars but I have a little bit of an issue. I bought an Oscar about a month and a half ago, he's currently housed alone in a 55 gallon tank with a Penguin Bio-Wheel 350 Filter and an EHEIM Profession II Filter, with a STEALTH Heater along with a bubble wall. His diet consists of Frozen Bloodworms, Beefheart, Brine Shrimp or TetraMin Tropical Crisps once a day. I do water changes once every other weekend. I check the Amonia levels often and it stays clean but still do %50 water changes every other weekend.

He's been healthy, begging for food when I come near the tank, not shy at all. About a week ago I noticed he had a small crater indention right about his left gill, worried it might be Hole in the Head I purchased Cure All and followed the directions exactly. After I gave him the medicine and did the water change he doesn't seem to be getting any better, infact he seems to be getting worse. Today he's been hiding most of the day, doesnt seem intrested in eatting, he will not beg for food when I approach, he keeps opening his mouth and he looks like hes gasping for air and just generally acting like hes not feeling well. He also had what looked like waste coming out of his sensory pit, he also has what looks like tiny little bubbles on his body but im hoping its because hes been hiding at the bottom right above the bubble wall. Im really worried he might be dieing! Has anyone else experianced this with their Oscar and is there advice anyone can offer about my dilema? Thanks in advance!

hello dtoner and welcome to the site ..........i have never suffered hith on any of my fish ...but i do know metronidiazole is in my opinion the only effective treatment for hith.........the bubbles on him are probably from the airater ..but in order to advise you further please post your water parameters .....and a pic would also be great if possible.........the guys who have treated hith will chip in soon im sure .........please be paitient

Ok, I unfortunately do not have a digital camera at the moment cuz mine broke recently. But I did test the water and here are the results for everything I could test.

Ammonia - 0.0
Nitrite - 0.0
Nitrate - 5.0
pH - 7.6

Here's the best picture I could get of him with my Cell Phone so I apologize for the bad quality but it shows the hole im concerned about. He is in the same shape today, he barely ate and returned to his hiding spot next to the heater.

Welcome to the site DToner. I'm not as good as the mods at helping with seriously sick fish but from all that I've learned here it's bad water and bad feeding habits that cause HITH and you don't have either. Is there anything sharp in the tank that he could have rubbed up against and hurt himself? That could explain the mark but not the refusal to eat. My Oscars will pout if they don't get the attention they think they deserve. I have 2 and they stick close together, maybe he's lonely. Have you added anything new to the tank lately? Using Melafix will help his wound or the meds BigGame told you about. Please keep us posted.

If this behavior began today, just keep watching.

I believe Oscars are quite moody for being a fish. Maybe yours is sulk, or just a bit lazy. Maybe the meds didn't "taste" good and he/she is upset.

Wish it's nothing serious. He/she could be constipated... boil some peas, take the skin out, smash them and see if he/she takes it. I would pass on live food for a while, specially bloodworms and beefheart and focus on Spirulina based or more veggie-based for a few days at least.

Also, Oscar do move things around in their tanks. Mine have had their share of small bruises when I kept certain decor I ended up removing (somewhat sharp edges, indentations...). Sometimes a smaller but aggressive fish (I am convinced the Oscar's aggressive reputation is more myth than fact) have done some damage that is visible but unlikely serious.

In your position I would keep an eye in the quality of the water -your readings are great by the way- and I would place some activated charcoal (at least for two weeks) to remove any remains of the medication.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

05/04/09,

I've been monitoring his condition and he has been more active, isnt hiding at the bottom of the tank anymore, he's hanging out more at the surface but does come to the tank when I approach it. Doesn't seem to intrested in eatting as much as he used to, but will eat a small amount. He constantly has his mouth open, and he opens his gills pretty wide non stop, as if his breathing is getting worse. Parts of his lips have taken a whiteish tint as well as the inside of his mouth. The crater is not just an indention anymore, its gone all the way through his gill and there is a small hole in the center of the white area. I was able to capture a few more photos of him, he really does not like getting his picture taken and acts real nervous when I approach with a camera, or my phone so these are the best I could do but I have clearer shots of the hole now.

I haven't had Oscars long and haven't seen HITH for myself so I'm no help for you on this one. It does look like the pics posted here of others with it though. What are you medicating with? Is he alone in the tank?

I medicated him with Cure All about a week ago, and he is the only fish in his tank.

I don't know that one. Just make sure he always has good water and he'll heal. I wish you the best of luck with him, he's a real cutie.

i am quite baffled about the area of concern. that is gill
cover, one of the hardest part of the fish. please check
how it stay with the heater. my thinking is that perhaps
it touches the tip of the heater and damage the skin. if
it is a HITH, it will not be alone.... there should be small
indication around the body.

is he/she eating well? active? your water parameter is good,
thus, HITH is remote. Fungus will also shows other areas of
infection.

x2 with Paul's thinking, I would have thought there would be more small indents around the sensory pits in the forehead. it could be a wound that was infected??