Trouble with Albino Oscar?

Question

Hello new here, I have an ablino ocsar thats been sick for two weeks. I need some advice about what his conditions are, and how i can treat them. My oscar has a white cottony growth that is forming on his dorsal fin and head, it just started growing there yesterday. His back fins shake sometimes, I don't think its the water temp. because i keep it fairly warm the heat is on in the house now so i try not to have the water temperture too high because i dont want algae to grow. He hasen't eaten in about a week and a half. I tried to put food around him like pellets but he just ignores them. He lays on the bottom of the tank most of the time and sometimes he swims around in a complete circle half way around the tank then lays back down on the bottom and starts breathing fast. I have used primafix and it looks like its working cause hes swimming around more than he used to but im not sure if the medicine is right for him or not. So if anyone has any helpful suggestions please help. Thanks!

Answer 1

Pimafix and melafix are better to use for prevention than after a problem has developed. Neither is an actual medication.

This sounds more like Columnaris (a bacterial infection) or body fungus. The latter rarely attacks healthy fish, but if the fish is stressed from poor water quality, incorrect temperature, or has a physical injury, the fungus will attack.

You can tell the difference between the two because Columnaris is almost perfectly circular in its outline, and has shorter matted filaments where body fungus is more irregular and has longer straighter filaments. You can get a specific medication if you can identify the cause (it's always better not to use antibiotics unless it's absolutely necessary). If you're not certain, get Binox which is able to treat both.

Photo of columnaris: http://www.fishjunkies.com/images/Columnaris2.jpg

Photo of body fungus: http://www.uib.no/bot/kurs/BB220/Algae/Figures/fish.jpg

http://www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

Answer 2

First, if he's not eating stop putting food in or at the least, clean up whatever he doesn't eat quickly.

An Oscar eats fast fast fast, so you know if he's done or not. Just don't let the food sit there and cloud up your water quality.

You might want to turn up the heat a little, hotter water is worse for the bacteria/fungus that might be infecting your fish.

Aquarium salt might help as well.

Maracyn Two could also be of use to you.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Check with a fish store. Sounds like he might have a condition called "ICK". They have drops for this. I had the same issue with some tetras.