CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Please someone help! I am new here and have a large oscar red and purple, in the last 12 hours he has turned very pale and cannot swim straight. He is the only fish in the tank bar a large sucker fish. He is about 8 ins long, and recently has a large gauge in the top of his head, I feed him prawns and of late he has not been eating. I am worried I am going to loose him as I have grown quite attatched. Does anyone have any ideas or help??? Thanks in advance Benos

Hi, Oscarthai. Welcome to the forum. If you can give us a little more information it'll help us make some suggestions:

1. What size tank is your Oscar in?

2. Have you tested your water? If not, pick up a test kit and measure especially ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.

3. What kind of filtration are you using?

4. How often do you change water, and how much at a time?

5. What do you feed your O, and how much/often?

6. Can you upload a picture showing the gouge in the head?

You might also check ourt our Disease & Treatment FAQ section, as well as the General Aquaria FAQ's.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Please look at HITH FAQ , we could use a picture of the supposed hole in the head to see if it may be from a scrape etc...first things first, check your water parameters, make the water as pristine as possible, then you can medicate tank just in case for parasites/bacteria/fungus etc....
http://www.cichlidfish.com/portal/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2845

and

http://www.cichlidfish.com/portal/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=57