# White Bumps on Oscar



## Thalanaya (Feb 25, 2016)

1. Size of tank? 40 Gallon Breeder

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? none 
b. Nitrite? none 
c. Nitrate? 20 ppm 
d. pH, KH and GH?
e. Test kit? PH Alert, Amonia Alert, Tetra Easy Strips

3. Temperature? 76

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? FW

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? 2 months at our house but long term at prior owners. 

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them? one 8 inch Oscar one large Pleco. I have had them 2 months prior owner had them for an unknown amount of time. He used to have 2 Oscars in there he said. 

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants?
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom?
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors?

9. a. Filtration?
b. Heater?

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? hood light florescent daytime only
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? very short periods from sun through the skylights 

11. a. Water change schedule? weekly
b. Volume of water changed? 1/4 
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? Tap
d. Water conditioner used? yes 
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? Weekly with change 

12. Foods? ghost shrimp, Ciclid pellets 
How often are they fed? 1-2 pellets daily 10-12 ghost shrimp 2 times in the last month. He seemed to really like those. I am starting to breed guppies for him because I don't like getting the live food from the pet store. I was feeding him plain frozen shrimp from Aldi (Thawed) then I worried that was not ok but then the last guy said he fed Oscar hot dogs. 

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms?
b. Appearance of poop? normal 
c. Appearance of gills? normal

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? 
b. What meds were used? Ick treatment, then fungus treatment. That stressed me out because it said to take out the filters and then I was worried about the tank getting out of whack with his messy eating. 

15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.


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## torileeann11 (Dec 17, 2015)

I would try doing a dosage of Kanaplex.

Hope he feels better soon!


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

I would watch them to see if they grow or spread. 

It doesn't look much like Ick but it could be, also could be a fungal. I do have some tetra with the same kind of spots it those are just fin damage from tank mates.

I suggest doing a lot of water changes for a month to keep the water very clean and help heal him up.


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## Thalanaya (Feb 25, 2016)

Thank you. I think I will switch to 2x 25% water changes for a month and see if that will help. I have Nitrazorb in the filter also. Has anyone had good luck with that? My test strips still show about 20 ppm nitrate no matter what I seem to do. I will also give the Kanaplex a go.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

I would increase the volume of water changes to 50% as well. Oscars and plecos are messy fish and produce a lot of waste. Also you're going to need a bigger tank, at least a 75 gallon just for the Oscar.


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## Thalanaya (Feb 25, 2016)

I have been worried about the size of the tank. The man we bought him from said he had two the same size in there a male and a female. I thought that was a bit crazy! I will be keeping my eye out for a bigger tank. I am sure my husband will love me when I find one and bring it home (Sarcasm) The guy I bought him from said he rinses the filter out once a week. Is that good practice?


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

Rinsing the filter is fine just make sure you use tank water not tap water. Just put some water in a 5 gallon bucket and was the filter around a little, you won't get it perfectly clean but get more of the junk out. 

I agree with Jeaninal try to pick up a 75g and he will be much happier in the long run. Oscars might be my favorite cichlid love the little guys. I plan on setting up a few 75g tanks and I might just put oscars in each.


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