# Juvenile Albino Tiger Oscar - Ich?



## Bichir (Dec 18, 2009)

I have a juvenile Anbino Tiger Oscar, about 3 1/2 inches, and I'm worried she may have ich. 
On her fins, (they're clear) there are little white dots. Her aquarium is due for a water change, and the Oscar I had in there before had similar, but there weren't this many. I can't see any on the rest of her body because she's white. I'm worried about her, and my fiance's uncle has borrowed my API Freshwater Master Test Kit because he just got Oscars. I know the params are probably out of line because I just got back from London and I didn't trust him to do water changes in my baby's tank. 
I can't get photos.
Am I just freaking out for no reason? What can I do in the meantime with no meds?
Please help.

Charlie.


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Do you have an adjustable heater? I'd slowly increase the temperature to about 84*F. Dosing salt can also help. About 3 tablespoons per 5g should be fine. Of course you'd want to wait until after doing the water change before adding salt.

Can you post your other water parameters as soon as you get a chance?


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## Bichir (Dec 18, 2009)

It's already on a steady 78 degrees, but I'll raise it.
There's a pleco in the tank, about 8 inches long. He shows no signs.
Will the temperature increase harm the pleco?


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

No, but plecos are more sensitive to salt than the oscar so you might want to be more careful with that.


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## Bichir (Dec 18, 2009)

I just checked on her, and the spots are gone. I'm really confused. I didn't raise the temp, do a change, anything and now they're gone. 

I have been noticing the last few months that the pleco has been very faded, with bands that are even paler. Is he stressed, lack of food, out-of-whack params, or what? I usually put in a 3-day feeder block and it's gone by morning. I haven't had the money recently, so all I have are algae disks and they grow a fuzzy mold around them if they aren't eaten, so I don't usually put a bunch in. Any advice? He's just a common. 8"


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Do you have any driftwood in the tank? Good hiding places? Is he being picked on by the other fish? Washed out colors usually indicate stress so I'd guess something is off. Those feeder block things aren't really an ideal diet for him; they're mostly just lumps of calcium with some fish food stuck in them. You're better off with algae based foods, vegetables and some protein from time to time.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

I would change out five to ten gallons of water each weekend without fail using a dechlorinator for new water that I add before I add the new water to the aquarium. 30 gal? I would also try and vaccum the gravel (especially with Under gravel filter) once each week as well. I would get my test kit back from my uncle or buy me another one and i would test the water each week before a water change to see that ammonia and nitrites read zero,and NitrAtes are not much higher than 20 ppm. Temp 78 degrees F.
I would not feed the Oscar live feeder fish (as indicated under info on your aquariums)unless ,,I was raising the feeder fish myself. Store bought feeders can and do, frequently cause fish to become sick due to parasites and or disease they carry from crappy enviornments that these feeder's are kept in, and they provide very LITTLE nutrition for your fish.
I would feed the pleco alage wafers,cucumber slices,strips of lettuce with rock and rubberband to hold it down,along with maybe zucchinni,sweet potato,spinach leaves,and whatever foods are offered to the oscar. Is true,most plecos enjoy wood if not to rest on,next to,or under,it sometimes is helpful for their digestive functions depending on species.
Within another three or four months,the Oscar will outgrow the 30 gal? and will put a heavy load on filtration while making it difficult to maintain water quality and the Pleco is also going to create problems maintainig water quality due to large amounts of poop they can produce especially, common pleco.

Excess food,excess poop,plus large messy eater such as Oscar = frequent large water changes in smaller tanks. In my view,,75 gal would be minimum for one Oscar assuming you wish for the fish to remain healthy through adulthood.
Filter for a tank holding an Oscar should be capable of filtering six to eight times the volume of water the tank holds each hour. Example.. 75 gal x6 =450 gal per hour.
This is all my opinion and is what I would do were it me to try and care for the fish . Fish kept in properly maintained aquariums are much less likely to become sick .


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

I agree, we really need to see some test results. Also, can you describe the white dots further? What do they most closely resemble:
Sugar sprinkes
Salt grains
Cotton balls


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## Bichir (Dec 18, 2009)

Salt grains. 
I just got my test kit back. I'm doing a 50% gravel vac PWC today when I get home from school. 
I'll test before and after.


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