Iv had this baby oscar for about 4 weaks with another oscar in a 30 gallon tank (building custom one)..I do water changes everyweek and have a very powerfull filter..about 3 days ago i saw some of my oscars scales where missing..and i was thinking that they fell because of fighting so i divided them.but the next day he lost more scales from both sides.The next day (sunday) i saw him and his skin was gone too(in the area where the scales where missing) its like when you peel your knee.Then yesterday you could actually see some of his inside meat (like when you take the scales and "skin of a fish"..i was treating with malafix but didnt help..now the fish is lying on a rock still breathing but week .what do you think it is?so if this comes in the future i can treat it at the very first begining...is it a fungul infection?The other oscar is very active and hungry and is healthy.so is it possible i got him already sick from the shop?
Answers:
This doesn't sound like a common disease, firstly due to the speed of deterioration and secondly to the seriousness of the injury cause to the fish.
There are many bacteria and virus out there that we still don't full understand or even identified. And there is always the risk that such bacteria or virus could jump species and be harmful to humans.
My advise is to handle the fishes and water involved with caution. Please do not touch the water or fishes without wearing gloves and especially if you have cuts or broken skin on your hands. (The description you have given sound alot like the flesh eating bacteria that infect humans but that bacteria from what I am aware of, doesn't even come close to the speed you're describing.)
If possible isolate the fish from the main tank an do a 80% water change of your main tank if there are still inhabitants in it. If not, dry out the tank and soak all equipment in 10% bleach solution. Better safe then sorry.
With the injured fish in a hospitial tank, you can try anti-bacteria and malafix. Hopefully it's just a common bacteria infection due to poor water condition and I've over-reacted.
Good Luck.
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It's possible that the baby Oscar was sick when you bought him and he has passed it onto the older one.
Oscars are really sensitive about water pH and water hardness/softness. Take a sample into the fish shop to get the pH checked and every time you do a water change add water ager.
Good luck with them.
I would call the pet shop and ask for help identifying the symptoms. You can also go online, do a search for 'fish disease symptoms'. It could be fungal, hard to say without seeing the fish.
I hope you are able to help him in time.
Cheers!
If it's not hole-in-the-head disease, then this sounds like an infection, possibly caused by the other Oscar. Once picked on, the infection grew so separating would have had no affect on stopping it as medication would have only been able to help at this point.
After the initial "picking", the Oscar may have developed a bacterial infection, or been exposed to ectoparasites. This could have also been enhanced by poor water conditions (water changes is not all that is needed- proper PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels, and temperature are the basics).
If you have a reputable local fish store, you can take the fish there and they can take a scale and skin scrape and look under the microscope for you and provide you with a definitive answer. Also, take a ziploc bag full of water so they may test it for you.
Also, a 30 gallon tank is not large enough for an adult Oscar, much less two of them. The minimum recommended size tank for this fish is a 70 gallon as they grow to a foot in length and need ample swimming space.
This is exactly why everyone needs an isolation tank. I have a dozen aquariums and would never bring a new fish home and immediately add him to existing set-ups! A recipe for disaster.to be sure! Good Luck to you! I wish I could offer you more than advice on how to prevent future problems!
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