# Rescue oscar



## Richardfluffer (Mar 13, 2013)

Hello everyone! We just rescued a full grown Oscar. He is not well. He is floating at the top but still alive and trying. The water is new and treated with prime. 10 gallons of his old tank water is in a swell. Ph is 7. He was in half a tank of water, no filter or heater. Any ideas on how to help this poor guy?
Ps he is in a 70 gallon now. 
Thanks


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## Pamela (Apr 21, 2010)

Does he have any visible wounds, infections, or fungus, etc? Is he gasping? With him floating at the top he may have swim bladder disease. Could also be nitrite/nitrate poisoning from the prior conditions he was kept in.

Generally with unwell cichlids it's advised to turn up the temperature in the tank, add salt, and add some aeration.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

+1 on what Pamela wrote out and make surw aquarium salt and lights out.

Less stress on fish with lights out and aquarium salt will provide electrolyte to help fish breath easier.

Good luck on nursing the fellow better.

Sent from my mobile phone


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## Richardfluffer (Mar 13, 2013)

Thanks so much. I feel so bad for this guy. He hasn't seen a light in over a year so should I still turn it off. I added some aeration and I'm adding some aquarium salt. He is starting to look a bit better. 

Thanks again

Edit. Sorry he has no visible fungus or wounds other than one of his bottom fins is a little bent.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

This is a brand new setup? Do you have access to any cycled media? The next thing you're going to have to worry about is ammonia since Oscars are big waste producers.


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## Richardfluffer (Mar 13, 2013)

Oh ya brand new. Didnt have another option. I have a 30 going next to it. Should I transfer some water from that too the new tank?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Water barely contains any nitrifying bacteria in it. Get yourself a master test kit if you don't have one and test for ammonia and be ready to do water changes. Using prime is good as it dechlorinates the water and neutralizes ammonia. Oh and make the ammonia test kit you are using is compatible with Prime, or you will get a false reading.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

If you're 30g has a filter, swap some of the media in it to seed the other tank. As Gary said, the water column doesn't carry enough bacteria for beneficial results.


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## JohnnyAppleSnail (May 30, 2010)

Richardfluffer said:


> Oh ya brand new. Didnt have another option. I have a 30 going next to it. Should I transfer some water from that too the new tank?


Can you transfer "some" of the Filter Media from the 30 (I'm guessing you mean 30 gal. tank?) to the Filter in\on the Oscars tank? It needs benificial bacteria and this would help greatly,just put it in the existing Filter or if you have a spare filter.


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## Master wilkins (Dec 10, 2012)

go get yourself a bottle of "seachem stability" and start to dose your tank if you dont have access to cultured filter media. he should be fine if you do it quickly.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

What kind of filter are you using on the 70g? If you have a cycled hang on back filter on your 30g, you can squeeze a bit of the gunk from the filter sponge onto the filter media in the 70g filter, or swap some of the media to seed the new filter. I'd also add stability as suggested upthread.

If he's at the top, definitely increase the aeration in the tank - add a couple of bubblers to help oxygenate the water. If his old tank had high ammonia, he may have gill damage and increasing the oxygen will help him breathe. Salt and heat will help as well, sounds like he's feeling a bit better already. Oscars prefer lower light anyway, so I'd leave the light off for now to reduce stress.

Also, if he's eating now, feed very lightly, and remove all uneaten food after 5 minutes to keep the water pristine.

Good luck!


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Elle has it I think,oxygenate ,add salt and heat if he wont eat try garlic soaked food. Sounds like gill damage. 70g sounds small for a full grown oscar but thats just an opinion,my last oscar was 14'' when he succumbed to the stress of being in my 90g...or maybe it was a 120g


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

70g is fine for a hospital tank...easier to medicate and manage. I don't think the OP has said how big the oscar is now?

They do get large and messy though.


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## Richardfluffer (Mar 13, 2013)

Thanks for the info again. He's in a 70 because its all we have and it's a rescue. What he was in was terrible. He's about the same. Ph is bang on. Ammonia is 0. Nitrite is good. I added salt but unfortunately the power went out last night so the water chilled.....poor guy. He looks bad but his gills are looking a lot better.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

If he survived the idiots who had him before you, he'll probably be ok with a little chill. Oscars are tough. You can also add a bit of melafix or stress coat to help the soft tissue in the gills recover.

Good for you for taking this guy on!


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Elle said:


> 70g is fine for a hospital tank...easier to medicate and manage. I don't think the OP has said how big the oscar is now?
> 
> They do get large and messy though.


op said it was full grown average full grown size is 12-14'' in my experience.
Glad to hear its looking better,as long as its eating it should make a full recovery. Sorry for the misunderstanding I meant to say 70g is fine for now but when hes better thats not going to be big enough for the long term it would be a shame to ''rescue'' it into a tank thats going to ultimately cause it stress....then likely ich...then death,but thats just one mans opinion....ever see one in a pet store with giant white holes in it...not pretty and often caused by stress/ill health due to inadequate tanks in my experience.
Its great you are trying to rescue it,I've rescued a few oscars myself back when I kept big tanks ....great fish lots of personality deserves a second chance.
All my ocars loved eating goldfish,my last one could fit 4-5 3'' goldfish in its mouth at once it was mind boggling lol, voracious eaters and huge pigs,true predators they love to hunt...will even do tricks and sit in your hand.

Good luck to you I hope he makes it,sorry if I come off harsh Im just trying to be straight with you,not trying to be a douche I LOVE!! these fish

EDIT...anyone reading this dont feed your fish feeder fish without quarantining them first lol. Sorry figured I better add that lol


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Forgot to ask what kind of Oscar is it?...tiger?...albino?


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