Oscar Fish

Question
I have a Oscar fish that is about 5 years old. Here lately he has been getting Big white spots around his mouth and his eye. I bought some of that melofix and it doesn't seem to help. Any suggestions on how to clear it up or what might be causing it? I clean his tank at least twice a month.

Answer
What size tank do you keep him in? You clean his tank twice a month? I suggest immediately changing your cleaning schedule. Oscar fish have a very hi bio-load meaning they produce a lot of waste. Weekly 30% water changes w/ a gravel siphon are very neccesary.

Oscar fish can reach 1-2 feet long and have messy eating habits increasing the waste in the water. They also can easily get bloated and need a strict diet to prevent bloat/dropsy.

A single adult Oscar fish needs at least a 75 gallon aquarium with double filtration. A 55 gallon is suggested as a minimum at most petstores but a 55 gallon is simply too small for them, though it is a good grow-out aquarium.

The white spots, to be blunt, are most likely from poor water quality. If you have him in a aquarium smaller then 75 gallons then I reccomend purchasing a larger aquarium and start on weekly water changes.

Are the white spots cottony or just coloration? This is important in diagnosing your fish, it could be: White Spot Disease (commonly known as Ich) which is caused from poor water quality or from another diseased fish. Hole-in-Head (a common cichilid disease). Cotton Wool Disease, which needs special medication.

Clean water is the best medication you can offer him for right now until you know what he has.

I hope your Oscar Cichlid gets better!