Floating Oscar

Question
I own an Oscar(not sure of his type or age since he belonged to someone else before he was mine) in a 55 gallon tank.  He has recently begun floating on the top of the tank and can't seem to stay at the bottom.  I have treated him with Maracyn, but it has had no effect.  Someone suggested that it could be a swim bladder problem and that we feed him peas, but he refuses to eat and becomes upset every time someone gets close to the tank or opens the tank lid.  I also had the water tested at the local aquarium but there was nothing wrong with the water.  His previous owner fed him feeder fish but I didn't think it could be that since I feed him pellets and I have owned him for at least five years.  Please help my ailing oscar.

Answer
Hi Sarah,
 It definitely sounds like a swim bladder infection. Either that or somehow he has a bunch of air trapped in his intestine.  Feeding him peas might help with the latter, but not the former.  There is really very little you can do about a swim bladder infection.  Maracyn might work, but it might not.  The water doesn't likely have much to do with it.  If it has been five years since he ate feeder fish, that certainly isn't the problem.   Unfortunately all you can really do is make sure that he has very clean water and hope that he resolves it himself, though to be honest, these sorts of things seldom do. Sorry.

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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