Oscar with pits on head

Question
QUESTION: Ron

I have written you before.

My 5 yr old (never been sick)oscar has spots  pits, in a row on his head  it looks to me like the start of hole-in-head ... how can I treat?...My last water change was Sep 7th. One fish in the tank.

water levels ph 6.8 ammonia 0-25 Ni 0 Nitrates 40.  I do weekly water changes of 25%.  water temp 78-80 50 gal..2 filters Aqua Clear 50 and  Bio-Wheel Penguin 200. Also have am air pump.  I have treated other Oscars by soaking pellets in vitamins. I have heard and read many opinions but really trust yours.

ANSWER: Hi Fran,
  Hole in the head usually starts when an oscar is exposed to excess nitrogen in the tank. This may be the result of infrequent water changes and/or overfeeding and/or a messy oscar that produces a lot of food bits in the water.   The 25% water changes that you are doing should be enough, but you might try increasing that a little.  

 As for the vitamins, you are welcome to try but I know of no good evidence linking hole in the head to vitamin deficiency.  I don't see that it could hurt.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Im at the end of my rope. I have two tanks a 75 and 55 gal each with
one large oscar.  My tanks have brown stuff on the glass and on the
ornaments plants and rocks that should be white and on the filter hose and
heater. It washes off easy on the glass but its taking over the tank.   The fish look and seem fine. One tank has been up for 4 yrs the
other 1 1/2 yr, the brown is something new.(past month) I do water changes (25%)
and gravel vac every 5 days.  I feed my oscar once a day, sometimes
they are messy eaters.   Nitrates are 10-20.  They were 40 so I added a
nitra-zorb media filter which brought down the nitrates.  Ammonia is
0-nitrites 0. My house faucet nitrates are 0-10.  Any advice on how to
remove it for good and is it harmful?  I have done everything that I
have read to do. One Oscar has the start of hole-in-head and you suggested more water changes. One other thing the water i take from the tank during water changes has a tint of green

Thanks so much.


Answer
Hi Fran,
 The brown is just algae.  It isn't harmful.  Algae needs lots of light to grow.  If you have the light on less, less algae will grow.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>