Oscar Staying on bottom or aquarium

Question
QUESTION: I inherited an Oscar in 29 gallon aquarium.  He has been perfectly happy until about one month ago.  When I changed out part of the water he went to the bottom and never came back up.  He is not eating. I saw white spots and thought it was Ich. So I was treating for Ich with Dissolving tablets.  I was afraid of him not eating so I put one feeder fish in and he eventually ate it.  I put a couple more in about a week later and he did not eat those.  I was talking to NCSU Vet School.  They thought (without seeing the fish) that it was hole in the head because eyes also popping out.  I had water tested.  (Nitrite was 10., Total Hardiness was 0.;  Chlorine was 0.; Total Alkalinity 40.; pH freshwater 78.84; Nitrate 20.; I was told the levels did not seem that bad. I added conditioning salt and (Melafix which indicated 7 days of treatment.) I am on day two of seven. I have not changed water since before this treatment.  I am so stressed.  I want to help him.  I don't have money to pay a vet. PLEASE HELP me HELP OSCAR!

ANSWER: Hi Jane,
 First, salt won't help anything for an oscar.  It is not hole in the head.

 I strongly discourage people from treating a fish with anything unless you know exactly what it is you are treating.  Many fish medicines are very hard (even lethal) on fish.   

 How often do you do water changes?  You are supposed to change 25% of the water once a week, every week.  

 Never feed an oscar with feeder goldfish.  They almost always carry ich which will transmit to the oscar and kill it.  

 Are you on well water or municipal water?   

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


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

QUESTION: I am on well water.  This is all new to me.  I was changing water every two months.  What should levels be for Nitrite, Nitrate, etc?  He is still not eating.  I really don't have the money for vet but I don't want to see him suffer either.  Many thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Jane,
  There really are no perfect levels for nitrate and nitrite. The main problem with worrying about those levels is that the kits are notoriously inaccurate and people often don't read them right anyways.  I would not focus on those values, but rather focus on doing regular water changes.  Changing water once every two months is not nearly enough.  A good plan to aim for is 25% once a week, every week.  

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