oscar fish not eating

Question
About 3 weeks ago, our oscar ate a new algae eater in his tank.  Shortly after that, he began to get sick.  We read a fish guide at the pet store and attempted to diagnose his symptoms.  He was treated for a bacterial infection and parasites.  Though his physical symptoms have disappeared and he looks better, he is still not eating.  He hasn't lost any weight and looks quite healthy.  But he ofter darts around his tank now like he is hungry but will not eat.  For days, we've tried to feed him his pellets and they float around the tank for days.  Oscar is about a year old now and has reached about 8 inches in length.  Can you offer any advice.  Thanks so much for your help.

Answer
Hey Cameron,

Depending on the type of algae eater, your oscar could be suffering from poisoning! Plecos of all varieties are highly toxic to other fish. The spines from a pleco could also be jammed inside of it's mouth. If those spines are stuck in there, you're gunna have to pry 'em out the same way you take hooks out of trout! Be careful though, ripping 'em out could be painful and even deadly. If he's just got an upset stomach from toxins, he may start eating in a few days. Be sure you have good foods like brine shrimp on hand, broccoli or a slice of orange will help too. the fresh veggies and meats are probably a better idea though, because they have more vitamins. If he starts showing signs of an infection, get him on meds, but if he's just not eating, check his mouth for debris.

If nothing improves in a day or two, let me know exacts (water test results, type of algae eater he ate, tank mates, symptoms, etc)

Best wishes, and good luck!