Oscar Eye Concern

Question
Hi Chris,
I just purchased a 3.5" Tigar Oscar a couple of days ago. He is in a recently cycled tank, with the Ammonia 0, Nitrite level about 1.5-2.0 and Nitrate 5-10. This is the only fish in the tank. Because he was a little shy until recently, I just had an opportunity to look him over. I noticed that both eyes have about a 20% haze on them. Also, both eyes look identical. Do you know what this is?
Thanks a lot for any help.

Answer
Hi Blake;

He's experiencing the effects of the high nitrites. Make a 50% water change to help relieve it. Monitor the nitrites and keep making daily changes until they start to go down on their own and stay there. Even in an established tank you can get a pretty significant nitrite spike with the addition of new fish. The bacteria balance is trying to develop enough extra colonies to control the toxin.

Aquarium salt can help keep the fish from absorbing as much of the nitrite toxin too. Add 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of uniodized pure salt. Only add more if you make a water change and only enough salt to treat the water replaced. Once the crisis is over, just stop adding salt and it will go away gradually with your regular weekly water changes.   

You didn't mention what size tank you have or what kind of filtration you have on there. Oscars are very messy guys that get a foot long so hopefully he's in a big enough one. If the tank is too small or the filter inadequate you will never get past these biological imbalances. He will grow and grow and it will just keep getting worse. Yikes!

I hope he feels better soon.......

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins