Oscar Fish Skin Disease

Oscars are a popular type of tropical fish that are a joy to watch. If you care for them properly, these large fish can live as pets for up to 12 years. To get the most life out of your pet oscar, it is important to learn about diseases that affect it, such as skin diseases. Some diseases, such as hole in the head, are more prone to attack large tropical fish, such as oscars.

  1. Cause

    • The parasite Ichthyophthirius (called ich or ick) often causes skin disease on oscars. The parasite lives in tanks with bad water conditions. It attacks fish with low immunity, often the result of stress. Fungus can also cause skin disease. Parasites and stress are linked to hole in the head disease, as well.

    Symptoms

    • Oscar skin diseases often produce small white dots on the fish's body. An infected oscar also might have cottony gray areas on its body. Lesions or holes in the skin are signs of hole in the head disease.

    Treatments

    • Fish stores and a few veterinarians offer medications that you can add to the water in the tank to treat oscar skin disease. It is ideal to have a smaller hospital tank to house your fish until it is healed. This cuts down on the cost of treatment and the potential for the disease to spread.

    Dangers

    • If left untreated, skin diseases can kill your oscar fish. The diseases could spread to the other fish in the tank.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Keep your oscar in water condition with pH levels ranging from 6.5 to 8, preferably at 7. Test the water often, and change a portion of it regularly. Use a food specially formulated for oscars. Don't cramp oscars in small tanks.