# sick cichlids



## chico suavee (Dec 17, 2010)

my albino oscar cichlid is actinc weird and she is really thin and looks like she is bruised all over i have her in the tank with4 other oscars and 2 big plecos i feed her all the time she eats normal she started to get bad 2days ago shes swimming on her side any help would be appreciated


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## redpaulhus (Jan 18, 2005)

first things first - perform a 30% water change (it never hurts and usually helps).
ok, can we get more info:
How big are the oscars ?
How big is the tank ?
What are the pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate values right now ?
How long has the tank been setup ?
How often are you changing water (and how much each time) ?

Thanks,
Red


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## SGT Z (Jul 7, 2010)

My first thought was, eeeeeeke 2 common plecos in the same tank? Now that I read it again you said "2 big plecos", so I'm assuming they're common or something close in size to it. Not that I would consider plecos a threat to oscars because I doubt one could kill a full-size adult, but they will definitely defend themselves. In my tank Oscar is king, but he dare not enter my pleco's cave for risk of a good head-butting and tail-whipping. If he wanted to, my pleco could rule the tank. He just doesn't care to. I guess my greatest concern is for the plecos. 2 large plecos in one tank is NOT good. But your concern is for the Oscar....


Like redpaulhus said, we need more info to offer suggetions. Usually with oscars you want to go with 1, or 2, or 4 or more. You have 5, so you're good in that department. But maybe you've found the rare dual pairing oscars which leaves the fifth as the odd one out, and most suseptible to abuse. Given that we have no other information, I'd have to guess at this point that that's the case and that for the sake of the albino's health you're either going to need a new tank or give it away. It goes without saying that it's not fair to keep it to see how things turn out when you've seen how poorly they've gone so far.

Oscars are very cool fish. I'm sure you could find someone to house it.


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## chico suavee (Dec 17, 2010)

redpaulhus said:


> first things first - perform a 30% water change (it never hurts and usually helps).
> ok, can we get more info:
> How big are the oscars ?
> How big is the tank ?
> ...


my oscars are about 10 inches each the tank is 250 gallons i would have to get sum test strip to tell u levels its been runnig for three years im makeing water changes once a week 25% each time


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## Chard56 (Oct 10, 2010)

I just lost my Big Oscar. Not to point fingers at your Plecos but that's what killed mine. It literally sucked all the body slime off both sides and the Oscar died two days later regardless off adding salt and tetracycline. I had seen a similar situation 36 or so years ago but didn't think it would happen again. They were both rescues and grew up together. I don't know why the Pleco would turn like that. Just watch yours to make sure that's not happening to yours.


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