AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish. Please do not ask me questions about why your goldfish are sick -- they are almost always sick due to the way that they are sold). Also, please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen
eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. Thanks.
Experience I teach at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.
Organizations belong to American Cichlid Association, Pacific Coast Cichlid Association, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, etc
Publications Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes
Expert: Ron Coleman Date: 6/16/2008 Subject: Nemo is sick (Oscar)
Question We recently moved to S. Carolina from Michigan in Feb. Nemo made the move great and seemed to be doing fine. He stopped eating almost 2 weeks ago. I have treated him for parasites, ick and fungus, completely cleaned his rocks and tank. He is about 12" in a 55 gallon tank and lives alone. He was left at my inlaws but they have been out of town for almost a month and we would go over and feed him. A few days ago I moved him back to our house. Being in SC, we are afraid he may have eaten a bug or lizard, that poss got into his tank. He has a white bloch on his eye and I am not sure what the HITH looks like. He has a Magnum 350 on his tank and i change his water frequently. He usually will eat miller bugs when i catch them for him and he will not wat them, his worms, any food I normally feed him. Do you think hes sick or just mad for being left alone. He is very spoiled and use to alot of attention. Any suggestions?
Answer Hi Cindy,
When you treated him for parasites, ick and fungus, did he actually have those things? You have to very careful with fish medicines. They are very powerful and most of them can really hurt a fish (and make them stop eating) as much as make a fish better. Only use a medicine if you know the fish has that thing. For example, never treat for ick "just in case".
Eating a bug or a lizard won't generally hurt an oscar, unless the bug was toxic.
The white blotch on the eye is interesting. It usually indicates physical damage to the eye, such as being bitten by another fish. But you say that he is alone so that can't be it. It could also be caused by bashing into a rock or something sharp. It should heal relatively quickly if that is the case.
The other possibility is that the white cloudiness is caused by some irritant in the water. In that case, it would most likely show up on both eyes. Look carefully at the other eye to see if it looks okay.
Oscars do occassionaly just stop eating for a week or two with no long term bad effects and a 12" fish can go a long time (many weeks) with no food at all.
It is VERY possible that he is just upset at the move and everything. Oscars are very sensitive to their surroundings and their people and they get disturbed when things change on them. He will get over it but it just takes time.
In the meantime, be very sure that no uneaten food stays in the tank to foul the water.
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
