# Something looks odd with my new Oscar



## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Check out these pics and let me know what you think. I've only had him a week and something just looks off to me with how his lower fin runs towards his tail. What is that big gap there. What do you all think.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Does look funny but can't put my finger on it?
Deformed fin,maybe a young longfinned?
Has he been "clamping" his fins?


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

I posted the same pics on an Oscar specific site I belong to and they are saying that the fish is definitely deformed and should have been culled earlier - never sold. 

I didn't notice it when I first bought him but the next day I thought something looked odd but just pushed the thought aside.

It is being suggested that I cull him before he gets much bigger. I already notice him struggling to swim good enough to compete for food. I've had oscars before so I knew something didn't look right.

I only want one oscar in this tank and as horrible as it may sound - I want a beautiful specimen not a deformed one. I do still have the Albino Tiger that I bought the same day as him - so I guess I will just be keeping her.

Trying to read up on how to euthanize.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Ice cubes and water.
Use a bucket do to fish size and lots of ice.
Give the bucket like 5 minutes to cool down(should still have icecubes unmelted) and add fish.
Most smaller go in under 10 seconds.
Could be a minute or more so just do it and come back in 5-10 minutes.
I have had to cull many, it is unfortunate the breeder let this pass. 
I think it is the right thing to do also.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Shame, poor thing. Its always with a heavy heart doing these things but there is a necessity in doing so. May he swim in peace.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

CoralBandit - are you not a fan of the Clove Oil method?? I just watched an informative video of an actual euthansia and it was very peaceful for the fish.

She used only clove oil in higher concentrations.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Just never tried it.
If you are confident in the process I see no problem with it Lorie.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Ive used it and I feel it is a very gentle way for them to pass.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Well, being the softey that I am - I could not euthanize the little guy. Yes he is an ugly duckling but as long as he appears to be healthy and eating/swimming I will do what is necessary to help him thrive.

I just couldn't look into those little eyes and decide to end his life - no way!!!

I am making plans to buy him his own 75 gallon setup so I can get him into a tank by himself. But, for right now he is sharing a 75 gallon with another oscar the same size. I will just have to feed a little more strategically to ensure that he gets his fair share because he is a little slower than the other.

It's kind of fitting that I named him "Chance" LOL

All I kept thinking last night as I contemplated euathanizing him was him saying "just give me a chance".


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Aww thats sweet! As long as he has a good life I think its a great decision.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Yeah, I will keep an eye on him to make sure he is eating and swimming good. So far, other than the funky looking fin/tail - he seems good.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Sadly my little red Oscar went down hill fast. He quit eating and became rather listless. I put him down this morning. 

Now the baby albino has white stringy poop. I made another post about that. I need help. Is she doomed. 

I'm convinced I got a bad batch of fish. I've never had problems like this before. I've only had them a week. This sucks. 

Thinking about draining my tank and starting over. Will my tank be contaminated now.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Wow sorry to hear all this!
Without any real info I would think/look into camallanus.

Tropical Fish Information
Charles is member here so if you search camallanus on this site there should be a good thread or two.
He used to be very quick shipping and replying to his EMAIL.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Aww so sorry about your deformed oscar.It is very sweet that you will be giving him his own tank.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Even though I lost the deformed red - I've still have hope of saving the albino. I am treating the tank with Api General cure every 48 hours for two doses. I am also going to follow that up with an oral medication (a mixture of garlic gard, seachem focus and metrodonizale powder) mix and coated over her pellets. I hope this works.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Oh i did not read that you put him down.....


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Yeah I had to this morning. He was declining fast. I believe he had internal problems in addition to his body deformity.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Well at least he had a big tank to call home for his last few days on earth.
p.s. congratulations on reaching the 500 post mark.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

That's sad. Well at least I know you are an honerable person who gives animals a fair shot. Sometimes a little birth defect will not matter, and it tweaks me to see people euthenizing for cosmetic reasons.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Both fish I bought that day were a total mess. The one was deformed and then had to be put down. The other one an Albino Oscar has stringy white poop and is very thin. I've been going nuts with tracking down the necessary meds to treat her. Currently treating the tank and medicating her food in hopes of saving her.

Lesson learned - no more pet shop fish. This has cost me so much money trying to save this little fish but I'm in deep now so I have to see it through. I sure hope I can pull her thru this.


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## dhoch (Jul 14, 2014)

Good luck on pulling her through. We got a bad batch of Cory's from our LFS (store had been flawless up to this point). We ended up losing 4 fish in all of which were two prized beautiful Giant Green cory's. It almost took out our entire tank, but we thank god that we caught it in time to save the others. It took a lot to save them and we tried really hard to save all of them, but the ones that passed were just too far gone. It's going to be a long time before we decide to get more fish, it is just to hard to lose them. Just like you we will do anything to save them. Hope it all works out for you and your little girl.


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