I have tried researching loads to find out what this is in my oscars mouth. Please note i brought this fish yesterday from a fish shop. Today with opening her mouth ive seen like red long lesions or tumors im just really not sure what they are. I need to treat her but cant find out whats even wrong to treat her. She also has what look like holes on her head they arent open wounds they more like dents i suppose. Im assuming that hole in the head disease which i know how to treat and have started that treatment today. I really dont want to loose her can anyone please help and tell me what these are please.
Please help. Can anyone tell me what this is in my oscars mouth?
- Thread starter mowgli92
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Airborne 82nd
Aquarium Advice Activist
I'm sure Andy will be around soon. If anyone knows he or Aiken will. Can you try to get a pick strait on? I don't see why someone would sell a fish like this unless it is a recue if so I commend you. But they should have know what it is and given you meds and a plan of treatment
Last edited:
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
For starters, your fish's face is disfigured and so what you are looking at is probably one of it's gill rakes considering that it's lower jaw and throat are disfigured. Nothing you can or need to do about that. I also notice the pits on it's head but can't be certain if that the beginning of Hole in the Head disease or the end result after treatment and skin regrowth. If you see those pits turning white or enlarging, check your water quality and feed a diet higher in vitamins. 
I have isolated her in a tank with the oscar she came with im airing on caution and treating both at the same time. Inside her mouth concerned me because the other side doesnt look like that and none of my other oscars do either. She seemed to be gasping a lot when i took that picture it has now calmed a lot. I have been checking the water morning afternoon and evening im doing 25% water changes when needed. She is being treated with anti infection atm i then have anti parasite treatment for her and the hole in the head treatment which i can treat for at the same time as this anti infection. Im in the uk if that makes a difference as i know people have suggested to me on other sites to use metronidazole but we cant get that in the uk. What makes u think her jaw is deformed? I only ask as i don't see it myself? I have absolutely no idea what contions she was kept in prior to me getting her sunday and the oscar she was with shows none of the signs she does. I have also started feeding her on prawns, shrimps and the occasional blood worm cubes. Is there anything else i can do for her? Thank you for replying i really appreciate all the help n advice i can get.
She was abscured by a large piece of wood in the tank she was in and we could only really see her tail and side it was the male out at the front and he looks amazingly healthy showing none of the signs she is if u read my reply to andy ive explained a bit more on her other symptoms. So the shop got away with us not seeing how poor her condition was until i got her home and she finally came out the the glass n i could see her properly. Below i have explained all im doing and treating her with. At this point she my responsibility and ill be damned if i dont do everything i can to save and fix her. Thank you for ur reply i appreciate all the help i can get for her. Can i upload a short video of her? This was just before i moved and isolated her in a separate tank.
Airborne 82nd
Aquarium Advice Activist
You are a good person. I also love Oscars had one for about 12yrs back in the 70s and just got back in the hobby this year so I'm not much help. I learned right away to read post from Andy you can trust what he says. There is another member named Aiken on your side of the pond ( Derbyshire)
that could help you a lot he would know what meds you can get over there also. Good luck with your new Oscar as you know they are tuff fish. Idk how to post a clip but I think you can. Maybe try the contact us link down below.
that could help you a lot he would know what meds you can get over there also. Good luck with your new Oscar as you know they are tuff fish. Idk how to post a clip but I think you can. Maybe try the contact us link down below.
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
Check out this picture of an Oscar in proper " natural" proportions and you can see the difference in the mouth and throat areas. I've also kept and bred and mass produced Oscars so I've seen a lot of them.
The issue with Oscar mouths is that when they pair up, the pre spawning nuptials can be brutal and the mouth gets the worst of it. Of my 13 breeding pairs, 2 of them had no lips left after the pre spawn activity. 1 had lost a pectoral fin. The rest all had dents and dings which is all " normal". As for the HITH, your fish's condition is not severe but because of that, it's hard to know whether it's getting worse or getting better. If the dents fill in, it's getting better. If the dents turn white, it's getting worse. Keeping Oscars healthy is a full time job because they are such dirty fish. They eat a lot, the poop a lot and they need pristine water to keep them healthy. With that, it CAN be done.
Similar threads
