Is this HITH - Oscars?

Trevor · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

Following on from my previous posts about salt concentrations, I am sure I
have identified HITH in my Oscars

See pictures at www.geocities.com/thereaperman69 (picture is 51kb) or for
real quick download ww.geocities.com/thereaperman69/index2.html (picture
16kb low quality)

I only really noticed what I believ is the HITH becasue of some white
thingys hanging off the oscars head coming from where those whitish
streaks are marked on the picture.

After adding salt (0.1% / 1000ppm) the next mroning they were gone but the
whitish patches remain - visible from and upward angle catching the lights
full on.

I have found information regarding treating HITH (basically salt, gravel
vac and frequent water change, better and varied diet and reducing stress
and raising temp and failing all those treat for Hexamita)

I just really need confirmation and to know how bad this case is.

Tank setup

1500mm x 600 x 600 or 5 foot x 2 x 2
2 oscar
2 dempsey
2 firemouth
2 peacock

Other fish fine and demspesy spawning every two weeks for last 6!
Oscars eating well but being stressed a little by demspeys during
spawning. Peacocks probably should not be there (I know)

Ammonia 0
ph 7 - 7.4 ish (lost colour chart!)
no other test kits
Will be buying a nitrate kit tomorrow and expect to see elevated levels as
I probably have not been doing water change/ gravel vac as frequently as
I should.

Thanks in advance

Trev

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>misc

Mark Stone · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 100

Trevor wrote in message news:...
> Following on from my previous posts about salt concentrations, I am sure I
> have identified HITH in my Oscars
>
> See pictures at www.geocities.com/thereaperman69 (picture is 51kb) or for
> real quick download ww.geocities.com/thereaperman69/index2.html (picture
> 16kb low quality)
>
> I only really noticed what I believ is the HITH becasue of some white
> thingys hanging off the oscars head coming from where those whitish
> streaks are marked on the picture.
>
> After adding salt (0.1% / 1000ppm) the next mroning they were gone but the
> whitish patches remain - visible from and upward angle catching the lights
> full on.
>
> I have found information regarding treating HITH (basically salt, gravel
> vac and frequent water change, better and varied diet and reducing stress
> and raising temp and failing all those treat for Hexamita)
>
> I just really need confirmation and to know how bad this case is.
>
> Tank setup
>
> 1500mm x 600 x 600 or 5 foot x 2 x 2
> 2 oscar
> 2 dempsey
> 2 firemouth
> 2 peacock
>
> Other fish fine and demspesy spawning every two weeks for last 6!
> Oscars eating well but being stressed a little by demspeys during
> spawning. Peacocks probably should not be there (I know)
>
> Ammonia 0
> ph 7 - 7.4 ish (lost colour chart!)
> no other test kits
> Will be buying a nitrate kit tomorrow and expect to see elevated levels as
> I probably have not been doing water change/ gravel vac as frequently as
> I should.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Trev

After looking at the picture, I don't think it's HITH (but I may be
wrong). HITH would be characterized by large craters, usually along
the lateral lines.

If you still think it may be HITH, here's two sites to visit:

http://www.geocities.com/cichlidiot_2000/disease.html

and

http://www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html

The first website is my own and I include a step-by-step description
of how I treated an outbreak of HITH in one of my Oscar aquariums a
few years ago. The second site at worldcichlids is, in my opinion, the
most balanced HITH site there is these days with excellent
information.

Good luck!

--Mark

Toni · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 47

"Mark Stone" wrote in message@posting.google.com...
> >
> > I only really noticed what I believ is the HITH becasue of some white
> > thingys hanging off the oscars head coming from where those whitish
> > streaks are marked on the picture.
> >
> > After adding salt (0.1% / 1000ppm) the next mroning they were gone but
the
> > whitish patches remain - visible from and upward angle catching the
lights
> > full on.
> >

It is also possible that the whitish slimy patches are an increase in the
fish's slime coat in response to the salt.
Can't say for sure- is there actual erosion in any area?

--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/discus.htm

Frankrkay · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 198

>Trevor wrote;

>> Following on from my previous posts about salt concentrations, I am sure I
>> have identified HITH in my Oscars....

Nope, Hole-in-the-head starts out with pin sized holes near nostrils, gill
plates, and/or near eyes which gradually increse in size.
Hexamita has thin white trailing threads, pitting and depigmention along
lateral lines.
Your first photo wouldn't come up, but the second one looks to me like the
start of Branchiomycosis Fungus. If untreated, the gills become mottled with
bluish or grayish irregular streaks. It's due to high
ammonia/nitrites/nitrates/DOCs, organics, or hot water temps... Treatment - 4
to 6, 3% salt dips and feed a medicated food once a day for 10
days.........Frank

Trevor · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:26:25 -0700, Mark Stone wrote:

>
> After looking at the picture, I don't think it's HITH (but I may be
> wrong). HITH would be characterized by large craters, usually along the
> lateral lines.
>
> If you still think it may be HITH, here's two sites to visit:
>
> http://www.geocities.com/cichlidiot_2000/disease.html
>

Thanks Mark I seem to recall your site from years back - before I started
keeping fish while I was doing research. I am gleaning all sorts of useful
info.

> and
>
> http://www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html

>
> The first website is my own and I include a step-by-step description of
> how I treated an outbreak of HITH in one of my Oscar aquariums a few years
> ago. The second site at worldcichlids is, in my opinion, the most balanced
> HITH site there is these days with excellent information.
>

I had already looked at the adamhith page after some googling and that is
here I made my tentative diagnosis the small litle craters filled
with white dots that are shown on the picture of the pair of oscars
look remarkably similar to what my fish have

However HITH or not, I believe that the advice given on yours and adams
articles is good and will not harm my fish as the salt concentraiton I am
using is relatively low and no meds will be involved at this stage. Also
the more frequent water change / gravel vac and better food will only be a
good thing. I will keep my eye and see.

BTW Today I spotted another little white clingy thingy attached to one of
the whitish veins in the shiny patches on the head (!) but it was gone
some hours later.

> Good luck!
>

Thanks

Trev

Trevor · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 12:11:28 -0400, Toni wrote:

>
> It is also possible that the whitish slimy patches are an increase in the
> fish's slime coat in response to the salt. Can't say for sure- is there
> actual erosion in any area?

I don't believe so as the whitish areas were there before I added salt. A
my reply to Mark states I am palying the waiting game with improved care
levels

Trev

Todd Clayton · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Trevor wrote:

> I have found information regarding treating HITH (basically salt, gravel
> vac and frequent water change, better and varied diet and reducing stress
> and raising temp and failing all those treat for Hexamita)

There's another "treatment" that may be more of an old wives tale, but
it worked for me. A few years ago my Oscar developed HITH, so I removed
the carbon from my filters. Over the next couple of months it slowly got
better. Could be coincidental, but thats the only thing I did.

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