Tapajos pockmarks?

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SkeptikalScabies

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2014
113
1
33
Edmonton, Alberta
Hi everyone,

Ive had these guys for months now, they're 3x the size they were when i bought them.
A few months ago i noticed that two of my largest specimens had what looks like scarring or pockmarking behind their eyes and on their foreheads.

They don't seem to mind, and they certainly don't act injured or sick; so what gives? Why are they scarred? There isn't anything in their with the teeth necessary to inflict marks like this.
I apologize for the picture quality, but my iphone doesnt take great aquarium photos and they never stop moving,
The pockmarks are behind the eyes on both specimens, and on the forehead of one of them. Its only present on my most colorful and largest specimens.Both scarred fish.jpeg More scar.jpeg Both scarred fish.jpeg Both scarred fish.jpegMore scar.jpeg
 
Agreed, looks like HITH.
 
If we were in Vegas, I would bet it all on HITH. Those are very typical in shape, and will only get larger, and worse over time if not treated accordingly. Plenty of threads on HITH in the Illness folder. I also have a sticky at the top of the page in that section on treating the pathogen that is typically associated with this disease. (Spironucleus aka Hexamita)
 
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If it were me, I would try the preventive approach of trying to add tannins to the tank water, as opposed to treatment that would need to last add infinitum in your water conditions.
These fish come from a black water area, where beyond simply coloring of the water, the tannins act as an antibacterial agent, and these fish have evolved in that environment over millenia, so may be very susceptible to bacteria, like those that cause HITH, and thrive in more alkaline conditions. The kind of immunity it takes to combat those bacteria doesn't happen in just a few generations. Oscars have been around for a century, and are still prone to HITH in many hard water aquarium situations.
Either by using peat in filter bags, or soaking and putting leaves in bags, or even in the tank, to provide that kind of environment could go a long way to preventing problems in the first place.
I have soaked magnolia and maple leaves in water after boiling and used the brown tinted water in combination with tap during water changes, and it has worked well with some of the black water species in tap water very similar to yours.


I would also add, that there are a number of Geophagines that don't need soft, peat infused water to live comfortably. Many of the red-hump group, such as crassilabrus and steindachneri come from areas west of the Andes, and in southern Central America where waters are naturally more alkaline.
The Gymnogeophagus, and braziliensus clade of southern South America also come from water conditions closer to yours. I found I had a more satisfactory outcome, keeping those species, as opposed to trying to force the Amazonian types to live in, and floundered in my hard water conditions.
 
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IMO once this type of tissue necrosis begins, the parasite Spironucleus is already present, in elevated numbers. I think that for a starter one should knock those numbers back, which as explained in the link that I provided previously can easily be done via medicated feed, or even non medicated feed (epsom salt infused food). Very easily done if the fish are all still eating.

Interestingly enough, IME, this species is not often prone to HITH, and I have seen them kept here in AB waters (identical to Edmonton tap water, such as the OP's) without issue. Large adult fish. Weidner also states; "A hardness up to 20 dGH and alkaline water (up to pH 8.0) will not prevent G. sp. Tapajos Orange Head from breeding successfully, and this species does no seem to be particularly susceptible to the skin lesions that commonly occur in Geophagus in harder water."

Not that I don't agree that the local tap water conditions are not ideal for black water species, I also discussed same in the link above.

 
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