Is there a 100% foolproof way to keep Oscars without Hole in the head disease?

[MonsterAquarium]

Hello.

I tried to keep Oscars about 15 years ago and they got the hole in the head disease and died.

I was looking into it and I see that this disease is still a mystery and not solved yet.

I was wondering if there is a 100% fool proof way to prevent hole in the head disease by for example only feeding them high quality pellets and never feeding them feeder fish? Perhaps add a UV sterilizer light for good measure.

Would that be a foolproof way to prevent the disease from happening?

Thanks.

 

[Southjerseycichlidz]

I have kept them with the hole in the head... They were given to my from a guy at my lfs..I've heard some people say it's from feeding them feeder fish and from some sort of vitamin deficiency not sure if it's true haven't really been able to find any good info on the subject

 

[dan518]

nitrate is one of the main reasons, so good water quality. I have also heard that hard water could contribute as could using carbon in your filter. also what southjersey said

 

[convict360]

This is one of the things I don't "like" about keeping Oscars, there is an alarming rate at which hith occurs; even in very well kept tanks.

Again, I'm not saying this applies to every single person with Oscars; but the majority will encounter it at some point in an Oscars life.

 

[duanes]

I believe HITH is a stress induced disease, the bacteria being ubiquitous, though mostly benign, with stress becomes pathogenic.
The waters oscars inhabit are virtually nitrate free, so what is normally considered aquarium tolerable, over time becomes stressful.
I also believe the small confines of most normal aquaria are just too small for a fish that lives in a space of millions of gallons.
And then the feeders available and used by many, are so low in nutritional value that kind of low level, but is constant stress.
So combine all of the above, and ................

 

[dogofwar]

Good topic. There's no 100% foolproof way, although really good water quality and quality diet are your best bets.

Some fish - Satanaperca eartheaters come to mind, Panda Uaru, True Parrots - can be doing great for years and then start getting HITH and fall apart. Oscars aren't quite as sensitive but really prone. I think that having hardness and NOT having some of the natural tannins, etc. in their water stresses them and makes them that much more susceptible to other stressors (poor water quality, diet, aggression, etc.).

Oscars need a lot of water and a lot of water changes. And red wiggler worms instead of feeders

Matt

 

[souzie]

Yep.

No foolproof way but I'd start with clean water, no carbon and if you plan on feeding fish whether live or frozen, make sure they're thiaminase free.

 

[Aquanero]

This is a good topic. I agree with much of the above.

IMO the best way to keep a healthy Oscar is a large tank, soft water with a low pH and virtually no nitrates, some tannins like almond leaf or peat filtration would be helpful too. A good diet is also very important starting with a high quality pellet as the staple (NLS Thera A+) is a good choice. Of course this could be said of a lot of fish.

Most Oscars are kept in tanks that are either too small, overcrowded or both making maintaining pristine water quality very difficult. This is stressful for the fish and allows pathogens that might normally be fought off by the fish's immune system a foot hold to breed and infect the fish. Oscars really deserve better than they get in most cases. Keep an Oscar with the same diligence and care you would keep wild caught Discus, Altum Angelfish, Uaru, Parrots etc and you will have little trouble with hex. Shove three in a 75 gallon tank with a monthly 25% water change, feed goldfish and you're asking for trouble. Unfortunately this is seen all too much.

 

[dogofwar]

...and never clean the canister filter...unless the flow bogs down in filth...

Shove three in a 75 gallon tank with a monthly 25% water change, feed goldfish and you're asking for trouble. Unfortunately this is seen all too much.

 

[Allan01230]

I had one with a severum in a 125 I changed 30% of the water twice weekly fed only NLS large pellets and never had a promblem. I never fed it live. Had him seven years then sold him to do African Haps.