I am in need of some opinions. I have a young gold saum with HITH and i was wondering what would be the most efficient and quickest way to get ride of it.
HITH
- Thread starter gsaum01
- Start date
I'd be doing daily 75% water changes. HITH is normally attributed to poor water quality, and is normally your fault for not taking better care of the tank.
Post up your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, etc... as well as what ever you're doing to treat your water. It'd also be helpful to know your city's water information (hard water? chloramine? etc...). Also, did the fish just develop HITH, or did he have it when you got him? Any other issues (sunken gut, parasites, etc...)? What are you feeding him? What are his tank mates and sizes? What size tank? Any other fish ever develop HITH under your care? What's your filtration like?
We need more info to be able to really help much here.
Post up your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, etc... as well as what ever you're doing to treat your water. It'd also be helpful to know your city's water information (hard water? chloramine? etc...). Also, did the fish just develop HITH, or did he have it when you got him? Any other issues (sunken gut, parasites, etc...)? What are you feeding him? What are his tank mates and sizes? What size tank? Any other fish ever develop HITH under your care? What's your filtration like?
We need more info to be able to really help much here.
The biggest cause is poor water conditions. Id recommend test the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH test. Id recommend do a large water change of 60 to 70%. Be sure to vacuum substrate and remove solid wastes. Also if using a canister or specific filter that mechanical media has been in for some time clean out that media with fresh media or rinse clean. the majority of cases hole in the head disease is brought on by poor water conditions. Whatever conditions causing it need to be fixed first most. Make sure the temp is correct. SO whats your water perameters like? Also what are you feeding? A poor diet can also cause this stress related illness
After correcting water conditions. The next thing you will want to do is use Metronidazole to treat the fish with as this is a Hexamita parasite are what cause Hole in the Head Disease. I treat the water as directed but I also soak the fishes food in a solution of Garlic juice, Metro, and jsut enough water to dissolve the metro. Soak the food for 30 min then feed.
After correcting water conditions. The next thing you will want to do is use Metronidazole to treat the fish with as this is a Hexamita parasite are what cause Hole in the Head Disease. I treat the water as directed but I also soak the fishes food in a solution of Garlic juice, Metro, and jsut enough water to dissolve the metro. Soak the food for 30 min then feed.
Ammonia reads 0.15, PH reads 9, I have well water, nitrite reads 0, nitrate reads 5. He has only had it for about 2 week. I have treated His tank with Melafix and aquarium salt along with frequent water changes. He is 100% healthy other than HITH. I have 2 55 gallons filters along with one 75 gallon submersible on the 100 gallon setup. He has a 2 inch spotted rapheal catfish tank mate. The main staple is Hikari cichlid gold and marineland vegetable based color enhancer pellets.
Ammonia should be zero. PH is quite high. Higher then this fish would ever prefer. Melafix wont do anything for it nor am I a believer in it personally. Whats is frequent on the water changes? and how large?
I would start with a large 75% water change. Then follow the treatments for it with the Metro as Suggested.
Metro was the only thing that worked on my oscar. I read a study from (i forget which) university that demonstrated a correlation between carbon and HITH, so if you have carbon in your filtration, remove it. I dont believe the carbon itself causes HITH, however it does store waste and things, and cheap carbon can break up into as solution in your tank on a tiny level. Once this contacts your fish it may actually contribute to HITH (so the study claimed).
Definitely do daily water changes and the melafix won't help HITH, at best it may help prevent a new illness from forming but I would still avoid it.
Definitely do daily water changes and the melafix won't help HITH, at best it may help prevent a new illness from forming but I would still avoid it.
1). Daily 75% water changes. Monitor your ammonia and nitrites until they are 0 before your daily water change. Continue daily 75% daily water changes until your HITH situation is resolved. This will serve to keep your ammonia and nitrites low while your tank cycles as well as to improve water quality to help the HITH.
2). Vacuum your substrate very well daily.
3). Clean out your filters. Rinse or replace all mechanical filtration. Rinse all bio media in used tank water. Get rid of all carbon.
4). Treat with metro as described by aquaticfan. Soak food as well.
5). If I were you, I'd switch to NLS Thera +A. In my opinion, it's better than hikari, and it'll give your fish better nutrition.
That's what I'd be doing if I were you.
And what specific filters are you running? One company's "55 gallon filter" isn't necessarily the same as another's, and is unlikely to really be enough for a 55 gallon tank in reality. You may not have enough filtration on your tank, or you may not have enough bio filtration (I've literally seen people run all mech and carbon before and replace it all every time they service their filters...and they wonder why their tank never cycles fully and there's always ammonia and nitrites present).
You can also try using seachem stability to try to decrease your cycle time.
2). Vacuum your substrate very well daily.
3). Clean out your filters. Rinse or replace all mechanical filtration. Rinse all bio media in used tank water. Get rid of all carbon.
4). Treat with metro as described by aquaticfan. Soak food as well.
5). If I were you, I'd switch to NLS Thera +A. In my opinion, it's better than hikari, and it'll give your fish better nutrition.
That's what I'd be doing if I were you.
And what specific filters are you running? One company's "55 gallon filter" isn't necessarily the same as another's, and is unlikely to really be enough for a 55 gallon tank in reality. You may not have enough filtration on your tank, or you may not have enough bio filtration (I've literally seen people run all mech and carbon before and replace it all every time they service their filters...and they wonder why their tank never cycles fully and there's always ammonia and nitrites present).
You can also try using seachem stability to try to decrease your cycle time.