I think its HITH but I'm not sure.

[oii]

at first I thought it was because every time someone walked by him he would smash his head into the glass and try to fight you but it's getting worse every day. If it is from stress or bashing his head into the tank should I put a blanket around the sides so he can't see out or something? My only other theory is that its because I added him into his tank when it had only been set up for 4days.

I've never tested the ph or nitrates or any of that but now I think I might have to. My mom just took out the 8 feeder goldfish that I've had with him for like 10days and he bit her and made her bleed (lol.) I'm going to raise the water temperature to 81, I think it's at 79 right right now. I am going to take out the stock carbon from my emperor 400. I'd add more salt, but I already have a bunch in there.

I'm going to go take some pictures of him real quick, I'll post them up asap.

 

[oii]

 

[ewurm]

That's what it looks like to me.

 

[oii]

I'm thinking its from him being stressed. Theres a new(about 10 days ago) 4" trimac in with him that isn't showing any signs of hith. He wen't from a 30g to a 60g. You'd think it would have been a improvement but I guess not? Its only on his KOK, I thought hith affected their whole head so I don't know.

anyways.. I raised the temperature from 78 to 81 and put a sheet around the tank so he couldn't see out. I also took the clay pot out that he had been attacking, removed the 8feeders, added some stress coat, and took out the carbon.

Do you think it would help if I did a 50% water change? The water is not dirty and has only been cycling in the tank for about two weeks. I'm just worried a water change is just going to stress him out more.

 

[oii]

I just got a master test kit, I'll let you know the results. I also bought some "hex-out" by aquarium products. Is this stuff good to treat hith or should I wait a couple of days and see if it gets worse?

everything seemed normal but two readings below.
the hardness on the strip showed between 75-150
and the pH strip showed about a 8 meaning that I have some alkalinity

are either of these bad for a 1' midas in a 60g tank?

should I just add the hex-out right now?

 

[sandtiger]

It does appear to be HITH but I do find it odd that it is only on his hump. I suggest doing a large water change ASAP. Go out and get some test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and watch them closely. If the tank isen't fully cycled then that is likely the reason for the HITH. I also suggest adding a multi-vitamin to his diet. I use Vita-Chem. Also adding more variety to the diet will help. The reason I mention this is because the two keys to getting rid of and preventing HITH are a quality vitamin rich diet and good water quality.

 

[oii]

I just tested for 2 different kinds of nitrates and they were fine, I also tested for chlorine, alkalinity, pH, and hardness. All were fine accept the two I mentioned. I guess I'll have to go out and get a amonia tester. I'm gonna do a 50% water change right now. Then I am going to add the hex-out.

What should I be feeding him? I feed him frozen chunks of brine shrimp and "omega one - natural protein formula." He has been eating some crappy $1-2 goldfish food that I got from walmart that I was feeding the feeders I had in his tank. I'm not a fan of the freezers at my LFS so if you have a good large cichlid recipe let me know.

 

[sandtiger]

Feed him the vitamins I mentioned. All you do is soak pellets in it and toss them in. You say your nitrates are fine but please post the exact reading you got. "Fine" dosen't tell us much.

 

[wataugachicken]

you need to test for:

AMMONIA
NITRITE
NITRATE.

there is only one kind of nitrate, not two. nitrAte is relatively harmless in small amounts, under 20ppm. above that it can start causing health, immune system, growth, and fertility problems. NitrIte, like ammonia, is deadly to fish, burning gills and skin and preventing oxygen exchange so the fish have a lot of trouble breathing. if the fish has been in the new, UNCYCLED tank for two weeks with no water changes, i suggest you do a big water change right now, and read up about cycling while you wait for your tank to refill.

 

[oii]

I'm looking at the directions right now and the 2 nitrate portions of the strip are both the same. One is just more precise but they were both fine when I tested them. 0 nitrates. I have a emperor 400 and large sponge filter in the tank, theres like no waste in the tank whatsoever but it is a little bit cloudy. I just had my mom do a 60% water change and he bit her two more times and made her bleed again lol.

Tomorrow I will test for amonia and try to find "vita-chem." Am I going to be able to find that multivitamin at any of my LFS's or is it something I have to order online?