Is this HITH?

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shawe1

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2013
336
7
33
Hertfordshire, England
Have you tested your water?
Yes
If yes, what is your ammonia?
0
If yes, what is your nitrite?
0
If yes, what is your nitrate?
20ppm
If I did not test my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
Do you do water changes?
Yes
What percentage of water do you change?
61-70%
How frequently do you change your water?
Every week
If I do not change my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
I'm not familiar with this disease as I have kept any fish that looks like it has had it.
20211122_203137(0).jpg

The only other think I could think of is aggression in the tank from a much larger bocourti although I have not witnessed this and the holes seem far to clean to be teeth marks.
 
Yes, it is hole in the head. You will need to feed metronidazole laced and epsom salt solution soaked freeze dried food like krill. To make the epsom salt solution use 1/2 cup of distilled water with 3/4 teaspoon of magnesium sulfate (epsom salt). Must be pure epsom salt, not the fragrance kind. Feed the krill one at a time so it eats it. The fish may have to be starved for at least 1 week to consume the metro covered food.
 
Rocksor said:
Yes, it is hole in the head. You will need to feed metronidazole laced and epsom salt solution soaked freeze dried food like krill. To make the epsom salt solution use 1/2 cup of distilled water with 3/4 teaspoon of magnesium sulfate (epsom salt). Must be pure epsom salt, not the fragrance kind. Feed the krill one at a time so it eats it. The fish may have to be starved for at least 1 week to consume the metro covered food.
Click to expand...

Thanks for confirming. I'll try the treatment you suggested.

That's really frustrating. Water quality seems good, filtration is good, next to no aggression in the tank, regular water changes - what could have caused it?
 
I agree its HITH, and one of the things that encourage the disease are high nitrates , and also other forms of stress. e.g. Temps too high, aggressive tank mates, etc etc.
If there are no other forms of stress, its probably high nitrate, these cichlids come from waters that usually present no detectable nitrate
SO I consider 20ppm too high, and a cause of this chronic condition.
If it were me, I'd would consider doubling the water change routine to keep it from reinfecting.
You can throw all the meds at HITH you want, but if the underlying cause is not dealt with, all the meds in the world won't keep it from returning.
My water change routine is between 120% and 160% per week.
 
Make sure water changes are with equivalent temperature. Just a note.
 
Thanks for the advice. I am doing a further water change as we speak.

I am now even more concerned as my largest fish in the same tank, a bocourti, has some marks on its head that could be the start of HITH - see below

In tens years of fish keeping I have never had this issue. I'm puzzled at why this has come now as there have been no changes to the tank other than some really small fish bring added.

20211124_194956.jpg20211124_194918.jpg
 
It's caused by stress. High nitrates biggest concern. Tankmate stress can contribute.
May want to consider a ground probe also.
Many have had this rear up after not having this problem for years.
 
LBDave said:
It's caused by stress. High nitrates biggest concern. Tankmate stress can contribute.
May want to consider a ground probe also.
Many have had this rear up after not having this problem for years.
Click to expand...

I have reduced the temps, reduce the feeding and will keep up the water change schedule to keep the nitrates down.

What is a ground probe?
 
shawe1 said:
I have reduced the temps, reduce the feeding and will keep up the water change schedule to keep the nitrates down.

What is a ground probe?
Click to expand...
Heaters, pumps etc. can cause stray voltage in a tank. I found I had a heater that was pushing a lot of stray voltage into the tank when checked with a volt meter. I got rid of the heater. But I also found that my pumps caused a bit of stray voltage.
Some think it can stress the fish and even cause HITH.
To me it's cheap insurance (ground) and it cannot hurt.
After I got the probe measurements dropped to 0.
 
Also, as a side note. I have dosed metro directly into the tank. It's not as effective as feeding the fish the Ep salts and metro, but if the fish won't eat the medication I dose the water. I would be hesitant to starve a fish that is sick. If a fish has a healthy appetite and will eat, that helps the fish's health a great deal IMHO. I would not withold food. This is my 2 cents. Some may disagree.
 
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