I hope somebody can help me. I have been treating my red devil for months with every medication that I have been told to try. Nothing seems to be working. He is about 4 years old. About 12 inches. He hasn't eaten in about a month or so but doesn't seem to be losing weight. He has a huge hole in his face that seems to be filling in but I'm noticing tiny ones one the side of his head that are just starting. This fish is my baby. I feel helpless because nothing is helping. Any suggestions please
My red devil has hith... help
- Thread starter Secrets_az2
- Start date
Really clean water. What was your staple diet and water change schedule like before this?
Omega one is his diet. Prior to his outbreak of this I probably didn't do water changes as often as I should have. But the last few months I have done consistent water changes weekly. I have his water tested at leas once a month. He is the only fish in the 65 gallon tank.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/treating-oscar-hith-with-metronidazole.260304/
The exact water parameters would be helpful. A 12" rd in a 65 is going to be a water quality nightmare. I would do min 2 wc's per week down to its back or what ever it take to keep nitrates as low as possible(well under 20ppm).
If you could get him eating you could treat with meds.
The exact water parameters would be helpful. A 12" rd in a 65 is going to be a water quality nightmare. I would do min 2 wc's per week down to its back or what ever it take to keep nitrates as low as possible(well under 20ppm).
If you could get him eating you could treat with meds.
Is there anyway I can give him oral meds? Believe it or not he will let me do anything to him. Hold him out of the tank with out moving. Just for a few seconds.... Pet him, rub his belly. I know I could get a syringe in his mouth. Or do you have any suggestions on how to get him to eat. I wish there was someway I could send a pic so you could see what I'm dealing with.
It may be beyond treatment for a total cure, or non-scarred repair, but you may be able to slow down any new damage. In a 65 gallon, I'd be doing 50% water changes every other day from now on, (or 30% every day would be better).
This is one of the problems with keeping large cichids in small tanks, you often don't realize the chronic damage nitrate, and the urine soup of metabolism byproducts the fish has been swimming in for a long time, until its beyond repair.
This is one of the problems with keeping large cichids in small tanks, you often don't realize the chronic damage nitrate, and the urine soup of metabolism byproducts the fish has been swimming in for a long time, until its beyond repair.
The stress of going through that would probably hurt more than help.
Personally if it was my fish. I would do the water change schedule duanes mentioned.
You can medicate, but I have found in the past the best treatment for HITH is just lots of clean water. What Duanes suggested would be optimal, if you can't fit that into your schedule I would do 2 a week of 50% or more.
65 is a small tank for a 12" devil, and if you weren't doing at least one a week, I can see how this would happen. The scars may stay for life, I had an adoption Oscar who had bad HITH which never fully healed. But you can stop it from spreading or worsening.
Best of luck to you two
65 is a small tank for a 12" devil, and if you weren't doing at least one a week, I can see how this would happen. The scars may stay for life, I had an adoption Oscar who had bad HITH which never fully healed. But you can stop it from spreading or worsening.
Best of luck to you two