Oscar question about HITH or sensory pit

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Z

zedzdead

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2023
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Have you tested your water?
Yes
If yes, what is your ammonia?
FCI 0. alk 80. Ph 7.8. TH 250, all other tests are color coded and in the good colors
If yes, what is your nitrite?
Green?
If yes, what is your nitrate?
Green?
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?
41-50%
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.
Hi im new to this site, ive been researching the heck outa this hole in my albino oscar, hes had it since i got him about an inch till now, it hasnt ever gotten any worste or bigger, it never looked gross its just a hole... behind his left eye kinda above his gill, just the one side. I can post pics, ill try. My water perams are all good, they live in a 160 gal tank currently, all they do is eat, especially my albino, hes my main fish, king of the tank, outgrew everyone else so far, never a day of not jumping for food and hanging out at the corner of my tank waiting for me to pass by, so full of life, makes me wonder wth this hole ordeal is. I hope i posted this propper. The 3 pics i sent is 1 when i first got him, has the hole and 2 other pics u can see it as of today.

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Sorry i guess i should have said... can someone plz offer any wisdom on this hole thing? Would be much appreciated thx
 
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Ive seen that one, im thinking its a past injury since its just 1 big hole, its been that way for like almost 5 months now, the exact same thing, its just the 1 on the one side of his head, not in a group and it doesnt look infected or bad or anything other then... theres a hole in his head lol ive salt treated it and tried malafix a couple months ago. But im pret sure its an old injury, ive just never seen stages of HITH and want to be certain its nothing i need to be further woried about. Thanks for the responce, i hope my details are good enough for any 'chimmers' thanks so much
 
Oscars tend to get chronic HITH, if kept in higher pH (7.6 or higher) , hard water (like yours) if the nitrate level rises above 10ppm.
One way to avoid HITH is to do enough water changes to reduce the nitrate level to under 10ppm, or even better, at, or lower than 5 ppm.
For me to achieve that goal, my experiments in testing between water changes revealed that doing a 30% water change every other day keeps my nitrate level at 5 ppm and lower.
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Above are tests on my tank using that regime, on both liquid, and strips.
As you can see, my pH is high (around 8) both general and carbonate hardness are high, but nitrate undetectable.
I also use a heavily planted sump where the plants soak up nitrate, as fast as the fish produce it between water changes.
The sump below.
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One of the reasons I am so persnickety about keeping nitrate low, is I collect my own cichlids, and wherever I collect, I test the natural waters for nitrate and pH, and have yet to find any natural, unpolluted habitat, where nitrate has ever been detectable.
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The 3 tests above are all from different rivers, and in those rivers, I have yet to catch a cichlid, with HITH.
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My one tester doesnt have the 'no's' for whatever reason, i will grab a better test kit today, i do 40 to 50 percent water changes in my 160g every other day anyway, my water contains no clorine to begin w as well. All my other fish seem to be doing awesome and that one hole came with my oscar as a baby so i dont know but thanks i will update my water testers. I love the sump setup you have, i just started an aquarium of aqua plants, i never thought about turning it into a sump! I love it lol
 
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One of my kits, TH as well it tests but i do also have the liquid testers ive just been to lazy to use it regularly, but ya that will change lol

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