Pirahna Hith Treatment

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nzafi

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
Mar 14, 2008
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USA
I have posted before about my rhom's HITH and I was thinking of trying to treat it again. He is about 10-11in and I have had him for nearly 17 years. He barely eats (once a week a small piece of shrimp or fish) so treating with food is impossible. I have tried this multiple times with no success.

His HITH is starting to spread to the other side so I was thinking of taking the "extreme" action of catching, laying him on a wet blanket and using a syringe to put epsom salt and metro+ down his throat. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this safely?

I am assuming I need a net he cannot eat through, and is placing him on a wet blanket sufficient or do I need to more? Also, should I get a glass syringe? Lots of questions so any help or existing youtube video would be great.

Considering his age, should I not even bother due to the stress? I suspect I would need to repeat this 3-4 days in a row?
 
Stuff some commercial medicated pellets into his food, i.e fish fillets or shrimp?
 
Ive tried stuffing the food. The problem is he only eats once a week or every two weeks. He will go for 5 weeks without eating which is common for these guys. Giving medication once a week will not work.

He is 10-11in in a divided 180g with another 5in piranha. I do weekly 40% water changes. HITH is very common with old and/or large rhoms. His age is again a factor as I am sure his immune system is not what it used to be.
 
The nitrates are fine. Always below, at least recently.

I really appreciate the responses, but I am really looking for input on how to treat my fish orally with medicine directly instead of via food. At his age and size I don't know if it is a good idea to put him through that stress.

I don't need a diagnosis on cause of HITH or water parameters as I have been through this before with multiple threads on this site so I don't want to repeat that. Not trying to be a jerk but just trying to steer responses to the specific questions I asked.
 
nzafi said:
The nitrates are fine. Always below, at least recently.

I really appreciate the responses, but I am really looking for input on how to treat my fish orally with medicine directly instead of via food. At his age and size I don't know if it is a good idea to put him through that stress.

I don't need a diagnosis on cause of HITH or water parameters as I have been through this before with multiple threads on this site so I don't want to repeat that. Not trying to be a jerk but just trying to steer responses to the specific questions I asked.
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You do understand then that HITH is typically not a sole infection but a group of factors right? I would not shove epsom salt down his throat you will probably kill him. Any how if you syringe food into his mouth it will come out his gills. You would have to pass a tube straight to his stomach. pretty easy to do as long as he doesn't bite through the gastric tube but that is easy to avoid. You should treat him orally with metro for 3 to 5 days. You will also have to base the metro on his weight. I would recommend weighing him and not guessing. It would be a shame if you put him into kidney failure over it.
There is more i could write on doing it with food and getting to that point but I will leave it with what you asked for.
 
Thank you for the feedback. I. Leaning towards letting him be. Due to his age and the process I'm afraid there is high likelihood of me accidentally killing him.
 
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nzafi said:
Thank you for the feedback. I. Leaning towards letting him be. Due to his age and the process I'm afraid there is high likelihood of me accidentally killing him.
Click to expand...

sounds good. clean water and a varied diet will go a long way
 
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