Wild caught parrot with HITH???

[Burtess]

Visited a LFS in Brantford, Ontario the other day and they had a parrot (Hoplarchus psittacus) of around 5" for $40. We don't see these around here very often so I was interested. They said it was wild caught....

Problem is it has pretty bad hole-in-the-head. Otherwise it looked healthy. I questioned the owner about this and he said most wild caughts come in with something, and they treat them when they get them.

My question is, do fish ever get HITH in the wild????

I am thinking this fish was just kept in bad surroundings and was being passed off as a wild fish.....

Burt

 

[peathenster]

Interesting question. I don't know whether fish get HITH in the wild, but it's not uncommon to see HITH in wild fish (especially H. psittacus, which seems to be more susceptible). I'd think it's more likely to be because bad water conditions after they are caught.

 

[Snowflake311]

Interesting question. I don't know whether fish get HITH in the wild, but it's not uncommon to see HITH in wild fish (especially H. psittacus, which seems to be more susceptible). I'd think it's more likely to be because bad water conditions after they are caught.

I agree. But I don't think a wild fish would get HITH unless it got stuck in a small pound or something and could not get to clean water. But then it would most likely die before HITH got bad. so I don't think HITH is something you see in the wild. Unless caused by parasites.

The stress from the move, then poor diet and poor water would cause a wild caught fish to come down with hith fast.

How bad is it? Are the holes deep? Or big but not deep? I Say get it if you have the space and time to help it heal. A fish can recover from HITH very fast and in a month start to look really good. But I would try and get it for less because it is in poor shape. IME HITH is not hard to heal if you use a hospital tank and do daily water changes and feed good food.

 

[heavyhitter]

LOL, when you said Parrot I was thinking one of the hybrid abonmations and was thinking to myself "wild caught my ass" until I seen Hoplarchus psittacus.

It is plausible that a wild caught fish could have HITH but I think that would be an extremely rare case. I too think maybe after it was caught it may have been kept in water of poor quality and maybe a lack of food or lack of quality food or variety.

my 2cents

 

[manlyfish]

the water would have to be pretty bad for it to have hith in the wild

 

[baldtaxguy]

I questioned the owner about this and he said most wild caughts come in with something, and they treat them when they get them.

Burt

Assuming the LFS owner's statement is truthful, that most wild fish come in to him with HITH, its seems likely that the HITH is developed during the period in captivity, after the fish was caught and before he takes possession. With water quality the likely cause, it seems remote that wild fish get pulled from a body of water with the condition. Of course, there is the uncertainty as to representation that the fish is wild caught to begin with, either by the LFS owner or his supplier.

Curious, he says he is treating HITH - ask him how, with what.