PDA

View Full Version : Possible HITH?



DiscusLoverJeff
10-26-2013, 06:27 PM
Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

Yesterday after doing a water change, I noticed these 2 white "pimple" looking marks on my Blushing red. Possibly thinking the beginning stages of Hole-In-The-Head? Although HITH is a sign of poor water quality, my fish get the best water and frequent water changes as possible. Not to mention the overload of filtration.


2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills, white/yellow/green poop, hiding, headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus, blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).

Two white pimples (zits)


3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.

Started a round of Metro and raised temp to 90 degrees.



Tank/Water

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.

Was in my 3 year established 90 gallon BB tank. Now in a 20 gal QT tank. There are 7 adult (5"+) in this tank with a couple plecos.


5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).

The tank gets two 40/50% water changes during the week and one 75% on the weekend.


6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?

Bare-Bottom, 3 years running. 90 gallon 48" length.


7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.

Aged 50% RO and 50% Tap. 24 hours aged. PH is stable at 7.0.


8. Parameters and water source;

Note: Water Parameters are important in diagnosing problems within a tank. If you don't own test kits for the following information, you can purchase them, test your parameters and post this info as soon as possible.


- temp ___84__

- ph ____7.0_

- ammonia reading ___0_

- nitrite reading __2.5__

- nitrate reading __0__

What type of water or combinations of water sources do you use? If it is an RO/tap/well water mix, please list percentages in the mix.

- well water ____

- municipal water __50%__

- RO water ___50%_


9. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.

Nothing added for 9 months. Tank has a Fluval 405 and an AquaClear 110 for filtration and 2 sponge filters.


10. Include any pictures or videos you have which shows the symptoms. If you can't add them to this post, please provide a link to them.

http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/DiscusJeff/Discus%20Tank/Discus%201-20-13/20131025_18480501_zpse2acb48a.jpg

http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/DiscusJeff/Discus%20Tank/Discus%201-20-13/20131025_1848050_zps81c79c16.jpg[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Second Hand Pat
10-26-2013, 06:35 PM
Jeff, my F1 Cuipeua had a nasty case of HITH. Besides metro I also mixed up 1 tbsp. Epsom Salts to 2 Cups distilled water and soaked FDBWs in a small amount and feed twice per day for 3 days. This epsom salt tip is courtesy of Toni or strawberryblonde.

DiscusLoverJeff
10-26-2013, 06:41 PM
Thank you pat, I am not sure I want to stress the fish out with salt right now. This is one of my top Males. If this is indeed HITH, I will see if Metro is the cure.

Will see if anyone has an opinion. I have never seen this before on any discus I have ever owned, so would like to use a bit of caution.

lipadj46
10-26-2013, 06:48 PM
It looks like hole in the head. My angelfish had it and it looked like that. Metro would knock it back then it would come back. After 3 attempts I culled it. The epsom salt in food is something I did not try but have read about it over on monsterfishkeepers.

strawberryblonde
10-26-2013, 06:53 PM
Hi Jeff,

The Epsom Salt treatment won't stress your discus at all. You create the solution, then use it to soak and feed foods (so long as he's still eating that is).

Pat and I used FDBW's and soaked them for feeding. For mine, it was an adult so 2 feedings a day, but you can up it to 3 feedings for younger discus. Feed for no more than 5 days, but 3 days should be sufficient to knock back any hex or spiro that may be the cause of the HITH.

Just my personal experience. Woke up to find two small "zits" on my RT's head. He was already in a 20g hospital tank, so I did a 90% WC, then added 300mg Metro per 10 gallons of water, turned out the lights and fed him the Epsom Salt soaked FDBW's for breakfast. Added a second dose of Metro without doing a WC at dinner time, along with another soaked FDBW cube.

Next morning did a 90% WC and repeated the dosages and feedings that day. Did the same on the third day and noticed that the pits were already receding and that he looked MUCH better. Continued the Metro treatment for another 4 days but no more Epsom Salt solution in his foods.

He was fine and healthy by the end of treatment and the HITH never returned.

dillpickle
10-26-2013, 06:54 PM
Just noticed that your nitrite reading was at 2.5? Is this maybe the nitrate reading?

DiscusLoverJeff
10-26-2013, 08:00 PM
Just noticed that your nitrite reading was at 2.5? Is this maybe the nitrate reading?

Yes, Nitrate, sorry, was a typo.

Thanks Toni, I will see what he looks like in the morning. He did not eat tonight, will try the salt in the AM.

Keith Perkins
10-26-2013, 08:32 PM
Sorry to hear your having troubles bud. Best of luck on the treatment.

DiscusLoverJeff
10-26-2013, 08:53 PM
Sorry to hear your having troubles bud. Best of luck on the treatment.

Thanks. Just when you think you seen it all, something different appears.

ZX10R
10-27-2013, 03:14 PM
Hey Jeff,

Looks like HITH to me read post #20 this is what I did when a fish of mine had it and it worked great.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?89830-Possible-HITH-I-have-a-question/page2

DiscusLoverJeff
10-27-2013, 04:14 PM
Thanks Sean. I am following Toni's advice and will see what happens. It is the same advice offered to you.

Will know in a few days how this treatment goes. Hate to see this issue when you have no idea what caused it. As I mentioned my tanks are always clean and water changes are very frequent.

Second Hand Pat
10-27-2013, 04:22 PM
Jeff, perhaps diet :)

Bill63SG
10-27-2013, 05:13 PM
Thanks Sean. I am following Toni's advice and will see what happens. It is the same advice offered to you.

Will know in a few days how this treatment goes. Hate to see this issue when you have no idea what caused it. As I mentioned my tanks are always clean and water changes are very frequent.

Bummer Jeff.I know it wasnt water quality.

DiscusLoverJeff
10-27-2013, 08:37 PM
Jeff, perhaps diet :)

Pat, I give them 7 to 10 different foods. From FDBW to Beefheart mix and all in between. My fish eat such a variety because when I sell them, not everyone will have what I have access to so I make sure they will have one or two foods that I feed them.

Second Hand Pat
10-27-2013, 08:46 PM
Just a thought Jeff.

DiscusLoverJeff
10-27-2013, 08:50 PM
Just a thought Jeff.

Thanks. I thought about that too at first with the variety thinking I should focus on just one or two types, but not sure that would solve anything either.