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| FAQs on Freshwater Head & Lateral Line Disease,
HLLE, HITH (Hole In The Head)... Non-cures
Related Articles:
Head and Lateral Line Disease (HLLE),
Freshwater Diseases, FW
Disease Troubleshooting, Ich/White
Spot Disease, Freshwater
Medications,
Related FAQs: Freshwater
HLLE 1,
FW HLLE 2, & FAQs on FW HLLE:
Causes/Etiology, Cures,
FW Case Histories,
SW
Case Histories, & Marine HLLE: HLLE 1, HLLE
2, HLLE 3,Nutritional Disease,
Aquarium
Maintenance, Freshwater Medications, Freshwater
Infectious Disease, Freshwater Fish
Parasites, Ich/White Spot Disease, African Cichlid Disease 1,
Cichlid
Disease,
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Identifying and fixing the root cause/s is paramount. IF protozoal
co-activity is a concern an antiprotozoal (e.g. Flagyl/Metronidazole) may be
efficacious (mainly added to foods).
Herbal remedies are a farce ("..."Fix") |
Hole In the Head Disease on Oscars
I have a red tiger and albino Oscar that are around 8 months old, about
7-8
inches, residing in a 75 gallon tank with a couple Plecos as well. In the
past couple weeks they've each developed a case of hole in the head disease.
I'm pretty good about water changes and maintenance, but I will admit
right before the HITH set in I had waited about a week longer than usual to
change the water. Right after that late water change is when I noticed the
first spot appear. A few days later when it still had not gone away and one
appeared on the other Oscar, I started medicating with MelaFix. I followed
the MelaFix directions and medicated for 7 days followed by a 25% water
change yesterday. While medicating I chose not to remove the carbon from my
filter (Fluval 304), because the directions said it was recommended, but not
absolutely necessary. The spots seem to be looking slightly better and I've
chosen to remove the carbon and try the MelaFix for another seven days. My
pH is around 7.5 and my nitrates are still reading quite high at around
80-90 ppm. Sorry for the long-winded description, but is there anything
else you can recommend? I've found searching for information on HITH very
frustrating because there seems to be debate about the causes as well as
treatment. Oh yeah, in terms of diet, I've been feeding them a couple dry
foods (Hikari pellets and sticks), frozen blood worms, brine shrimp, and
feeder fish from a local pet store. I know the feeder fish are a potential
cause, so I've ceased feeding them those since the HITH set in. Once again
sorry for the long description, but any advice would be greatly
appreciated.
< Your high nitrates may be the cause of the problem. Clean the filter,
vacuum the gravel while doing a 30% water change and treat with
Metronidazole. The treatment requires lots of water change so that will get
the nitrates down. They should be under 25 ppm.-Chuck>
Re: Oscar with HLLE
Chuck,
This is another letter in regards to the Oscar I am taking care of at
work. Thanks for your help so far. Just a few more questions.
1. I found some liquid multi vitamin, but it is berry flavored for taste.
Can I still add this to his food, or should I get pill form and dissolve in
warm
water?< Neither, Go to
Drsfostersmith.com and get a bottle of Vita-Chem.>
2. Should I try to add Metronidazole, Cichlid Vital, ph Lower at the same
time or different days?<The Metronidazole and cichlid vital could be added now
and modify the pH with the water you replace doing the water changes.>
3. How long and often should I treat the Oscar with the above medication?
i.e.. once a week for a month, every other week for 2 months, etc...
<Follow the directions on the packages. The disease may be gone but the healing
will take time.>
4. I also have some multi-vitamin enriched Krill, Is it all right to feed
him that?< That would help.-Chuck>
Thank for your help,
John
Oscar with Hole in the Head Disease 8/4/05
My husband and I have a 11 1/2 inch Oscar in a 55 gallon tank by his self.
About 2 months ago, he developed hole in the head. We started treating him with
Melafix. We treated him with that medicine for about 2 weeks. No improvement. We
went to the local pet store and they recommended Pimafix for fungal infections
as well as start including aquarium salt with every water change and to remove
activated carbon filters. They told us to use a teaspoon of Pimafix for every
10 gallons. We treated for about 4 weeks, problem got worse. Our fish is now not
eating and hasn't eaten for about 3 weeks at the time of the Pimafix. We went to
another petstore and they recommended Maroxy-2 for fungal infections. The
problem has still gotten worse. He does not eat and has slow labored breathing
and lies at the bottom of the tank on his side. We are VERY worried about our
dear fish. Can you please help us. We are desperate! George and Lisa
< Check the water quality. Ammonia and nitrites should be zero. Nitrates should
be under 25 ppm with the lower the better. Clean the filters and do a 30% water
change while vacuuming the gravel. Now that the tank is clean you should treat
with Metronidazole as per the directions on the package.-Chuck>
Re: Sick Oscar 8/5/05
Where do I find the Metronidazole?
< Drsfostersmith.com.>
We are both novices when it comes to
fish. How do I check the levels of ammonia and nitrate?
< Buy a FW test kit to check levels.>
I cleaned the filters and the gravel and did a water change last night and he
does not
seem to be doing any better. Lisa
< Improving your fish's living conditions will improve his immune response.
Organic matter in the water and filter will absorb some of the medication
making it less effective. So removing this waste will make the medication more
effective. While you are waiting for the metro, you can add a teaspoon or rock
salt per ten gallons of water and treat with a double dose of Nitrofurazone or a
single dose of Clout. These medications may cure your fish and the metro may not
be needed. I think metro is still the best choice.-Chuck>
Oscar sick?. foaming water,
Oscar with Hole-In-The-Head
I have a 5 year old albino Oscar and he is really sick I'm thinking that has
hole in the head. Recently he developed a sore on his head and around his eye
looking painful. I've been treating him with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Mela Fix
for a month at least every time I would put a minimum amount the sore would
bleed and he would go crazy swimming from one end to an other hitting the glass
so I stopped that medication and started giving him some antibacterial
medication the name escapes me right now. I'm doing a frequent water change
since I feed him blood worms the water turns into a reddish color after every
feeding. I do remove the carbon filter when treating him I leave it out at least
8hours while I'm at work once I get home I put I back in until the next
treatment. A few days ago I did a gravel cleaning and now my water is foaming on
the top with white/brown bubbles I changed all the filter replacing with new
ones. I lost I have no idea what to do please help me if I don't act now I think
he is going to die since he is not himself just staying in one spot all the time
close to the heater. Should I change my complete filter system?.. I have an
internal Hagen bio life filter it's a 20gal tank he is about 10" should I get a
bigger tank? So many questions. Thank you so very much, hope to hear from you
soon. Angèle
< First of all stop feeding you Oscar. The biological filtration has probably
been affected by the medications and you are having big spikes in the ammonia
levels. The ammonia is deadly to fish and stresses them to the point that they
come down with other diseases. Do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and
clean the filters. Treat with Metronidazole and Nitrofurazone every other day
for three treatments. On the days you do not treat, do a 50% water change. On
the seventh day use good activated carbon and remove the medication from the
water for 24 hrs. The use Bio-Spira to get the biological filtration back on
tract. Feed you Oscar once each day a quality food with lots of vegetable matter
in it. Make sure it is all gone in a couple of minutes. Remove any uneaten food
with a siphon. It will take some time for all the holes to heal over. Keep the
nitrates under 25 ppm with water changes and feed a varied nutritional
diet.-Chuck>
My Oscar hurt bad, poisoned
4/29/08
Hello,
<Hi there>
I just found your website and I'm hoping that you could help me. My
Oscar had HITH and I went to PetSmart and got some medication.
<What exactly?>
His head seems to be getting better, but he is going crazy! He's been
swimming rapidly and hit himself on the gravel, side of the tank and the
log on
the bottom of the tank. He scrapped a chunk of skin off his head, his
gill and some on his side. Last night he banged himself pretty hard that
he chipped his bottom lip. He's still eating some freeze-dried
bloodworm, but he spits out the pellets. I'm very worried about him and
I don't know what to do. He keeps hurting himself and I don't think he's
going to heal if he keeps it up. Please help, I feel so helpless with
him. Thank you.
Resy
<Something toxic going on... likely related to the Neuromast destruction
treatment. I'd quickly change about half the water (treated to remove
sanitizer...) and run some activated carbon in your filter/circulation
path. Bob Fenner>
Re: My Oscar hurt bad
4/29/08
I treated him with anti-parasite tablets twice,
<... Please... specifically... this term means nothing. What active
ingredients?>
48 hours in between treatments. I changed 25% of the water after the
second treatment and put back the carbon filter. I also put the stress
zyme and stress coat as directed in the box. Should I change 50% of the
water again?
<I would, yes. B>
Re: My Oscar
hurt bad
4/29/08
This is what's on the box: Active ingredients: Praziquantel;
N-[[(N-Chlorophenyl) amino] carbon 1]-2,6-difluorobenzamide;
Metronidazole; Acriflavine. Wont' changing the water again stress him
more? It was only two days ago.
<Better to be stressed than die from toxic reaction... Likely the
Flagyl/Metronidazole is at root here. B>
Re: My Oscar hurt bad
4/30/08
Thank you. I will change his water again. How often should I change
his water afterwards? Should I put a new carbon filter again, also?
<See WWM re water changes and yes to the chemical filtrant. B>
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