Hith Question

[Synirr]

I've got a pair of angels in a 29 gallon, and the female has a case of HITH I just can't explain. The tank is fully planted and I do weekly 25% water changes, yet her HITH won't go away... I know it's supposedly incurable, but when my oscar had a mild case the pits eventually healed up into small scars, whereas on the angel they stay open. I just tested the water and got 0 ammonia and nitrite, about 10 nitrate, and 6.8 pH. Any suggestions?

 

[freddyk]

Two things I would look at is diet and temperature.

I had a similar problem with my Oscar - perfect perameters, lots of space, a varied and plentiful diet, no stress at all, yet he developed hith anyway. I upped the water changes anyway but it didn't help, not surprising considering the water was good in the first place. Finally, lacking any other ideas I upped the temperature to about 82 and this stopped all progress altogether. I have yet to turn the the temp back down to see if it continues to progress if I do.

Heximita, the disease causing HITH, is present in many fish to start, but their immune systems keep it in check. My own theory is that some fish, perhaps because of poor genes or maybe a random flaw, can't quite keep it under control even with no stress to the fishes system. It sounds like you may be experienceing this type of thing with the Angel.

 

[Synirr]

I had the same problem with my oscar as well, but I took all the carbon out of his filter and began varying his diet a bit more and that solved his problem. I do think that the angels from my LFS's supplier aren't the best of stock as an unusually high number of them die or become ill in the store despite being well cared for. The temp is already on 80, but I'll try raising it a bit and see if that helps, and also start feeding them more veggies, as this is the component of their diet they get the least of. Thanks for the suggestions

 

[freddyk]

and also start feeding them more veggies,

As far as prepared foods go, spirulina is an excellent souce of plant matter for them.

 

[EliteFishy]

What is HITH??

 

[freddyk]

Hole in the Head disease.