Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum, so forgive me if I make a mistake!

I have a 2 year old Tiger Oscar, Pemberton. He is currently in a 29 gallon tank. Before anyone gets upset, I've got a 55 gal which is fully cycled, and as soon as I can get the temperature stabilized, Pemberton will be moving into the 55, so hopefully by Monday of this week.

The issues comes in the tank he's in. Water quality is as follows, and has been for the last 6 weeks (I check every other day): 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, around 0 - 20 nitrates (towards the lower end of the scale). I use the dip sticks as well as the liquid testers from API. Temperature is 78 degrees F, and I rotate through 3 different Oscar foods and the occasional live fry from my mother's guppy tank. The oscar foods come from Hikkari Gold (or however it's spelled).

I do 3 or 4 times weekly water changes, never more than about 25% (or at least no larger until I started getting HITH routinely).

Pemberton got HITH once. I did water changes, tried an anti-parasite, and it cleaned up really well. He was great for 2 weeks (water quality remained the same), and then scale abrasions and more hole in the head started appearing all over his head/ fins. He is still eating and is still very energetic in the tank.

I tried both rounds of erythromycin and tetracycline (not at the same time, of course), as well as Hole-In-The-Head guard, and nothing seems to be getting better.

Is this something that could/should/might clear up when he finally gets into the new tank? It's not fin rot or ich, as his tankmate (a dwarf bristlenosed pleco) is unaffected by anything. After I get him into the new tank, and a few weeks go by, and it hasn't cleared up, what should I try? Has there ever been a case where tiger oscars just get HITH, no reason, and it never goes away?

Thanks for your help,
Popplefish

the hith is often caused by prolongued exposure to bad waterquality.
you did the right thing by getting him a larger tank, and with enough waterchanges in his new environment, there's a big chance things will clear up just fine.
the HITH may leave some scarring, but with pristine waterconditions your oscar should recover.
no need to wonder with "what-ifs" now.

Just keep up with the waterchanges, and he'll have the best chance of recovery.
Do you use waterconditioner/ Prime when doing your waterchanges?

X2 noddy =]
just keep water in tip top shape

The best cure for HITH is the best water quality you can get. So even after you have moved your oscar to the bigger tank you will need to do 3 or 4 large water changes a week. HITH can take a long time to heal so you may have to do this for several weeks or even a few months

I use water conditioner to remove chlorine and heavy metals (chloramine is not in our local water). I use API's stress coat. Is there also something in addition I should try?

And thanks for not being horrible about it. I feel bad enough he's had to stay in a smaller tank, but between funds and cycling, there was nothing I could do until now.

I'll keep updating, and thanks again!

If you have any carbon in the filter, remove it and replace with more bio media (the little rocks or hollow tubes etc). This is because carbon is linked to HITH if it isnt replaced every 6 weeks or so. There is no proof yet but it isnt worth the risk. Carbon isnt neccessary in a well maintained tank

Popplefish wrote:


I wouldn't be using just stress coat for conditioner. I would recommend Seachem Prime instead--It's all you need. It helps with ammonia, chlorine, chloramines, nitrites, nitrates, and slime coat.