Hi, this isn't so much an emergency but more out of frustration...
I have an ~8" oscar that I believe has HITH - see pics:
i326.photobucket.com/albums/k420/006Gold...er/Fish/IMG_0792.jpg
i326.photobucket.com/albums/k420/006Gold...er/Fish/IMG_0797.jpg
i326.photobucket.com/albums/k420/006Gold...er/Fish/IMG_0878.jpg

I first noticed this probably back in September of last year, and shortly after moved him to a 30 gal. hospital tank. I've tried various medications and been pretty good about water changes, but he doesn't seem to be getting any better no matter what I have tried. However, he also doesn't seem to be getting any worse... he seems to be growing in size, has plenty of energy, and no problems eating this entire time. Besides how he looks, you wouldn't think anything is wrong.

Water conditions have been good: 0 ammonia, >0.3 mg/l nitrites according to my tests.

Filter is an Emperor 400 (a little overkill I know), no carbon filtration - just bio media.

Any thoughts or advice? If this is HITH, how long can an oscar have it and still seem healthy?

What pics?

Sorry, posted that before I had a chance to add the pics and finish the text.

Is HITH without a doubt. I don't think that the holes will heal if it's been this long. They are scar's now if it has been sorted. Have you moved them back to a bigger tank also you need some mechanical filtration. You say been pretty good with water changes you need to be making sure these are done on time and if you see a problem with the tank.

Do you have anymore info on tank size etc...

what about pH and nitrate? What test kits are you using? What medications have you been trying?

Metronidazole is one medication that can be used to treat hole in the head disease. You may possibly have to go to your veterinarian to obtain it. There is medication such as hole in the head guard available but I couldn't comment on how well they work. In the UK there is a product called Octozin but again, how effective this is I really don't know. The problem is, a hole in the head disease is one of those diseases that is not fully understood so it's always been a little difficult to give someone a conclusive answer on how to cure it. It's normally better to prevent it, rather than try and cure.

So it's possible the HITH is healed and it could just be they are scars now? I kept expecting it to fully healed. I'll admit I wasn't good about treating it in the very beginning and also didn't have a hospital tank set up at the time, so it progessed more than I would have liked.

The medications I'ved used (not at the same time) -
Jungle labs hole-in-head guard
Fish Zole tablets (metronidazole)
Pimafix/melafix

I've also been adding Vitachem supplement to the tank, but haven't tried adding it directly to the food yet.

The test kit I have been using is the Tetratest Laborett kit. I can get the numbers on ph and nitrate in a bit.

TK56082 wrote:
crater of healed HITH... will take time to recover or will stay forever.
why, what is the size of your tank?


there are times improper medication is just a waste of resources and time
and prolong the agony of the fishes. as advise by the breeder in my place,
when you were hit by HITH, the first and foremost defense is good water
condition and varied foods, HITH will be healed in no time. you must increase
immune resistance of the fish instead of curing the outside wounds.

It could be a case that the Oscar is just left with scarring but I honestly could not be sure of that. If it is not getting worse and the Oscar is behaving normally then that is obviously a good sign. Fish don't normally develop this kind of disease for no reason, there must have been something that caused this in the first place.

The hospital tank he is in right now is a 30 gal, and the filter was an extra one I had on hand.
Before that he was in a 75 gallon with another oscar, which was probably (most likely)what triggered it. The 2nd oscar was definitely more dominant, and I know they were starting to outgrow the tank. Kind of came at a bad time to treat promptly, right before I moved/got married, and didn't have a spare (hospital) tank at the time.

TK56082 wrote:

keep your prioities straight, my friend.
First take good care of the fish, and after that comes your wife...

Noddy wrote:


Thumbs up my man.