Hey all,

2 juvenile Oscars in 90 gal (125 coming very soon!).

Amm - 0.25 (first time since setup it's been above 0)
Nitrite -0.00
Nitrate -0.00

Only recent change was the removal of a bag of old bio media from their old home... But tank has been established for months.

I'm fairly certain this I hith...I will be d oing water changes aggressively and keeping a log of levels. Anything else I can do?

i86.photobucket.com/albums/k116/Wiliam_Wallace22/IMG_20170621_191912_zpsi4yajt7j.jpg

What are you using to test water? You cant have zero nitrate in a cycled system. Zero is the goal for ammonia and nitrite, but some showing of nitrate is the sign of a complete cycle. Yes that is the onset of hith, and is caused primarily by exposure to toxins, again primarily levels of nitrate at a continuous reading exceeding 20ppm, likely closer to 40. What has been your regular water change schedule up till now? Clean water is the cure, but right off the bat do this... in 1/2 cup of distilled water, dissolve 3/4 tsp of pure Epsom salt. You will saturate a normal meal in this salt water and feed this exclusively for 5 consecutive days. That will halt the hith, not cure, but stop progression. Aggressive water change ritual to follow. As much and as often as possible. Large volume, every day if you can manage. The more clean water you provide, the better chances of full recovery. Feed less after the 5 days of salted food. Less food=less waste=slower decay of water quality. Decent sized Oscars can get by on 2-3 meals per week no issues at all

Thanks will follow those instructions.

Regarding your questions:
-I use the API Master test
-I have been doing weekly 50% water changes. I am going to start doing daily until i get this under control

Thanks for the advice, really hoping I can cure my little buddy!

Your test kit is the one most recommended, but you still cant have zero nitrate. Perhaps you are not doing the nitrate test correctly? You need to shake the life out of bottle 2, violently for a minute or 2, or you will get a false reading.

Thanks I will try a full minute shake (I normally only do 15 seconds or so). Will post results...i've been following your previous recommendations and the HITH seems to already doing better!

I have dealt with hith several times. Some cases extreme. I have never used meds, just the salt food then clean water. I have done 90% w/c twice a day for a real bad case. I still have the fish, she has permanent scars, but otherwise recovered well. Took her in 4yrs ago.I also use a liquid vitamin supplement, weekly on average with their freeze dried krill or raw fish treats. Some fyi.. once afflicted, the chances of recurrence are far greater than a fish that never had it. Catching yours early is good. Should clear completely and never return if you keep the water super clean.

Thanks so much for the help. I've been salting the food and have don 80-90% water changes (basically as low as I can go) for the past 4 days (plan on continuing for another week).

Results are still 0 cross the board...I test before and after the WC (24 hrs after). Here are the results of the last test (24 hrs after my wc from yesterday before todays).

s86.photobucket.com/user/Wiliam_Wallace22/media/IMG_20170624_132235_zpsfbkamgf4.jpg.html?t=1498246004

(For some reason the site won't let me insert a picture...so it's just a link)

William_Wallace wrote: Thanks so much for the help. I've been salting the food and have don 80-90% water changes (basically as low as I can go) for the past 4 days (plan on continuing for another week).

Results are still 0 cross the board...I test before and after the WC (24 hrs after). Here are the results of the last test (24 hrs after my wc from yesterday before todays).

(For some reason the site won't let me insert a picture...so it's just a link)

let me try to modify the link...