CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Actually I think you are describing the sensory pores or pits.These pores are what become infected and erode with HITH.

Agreed! It sounds like you are describing the ventral line which starts on the head and extends to the tail. This "line" enables the fish to pick up vibrations and sense pressure changes in the water. As the post above states, more than likely, this is what you are describing. The holes/indentions on the head are the first one to become infected and develope HITH. I have not successfull gotten rid of HITH but I have slowed it down on my older fish, in the past.
Chuck

Hi Jen,

You said the white-Spots haven't gotten Worse since they appeared...when did these spots 'appear'? Also for you guys with HITH, do check your activated carbon, too much or bad quality carbon could be the cause or "triggering" factor. I forget what exactly but in the process of producing activated carbon, there are sulfates and other 'bad' by-products. Cheap ones don't go through much steps to remove impurities etc..and yea water quality is always important.

Joe
www.cichlidfish.com

HITH is such a "picky" topic because they have no know cure, from what I've heard, and the people who have had luck getting rid of it or slowing it down with one fish might not work on another fish. But hey, if you have had luck slowing down this disease, spread the word! I can always use info on this subject if you have had some success. Never know when that day will come when it's your little one's turn getting the dreaded HITH!
Chuck
P.S. I'll set up a new topic on this subject and PLEASE post info or success you have had.

I bought 6 baby oscars about a month ago and they all got ich. It isnt very hard to cure all I had to do was put drops of stuff in the water. After about 3 days all the spots just disapeared

He got the spots about the same time my other tank (with the small fish) got Ich, but it doesn't look like ich. (I used the same magnetic algae scraper in both tanks.) It's not flakey or spreading. Just small little dots in clusters that look like an old scar would on a human. Some are dented in, but some are not. All are on head, but so far I'm the only one who has noticed them. I was woried about HITH so I tried to do some research, but haven't been able to find any pictures of beginning stages. I saw a large fish in a fish store once with a huge hole in the head, so I know the final stage, but I have no idea about the start of it.

Have you ever done a search on HITH? I came up with almost nothing! It's amazing.

I'd say he's had these spots for about a month now. Shortly after he got his new tank. I thought it was just stress, but they haven't gone away yet. He's always been alone, (except a betta and a tiger barb in his young and small days, before he ate them) so it wouldn't have been another fish fighting him. I do feed him feeder fish so he could've gotten something there, you know about the quality of feeders. "They're bred for quantity, not quality" in the words of PetSmart.

I have an undergravel filter in his tank in 2 sections. 1 with the airhose into a bubble tube, and the other with a power head, and a hang in filter with a prepackaged sponge, carbon bag, and a white bag (I think it said it's for ammonia or nitrogen or something) (sorry, I had a very bad day, and my brain turned off about 7 hours ago) I vacuum the gravel about once every 2 weeks and replace the water.(about 25% to 30%)

Anyone have any ideas? Or suggestions, other than more vacuuming?

Thanks.

Jen


[This message has been edited by Repunz (edited 09-27-2000).]

Hi Jen,

I remember when my fish got HITH I did a lot of searching. I found the same thing, there's not a whole lot known about it. Seems like nobody really knows what causes it, you even get a lot of different descriptions of it. When I have some time I'll dig through the stuff i found when I did my searches. By the way, I don't have any gravel in my Oscar tanks. Basically bare tanks except for the slate rock for the eggs.

Joe
www.cichlidfish.com

I would apppreciate it. I don't think that's what he has, but better to be safe than sorry. I think he just looks old. It seems like forever since I got him, but in truth, I think it's only been about 7-8 mos. Man, it seems like alot longer than that.... And he's grown very quickly. He was about 3 inches when I got him, and is now a solid 10 inches, maybe more.

Oh, I scanned his pic. I took 2, but the other was the last on the roll of film and they must not have developed it. It's large so it'll show more detail. When I log off of here, I'm going to upload it to my site. I didn't write the page yet, so try this link. (or copy and paste if it doesn't actually make a link ) http://pages.prodigy.net/cranston/Jack-1.JPG it should work. If not, let me know and I'll write a page. I can always make a background and find some music later.

Jen

[This message has been edited by Repunz (edited 09-28-2000).]

Hi Jen,

Nice, I saw the pic, what did you use for the composition, Adobe photoshop?

Joe
www.cichlidfish.com

That was fast! I just uploaded it about 2 min ago! LOL I have ULead Photo express, It's like adobe, onlykinda like the generic version! LOL
You can see the spots behind his eye. I didn't reduce file size so the extra quality would be there. Any quick guesses on the sex? LOL
Jen

By the way, my other babies are at that page - the Jack-1.JPG

[This message has been edited by Repunz (edited 09-28-2000).]

Hi Jen,

Sorry, just from that picture I wouldn't be able to sex it. I'm not 'that' good first glance I could guess male from the coloring and black+color at base of dorsal, but then it didn't seem "that" pronounced or detailed. Also not a good view of the dorsal fin seems somewhat 'rounded' not pointed which is more of a male feature, although in oscars this rounded/pointed stuff isn't very usefull. pic is a little fuzzy, also close-up pics are better and from diff angles. As the others have said, they do have some pores around eyes etc...but from the pic can't say i can tell much but then I've only seen HITH once......and on mine it was on the head straight on in center of their forehead, or maybe it was just alien fish who came down and sucked their brains out

Joe
www.cichlidfish.com

Is that what happened to my brain??? LOL I am taking some more pics but it will be a while till I get them developed. I hope they come out better. I'm also gonna take some of my smaller tank! (I just thought of that!)
Man, my brain truly has disappeared since that incident at Wal-mart yesterday. I better go to bed....
Jen

I see what you mean about the dorsal fin. You're right. It isn't a good picture. His dorsal extends all the way back to his tail fin and even overlaps a little. It is sorta pointy like. I don't know how to describe it.... The outer edge of the fin comes out and makes a point before it comes back and joins the body. (I'm sure that's like every other oscar )

[This message has been edited by Repunz (edited 09-28-2000).]

Yea, I'm dead tired too, still feeling drowsy/dizzy like I've been feeling all week what you say of the dorsal sounds more like a male, ie the pointed look and the overlap signifying larger fin size etc...Lighting is very important with pictures, you want minimal backlight, good ambient light etc...and flash etc..to angle surface of desired subject, picture was good in regards to reflections, don't recall seeing any. good night,

Joe
www.cichlidfish.com

I hope you are feeling better. I hate being sick.
I'm usually right about intuition things i.e. Jack being Jack. (although I swore when I was pregnant that Cassandra was a boy! who knew!)

I like the new changes to the BB. The new features are pretty cool. Keep up the good work! (I'm sure it's not easy)

Jen

[This message has been edited by Repunz (edited 09-29-2000).]

I really like the improvements to the website too.