Nutrition and HITH Disease

[Melody]

I stumbled across this indepth article which covers HITH and its possible causes. Lots of information on the nutrition connection, or lack thereof. It even includes a recipe.

Hole in the Head (http://www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html#Anchor-Ingredient-56874)
By Adam Dagna
World Cichlids

[ChrissyFishy]

Here it is!!!! I was going to post it for James because I knew I saw it in here somewhere but I will just bump it instead.::D:

[James]

Thanks Chrissy and Melody, I have read that one and several more pages on it. There are lots of things that might cure it, just no real evidence that it does. With Oscar's the best thing is to try and prevent it. Large water changes, lots of filtration and good varied diet seem to be the best. Kikari Bio Gold seems to be gaining a great following in the Oscar Fourms which is what I am feeding my two, along with snacks of Freeze Dried blood worms and freash live worms.

I run nothing in my canisters other than bio media and Polyester for water cleaning, that and keeping the nirate down to under 20 all the time. Sometime ago when I had Oscars I used Diaton Filters, but in this new tank use the Polyester and UV light instead, think it really does a better job.

I tend to agree in the theory that Oscar's have HITH, just with good food and good care it never shows up.

[DaFishMan]

I kept oscars for years raising from fry :)

The 2 things to prevent hith (hexamita, an internal parasite) is low nitrates and the 2 V's of nutrition, variety and vitamins.

Curing hexamita = from the inside out.
Food pre-treated with Metronidazole and liquid vitamins (or better yet, injected into fish chunks etc)