FishProfiles.com Message Forums

does anyone know how to get ride of this???

Take a look at this.http://www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html

After you take a look at that extensive theory that has a lot to do with nothing...

Let me know if you gained any knowledge from it.

--garyroland.

Gary we are still learning, mainly from you, but when you find a link we believe everything it says, I thought the link would help.

Last edited by kitty163 at 04-Nov-2004 12:04

Therein lies the problem, Kitty...

Most, if not all, the "helpful" websites are nothing but long and drawnout theory more for the benefit of the author than the hobbyist with a sick Oscar.

I've read many sites just like the one you presented and they all come to the same and totally boring conclusion...take a guess and you may be right, but don't bet the farm on it.

If the poster of the thread can give a description of the fish in question, I'll give my take on it.

--garyroland.

--Vero Beach, Florida.





Last edited by garyroland at 04-Nov-2004 19:29

From what i gather about discus, they need exceptionally clean water. Hole in the head for most cichlids start at (guessing) a nitrate level of 50 or higher for an extended period of time. For a discus, I'd say it'd be alot lower than that. The first thing to do is test your nitrate level and post it.

If you can soak some dry pellet foods in a liquid multi-vitamin, that may also help round out any vitamin deficiences, which is another cause of HITH. I'm not sure if discus can eat pea crushed up after the shell is removed. But feeding that a couple times a week is also beneficial. Hope this helps. There is a chemical that also helps combat HITH which Garyoland can help you with as he knows more about it. Post your nitrate levels pls as this is the first step.
Best of luck
DaFish.

The Amazon Nut...

All I can say is WOW. Never have I seen a more egotistical response on a forum. Gary, I think your response to both of those threads made by Kitty are extremely rude. I've been reading a lot of these threads on how to treat sick fish and have noticed that if your advice is not taken you respond with rude narcisistic responses along the lines of "fine do what you want, I don't know what I'm talking about." or "well I thought I was an expert but I guess not." This site isn't about you Gary and your knowledge of fish disease. It's about members getting together and helping to the best of their abilities. If you don't agree say so but don't be condescending just to be condescending. If you can't be a helpful source why are you posting? Belittling people is not a mature or correct approach. If I was some of these people that are asking questions I would probably ignore your responses simply for the arrogant manor in which they are presented.

With that said my advice for treating your Discus is this. There are no known cures for treating Hole in The Head (HITH) As some of the others have said soaking your pellets in vitamins is a theory that can't hurt to try. You can buy the liquid vitamins at any health store. Another possible cause, the one I believe to be the most accurate is nitrates, by keeping the water changes up and the stocking level down you will hopefully be able to stop the progression. There have been tests conducted to assess whether a parasite known as Heximita might be the cause but they were inconclusive. This is primarily because it is thought that the parasite infects the pits only after they have formed. If you follow the earlier advice and notice the progression of the pits has stopped then I would suggest getting some meds that will kill the Heximita and hopefully allow the pits to start to close. I hope this helps.

Here's another "rude" response...

Nine out of ten inexperienced would-be hobbyists have no right even thinking about keeping Discus.

Discus require a ton of study. They are not your run-of-the-mill trop and just about every beginner who never kept Discus before and never attempted to study the care and maintenance ends up with sick, mostly HITH-afflicted fish.

There's no future in answering a one-liner thread that presents little, if any, in-depth information about the condition of the trop.

Of course you're free to try.

--garyroland.

I'm going to vote for Gary on this one... how about some more information?? There are NO tank paramters posted, and as already suggested by DaFishMan, it is most likely due to raging nitrate levels. What Gary has said is correct... there should be more information before any of us start trying to suggest a treatment, and there should be more information on what the disease actually is, so there is no mis-treatment. Also, discu might be from the same genus as other fish... but my understanding is their eco-system of preference is significantly different. Especially to something like an Oscar. I want some discus when i started out, and luckily my good LFS had the owner in, a fish fan of some 30years, and he politely explained to me how i'd kill the fish as i'm just a beginner. I'm happy he did, as i hate seeing anything die.

Take Gary's posts with a grain of salt... and give more information. If you think his responses are 'childish' or 'petty', then ignore his threads, and i guess when you need his help, it wont be there...

Thanks, Jester...

I believe the female poster thought I was attacking Kitty in some fashion and promptly came to her aid.

Kitty knows better than to think I'm attacking her but I have a problem with submitted long-winded websites full of boring theory and not much else.

It's nice to know my Australian friends are at the ready and confident in protecting my sometimes uncalled for language.

HITH can be dealt with in simplified terms, but the buzz word always remains "prevention".

--garyroland.

First of all Gary, I'm not a Female. I was reading through on my girlfriends account but I'm sure she'll appreciate the sexist comment. Second of all, Jester fu I don't see myself needing advice off of this webboard. I run nearly 300 gallons of tropical fish and am confident in my skills. The only reason I responded to this post was in hopes of letting Gary know that I think that some of his responses are out of line. Because prevention is not longer an option with this discus why not give some advice. There is no need to act as if your word comes straight from the man above. I find it completly irritating and am frankly getting kind of tired of it. But as you said I'll mind my own business and continue to let others act superior.

When I see the "down" arrow I automatically think a female is responding...

I comment on it as a means of identification, but if someone put you in charge of watching out for answers you disagree with you should find a new occupation.

--garyroland.

Thanks guys, I no what gary's like it's the way he is, so I didn't take it personally, he's fine once you no his personality trust me.