oscar with HITH

Question
QUESTION: My Oscar has HITH. We have done many rounds of medications with him and we're told now that it has taken over and it is just a matter of time. He just started a kinda convulsing in his tail. He is still eating though. Just wondering if it sis time to let him go or if we have him for a little longer.

ANSWER: Hi Bobby,
  What kind of water changes have you been doing?   The primary cause of hole in the head is poor water quality.  You should be doing massive, frequent water changes, e.g., 25% every day or every other day.  Have you been doing that?

  The medications treat the symptoms, not the cause, which is likely poor water conditions.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The heater went out on the tank and we did not realize until we did a water change.  This was several weeks ago.  We knew we needed to watch him for ich.  The HITH developed.  We have done a complete water test on the tank and everything was as it should be.  We haven't done any extra water changes on the tank.  Just the normal changes.

Thanks...

Answer
Hi Bobby,
 Hole in the head takes months to develop, not weeks.  Can you send me a photo of your fish?

  You need to do lots of partial water changes.  

  With an oscar, you should normally be doing 25% of the water once a week, EVERY week, to keep him happy and healthy.

-- Ron
   rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
   Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>