Help! Oscars Sick with HITH

[macman7010]

Several days ago both my Oscars came down with Hole in the Head. They each have small pin sized holes that have spread all around thier faces. I am currently treating it with a tank tempature of 80, aqarium salt, and paragon. Is there anything else I can do, and is HITH easy to treat..?

[Harry Tolen]

Metronidazole is generally recommended for treating HITH. It is available on-line from Drs. Foster & Smith.com. You can either add it to the food (recommended) or just dose the tank.

Since environmental factors are usually involved in the breakdown of the immune system that leads to HITH, you may want to consider upping your water change/filter cleanings to prevent another outbreak in the future.

What size is the tank that these two oscars are in, what do you feed them, and what are your current maintenance routines, by the way?

[macman7010]

The tank size is 55 gallons. Filtration is handled by a Whisper 30-60 and an Aqua Clear 500. My maintance routines are dual 25% water changes weekly.

[macman7010]

I feed a mix of Tetra jumbo food sticks a fire mouth pellets

[PeteSC]

Keep your tank super clean.....2x25% water changes is good, along with thorough vacumning.
My Oscar had serious HITH 2 years ago.
After researching on the net. I increased my water changes, added some liquid vitamins to the food, stopped using carbon in the filters, and reduced the stress in the tank by giving away a second Oscar that was fighting with the other.
Also...no feeders!
It took 6 months to a year to clear up, but has been looking good since then.http://www.banditalley.com/fish/azhith2.jpg