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  1. #1
    Eternal Moderator Merrilyn's Avatar
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    Jul 2004
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    Melbourne Vic.
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    8,692

    Hole in the Head, Hexemita and Lateral Line Erosion

    This is the latest treatment for hole in the head, confirmed by two vets.

    Once the fish has been treated with Metro, it's important to add green vegetable matter and vitamins to the diet to aid in the healing of the holes.

    It can be transmitted to your other fish, possibly thru contaminated droppings, although little scientific work has been done in this area. It is believed that the pathogen responsible for Hole in the Head (also known by a variety of other names such as Hex, head and lateral line erosion and wasting disease) is Spironucleus Vortens.

    An infected fish may show one or several of the following symptoms:-

    Skin lesions around the head area.
    Turning dark.
    Refusing to eat.
    White jelly like droppings.
    Muscle wasting and pinched appearance above the eyes.

    The best drug to use is Metronidazole (Flagyl) which you will need to get from your local vet. Ring first to see if he will prescribe it after seeing a photo of the fish, or if he insists on seeing the fish himself.

    1. Move the fish to a clean hospital tank with some of the existing tank water. You'll need a heater and mature sponge filter.

    2. Set the temperature to 30 degrees, no higher.


    3. Add 250 mg Metro per 10 Litres of water. Crush tablets to fine powder and mix with water to form a paste before adding to the tank.

    4. After 48 hours, do a 30% water change and repeat the dose. This should be done for a total of 3 treatments.

    5. During treatment the tank lights should be left off. Metro is affected by light. And turn off your UV unit.

    6. A variety of good quality, high protein food with added vitamins and minerals should be fed several times daily. Include prepared dry food, beef heart, brine shrimp, green vegetable matter and blood worms in the diet. Remove any uneaten food and keep the water very clean.

    DO NOT USE LIQUID METRO. IT CONTAINS SUGAR WHICH WILL CAUSE A BACTERIAL BLOOM IN YOUR TANK AND SUFFOCATE YOUR FISH. ONLY USE METRO IN TABLET FORM.



    Further reading can be found in the excellent article from Discus Page Holland

    http://article.dphnet.com/cat-02/spi...mon%20Symptoms[/b]
    Thirty-five years keeping and breeding discus, and I'm still learning :P

    Merrilyn has passed, but will not be forgotten - Goodbye dear friend

  2. #2
    San Merah Discus TW's Avatar
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    Mar 2006
    Location
    Menai, Sydney, Australia
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    1,739
    Great article, Merrilyn. Thanks for taking the time write it.

    Link is great too.

    One thing I noticed is that Discus Page Holland's link suggested metro dosage which is more intense. In an average case this link recommends 250mg per 10G, re dosed every 8 hours for 3 days (separated by 25% WC). For severe or reoccurring, dose is 400mg per 10G (same frequency of re dosing).

    So our dosages are greater, but they recommend more frequent redosing, based on that metro in IV solutions has a life of 6-8 hours only.

    Should we be rethinking our recommended re-dosing schedule?
    Previously known as "Tankwatcher"

  3. #3
    Tiny Fry
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Perth, WA
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    366
    TW I followed the recommendations of the Hollands page and didn't get the required results, however following Merrilyn's advice had a result. I showed Dr Loh, the fish vet, Merrilyn's dose which he agreed with.
    I guess it depends on the severity of the ailment and how many times you treat the fish and just how much you are willing to put them through.

  4. #4
    Just an Egg
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Singleton ,NSW ,AUSTRALIA
    Posts
    46
    One of my new fish appears to have HITH disease. I have had her, an Albino Alenquer for about 10 days and is looking good apart from not eating anything since she arrived, and starting to get small sores around the head. She is also the only one showing string white and jelly like poos.
    The other fish, including the others I got with her are eating like pigs and very active. I treated the whole tank with big L a week ago, and Prazi starts tomorrow, just for preventative worming of the whole tank.
    Will Hex treat itself once the fish are stabilized and in good water, or is metro a necesity?
    Is it very contagious to the others if they are healthy and eating well?
    6'x2'x1.5' planted tank
    1x Red Turq
    1x Blue Turq
    1x red leopard
    1x Alenquer
    1x Albino Alenquer
    1x Heckel
    1x Wild Green
    1x Siamese algae eater
    1x Royal whip tail
    1x Otto
    1x Veiltail albino Bristle nose
    4x Cory Sterbai
    1x Black Ghost Knife fish
    Chery Shrimp
    Apple and cone snails

  5. #5
    Just an Egg
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Singleton ,NSW ,AUSTRALIA
    Posts
    46
    One of my new fish appears to have HITH disease. I have had her, an Albino Alenquer for about 10 days and is looking good apart from not eating anything since she arrived, and starting to get small sores around the head. She is also the only one showing string white and jelly like poos.
    The other fish, including the others I got with her are eating like pigs and very active. I treated the whole tank with big L a week ago, and Prazi starts tomorrow, just for preventative worming of the whole tank.
    Will Hex treat itself once the fish are stabilized and in good water, or is metro a necesity?
    Is it very contagious to the others if they are healthy and eating well?
    6'x2'x1.5' planted tank
    1x Red Turq
    1x Blue Turq
    1x red leopard
    1x Alenquer
    1x Albino Alenquer
    1x Heckel
    1x Wild Green
    1x Siamese algae eater
    1x Royal whip tail
    1x Otto
    1x Veiltail albino Bristle nose
    4x Cory Sterbai
    1x Black Ghost Knife fish
    Chery Shrimp
    Apple and cone snails

  6. #6
    Larvae
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    Jul 2010
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    Just for ppl reading this and trying this solution can I please advise to lower your PH to 5.5 if possible. and if you are starting out from 7.0ph then do this over a 3 day period. The bacteria that is responsible for HITH can not live in a culture below 6.0PH

    Remember do this slowly as you dont want to stress an ill fish already with a ph shock.
    L066
    Assorted small fish
    6x2x2 Aqua One

  7. #7
    Larvae
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    Jul 2010
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    Wow.. I have dosed my 70L tank with the above spec.. 250 x 7 = 1750 / 200(my tablets) = 8.75 tablets

    I only dosed at 6.5 tablets and on my second dose after a 30% water change and 12hrs on my discus started darting round and jumping as in overdose! Have done a complete 100% water change and turned on lights and UV light and now waiting to see if I have any loses
    L066
    Assorted small fish
    6x2x2 Aqua One

  8. #8
    They will dart around it is quite normal for that to happen .The tank has no light and when light comes in they freak out and dart all over the place . If i was you i would finish off the treatment as if you only half doing it you run the risk of bacteria becoming resistant to metro .

  9. #9
    Larvae
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    Jul 2010
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    Telling you they are not darting because the light. They are darting due to overdose.. Two lying on the bottom. One near the top. Not looking good. I'm sure two will die. Not happy
    L066
    Assorted small fish
    6x2x2 Aqua One

  10. #10
    Larvae
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    Jul 2010
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    164
    Ok after water changes and also transfer to a tank that is well aged all fish (including the two that where on the bottom of the tank gasping) have recovered.

    Been doing heaps more research and found that Andrew Soh recommends 1.5gm per 100L.

    So my tablets being 200mg I get 13.3L per tablet. That is roughly 5.2 tablets for my 70L tank and not 8.7 tablets as I dosed recommended here. He also says he treats every 4 days for 12 days in total treatment time.

    Going to start re-dosing today as I don't want a super bug. Wish me luck!
    L066
    Assorted small fish
    6x2x2 Aqua One

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