# long shot on this getting replied to



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

I don't like posting here, because things don't seem responded to, but here goes 

I've treated my GBR as per directions, with API General Cure. Today, the pit on his head is still there. I'm guessing that may be normal, as that may take more time to heal. The directions say to do a 25% WC today, and that the treatment is completed. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and let him "stew" in the medicated water one more day? He's active, eating and is fine. 

Or should I follow directions and do it today, even with the pit still present?

Thanks for any ideas!

Gwen


----------



## marshallsea (Apr 30, 2012)

GwenInNM said:


> I don't like posting here, because things don't seem responded to, but here goes
> 
> I've treated my GBR as per directions, with API General Cure. Today, the pit on his head is still there. I'm guessing that may be normal, as that may take more time to heal. The directions say to do a 25% WC today, and that the treatment is completed. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and let him "stew" in the medicated water one more day? He's active, eating and is fine.
> 
> ...


im new and dont know alot but i know that chemicals and meds are hard on fish.i would want it out and do the water change. you also need to change filter with new carbon to remove meds. also doing more water changes over the next couple of days would be more helpful than leaving meds in.


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

marshallsea said:


> im new and dont know alot but i know that chemicals and meds are hard on fish.i would want it out and do the water change. you also need to change filter with new carbon to remove meds. also doing more water changes over the next couple of days would be more helpful than leaving meds in.



Thank you! Being hard on the fish makes sense, so I'll do the water change. I won't change my filter, because I don't want to throw the good bacteria away - but I'll add carbon too, so any remaining meds can be removed. Good advise.

gwen


----------



## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

Maybe its hole in the head disease?


----------



## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

I'd stick with the length of time that they told you to treat and give the fish a break. Meds can be hard on fish and it's our protective gene that wants to keep medicating while symptoms are still there. 

Keep the water squeaky clean in the meantime (I'm sure you already know that tho). Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

Pearl2011 said:


> Maybe its hole in the head disease?



Sorry, I wasn't clear on that, but I was treating for HIH. :-D

Gwen


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

Romad said:


> I'd stick with the length of time that they told you to treat and give the fish a break. Meds can be hard on fish and it's our protective gene that wants to keep medicating while symptoms are still there.
> 
> Keep the water squeaky clean in the meantime (I'm sure you already know that tho). Good luck and keep us posted.



Romad, let me ask you this. I believe I keep my tank always clean. The HIH developed while I attempted putting my female Opaline Gourami in with my single GBR. She was such a stressor, as everytime she saw him, she chased him into hiding. So, I removed her, and figured that is what caused it. Aquaadvisor says because I only have one fish in a 30 gal tank, I should do a weekly wc of 4%. So, because I do buy this water (soft) I've been doing only about 3-5 gallons, one week more, one week less. I have lots of plants, and I always have 0 of everything (nitrates etc). Is it possible I'm not doing big enough water changes and this is a water quality issue? 

Gwen


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

+1
I think the meds have done their job already, the fish should be able to handle whatever's left of the disease by himself.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

New Life Spectrum food prevents HITH.

Boy am I glad I don't have to buy my water for water changes - I do 80% changes.

What are your tap water parmeters, that you can't use it??


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

jaysee said:


> New Life Spectrum food prevents HITH.
> 
> Boy am I glad I don't have to buy my water for water changes - I do 80% changes.
> 
> What are your tap water parmeters, that you can't use it??


Varied diet can help prevent HITH, but there is no food that on it's own can prevent it despite claims by food maker's. 
Metronidazole mixed with foods can help control this disease along with clean water but once fish has contracted it ,,bout all you can do is try and provide best care.It don't go away completely if indeed that is the ailment.
Folk's used to claim (some still do) that using carbon caused HITH, but too many folk's keeping same species use carbon and theyr'e fishes don't develop HITH.


----------



## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

A varied diet is one of the most misleading things said in fish keeping. A varied diet is only good if you are feeding top quality foods - to feed an inferior food in favor of a superior food, for the sake of variety, is not a good plan. The whole idea of having to feed a variety of foods is because they are all incomplete, and hopefully a bunch of incompletes make a whole. But if the food is incomplete like that, how good is it really? NLS is complete nutrition.

Most people feed their dogs the same staple food every day. Why don't they have 5 different bags of dog food? Because 1 is all that's needed.


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

jaysee said:


> A varied diet is one of the most misleading things said in fish keeping. A varied diet is only good if you are feeding top quality foods - to feed an inferior food in favor of a superior food, for the sake of variety, is not a good plan. The whole idea of having to feed a variety of foods is because they are all incomplete, and hopefully a bunch of incompletes make a whole. But if the food is incomplete like that, how good is it really? NLS is complete nutrition.
> 
> Most people feed their dogs the same staple food every day. Why don't they have 5 different bags of dog food? Because 1 is all that's needed.


Nothing misleading about offering a variety of foods all of which in combination can help prevent disease and ensure that the fishes aren't missing anything.
No fishes will benefit from one type of food offered, New life spectrum or any other.
I feed New life spectrum along with a variety of other food's as well, and it has served me well for forty plus year's.
Let me repeat ... NO fishes will remain helathy in the long term with one food as a staple no matter what the brand may be.


----------



## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

My point is to feed high quality foods. Feeding tetramin or wardley food just to add variety is not beneficial, and if anyone thinks that that's what it means to feed a varied diet, then IMO they have been misled. I could get a varied diet by eating at different fast food joints every night, but that doesn't make it a good diet.


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

jaysee said:


> My point is to feed high quality foods. Feeding tetramin or wardley food just to add variety is not beneficial, and if anyone thinks that that's what it means to feed a varied diet, then IMO they have been misled. I could get a varied diet by eating at different fast food joints every night, but that doesn't make it a good diet.


Agreed;-)


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

1077 said:


> Varied diet can help prevent HITH, but there is no food that on it's own can prevent it despite claims by food maker's.
> Metronidazole mixed with foods can help control this disease along with clean water but once fish has contracted it ,,bout all you can do is try and provide best care.It don't go away completely if indeed that is the ailment.
> Folk's used to claim (some still do) that using carbon caused HITH, but too many folk's keeping same species use carbon and theyr'e fishes don't develop HITH.



I do my best to keep a varied diet. I've heard that too, and I first tried to "cure" it without meds, but feeding beefheart, water change and blackwater extract. It didn't improve, and probably if I treated soon, he wouldn't still have this pox mark on his head. He's a really hearty guy, I will say. I rarely feed beef heart, as he doesn't seem to dig it that much. I feed frozen bloodworms, daphnia, mesquito larve (glass something?) and flakes. And the flakes are Omega brand 

Have to laugh. Putting the heading on this post, sure got me replies! :lol:
Gwen


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

Boy am I glad I don't have to buy my water for water changes - I do 80% changes.

What are your tap water parmeters, that you can't use it??[/quote]


Water here is pretty hard. ph is 8.4-8.6

The bottled water I buy is RO water and it has a ph value of 6.2

It does get to be a pain, because in the winter I have to fill laundry tub with hot, hot water to warm it up. In the summer, I can keep it in the car while I'm at work, and it's at about 83 degrees when I get home and can do a water change.

gwen


----------



## lorax84 (Nov 3, 2010)

Keep us updated Gwen, I keep rams and I have never heard of them being especially prone to HIH, so I would be interested to see how things go. 

As far as diet goes I feed NLS, crushed veggie wafers, bloodworms (frozen), microworms (when I have them) and whatever flake I have around. Usually I feed NLS 3-4 times a week and then something different each of the other days.


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

lorax84 said:


> Keep us updated Gwen, I keep rams and I have never heard of them being especially prone to HIH, so I would be interested to see how things go.
> 
> As far as diet goes I feed NLS, crushed veggie wafers, bloodworms (frozen), microworms (when I have them) and whatever flake I have around. Usually I feed NLS 3-4 times a week and then something different each of the other days.



I've never done veggie wafers. I'll do that today. What is NLS? Thanks! I've tried to take a picture, so people could see it, but he just moves too much to get a clear shot of something so small. I'm sure it's HIH. 

Gwen


----------



## lorax84 (Nov 3, 2010)

GwenInNM said:


> I've never done veggie wafers. I'll do that today. What is NLS? Thanks! I've tried to take a picture, so people could see it, but he just moves too much to get a clear shot of something so small. I'm sure it's HIH.
> 
> Gwen


NLS is New life spectrum, it come in a container with a blue lid. I currently feed NLS cichlid formula but all their food is really good. I used to feed my young fry NLS Thera+A. All NLS has garlic in it which supposedly helps prevent a lot of illnesses.


----------



## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Garlic's health benefits are well documented


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yep! I know for people in herbal medicine garlic is probably the single most potent "cure all," so I'm guessing it must not be that different for fish. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

hahaha, since we are on the subject, I wonder to what degree we feed ourselves as well as our fish....

I'm ordering a pizza for dinner


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

lorax84 said:


> Keep us updated Gwen, I keep rams and I have never heard of them being especially prone to HIH, so I would be interested to see how things go.
> 
> As far as diet goes I feed NLS, crushed veggie wafers, bloodworms (frozen), microworms (when I have them) and whatever flake I have around. Usually I feed NLS 3-4 times a week and then something different each of the other days.


Here's an update. Got home and saw, on the side of him, what is like a thin, thin, piece of something, whitish in color. He is still active and was ready to eat. I bought the NLS food, and decided I'm not treating the entire tank again (even though he's the only fish), but I do have an ammano shrimp, some baby RCS (that hide in java moss) and MTS in the tank. I set up my now empty 5 gal tank, and am treating him for I'm guessing a secondary infection, which I think is a fungus. I'm using API fungus cure. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but he gobbled up the NSL food (thanks for that suggestion) and seems just fine in his QT tank. I'll keep an eye on him. Poor guy, I'm not sure how he developed this, but perhaps with food with garlic in it, this will all end soon.

Gwen


----------

