# OHHHH NOOOO RHOM HAS HOLES IN HEAD HELP



## ironjaws (Jan 19, 2004)

I have been keeping piranha for 12 years straight and I have never had a problem like this. Please help. My rhombeus along with other rhoms currently in circulation are getting some kind of hole in the head disease. Whatever it is attacks the armor plating above the gill near the top of the head. I have seen many rhoms with this condition lately including mine. The holes are not usually small round ones like an Oscar with hole in the head gets, these are larger odd shaped deep holes. Like puzzle pieces. After the armor plating falls off and a hole forms it will heal back amazingly quick and the hole will fill in. The holes are usually very clean,(not usually infected) very white flesh in the hole. But the armor plating does not come back, just a softer flesh. The fish always acts fine... eats normal. The holes can be smaller to VERY large. Anyone having this experience? Or know what it is and how to prevent it? I never saw pygocentrus with this condition, only larger rhoms. Please help all of us having this problem.

Thanks,
Ironjaws


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## phil (Feb 15, 2003)

can you provide some pics


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## ironjaws (Jan 19, 2004)

Only pics I have are after healing. It just shows scars, and the scars don't reduce in size. They are the same size as when they occured though. The scars don't darken up all the way like the rest of the flesh. It stays a little whiter. I will try to post pics, but I have to use someones digi-camera. Please help in the meantime.
Thanks in advance.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

My understanding of HITH is that it is caused by poor water quality.


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## mattmatt123 (Nov 13, 2003)

my brother inlaw had this problem with his oscar, you should go and get some medication right away. The oscar ended up dieing bcuz of this.


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## ironjaws (Jan 19, 2004)

poor water quality has nothing to do with it. That is a sure thing. I'm not all that sure we can even call this HITH. There are a lot of people with this problem. All of the Large rhoms I know of are having this problem. It is kind of like the armor plating where the gill connects with the head flakes off and forms holes.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

What have you been feeding them? Have you considered a vitamin supplement?


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## ironjaws (Jan 19, 2004)

I have been using peat along with Kent blackwater extract and Marc Weiss Instant Amazon. Usually I only feed goldies or smelt. I try to gut load the goldies, but I don't know how much nutrition the piranha gets from that especially when the goldies only get to eat good for 2 days then GET eaten. What vitamin supplements to you recommend and how should they be administered?Thanks DonH.


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## ironjaws (Jan 19, 2004)

Don:

Also, I think I might have noticed that when the water is more acidic they don't get this strange disorder. Maybe it is a parasite that does this that can't live in acidic waters. Like I said, many rhoms I know of have this problem, not just mine. We try different things to try to prevent this from happening, and acidic water is as far as we've come to controlling it thus far. Can HITH form holes large and puzzled shape and grow at a rapid rate? It's like the boney plate on the head just falls off.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

There are many probable causes for HITH. High nitrates, continued use of activated carbon (which I don't believe is true), nutrient deficiency, and internal parasitic infection (hexamita). For nutrient deficiency, usually a more varied diet (various fish fillets, shrimp, earthworms, etc.) will help. You can also soak prepared foods in a liquid vitamin supplement available at your LFS.

Not sure, but I don't think acidic water can control it. (If that were the case, discus would not get them.) If the HITH is parasitic in nature, you should notice long, string feces that has a clear, white outer casing. The treatment would then require elevated temperatures and metronidazole.


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## ironjaws (Jan 19, 2004)

Yeah, I forgot to mention. He doesn't have white stringy poopo. Big, Nice, dark logs like a rottweiler. Your discus theory is true, never thought about that. :thumbup:Anything else you can think of? Do you recommend water soluable bird vitamins? And can they be overdosed. Maybe only give them every few feedings? Thanks for your help. We and the rhoms appreciate it. Don't you have a big rhom? Does your have any previous signs of this condition? I also haven't been checking my nitrates, so I'll try that now. I always use carbon and plan to continue using it. I hope your right about it not being that. I agree, it shouldn't cause the problem. I know it sound dumb, but would you refer to my fish as having hith even though it doesn't look like normal Oscar and discus-like holes?


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