CL HITH???

[David R]

I recently moved my largest 7 CL's from my 80g (which they shared with 14 other smaller CLs) to my 160g with the green aro, ornate, etc. The tank is fairly new, but established and with good water, regular changes, pH ~6.8 and at 27C. About a month after moving them I noticed some strange white markings on one of the loaches (around 10cm) and isolated it thinking it was the onset of a whitespot epidemic which I certainly didn't want to spread to the other big loaches (the largest is about 18cm). Since then the spots have developed into what looks like hole in the head disease (see pic). I've never heard of it before in loaches, and the fish had a good varied diet which they have all had for years (frozen shrimp, hikari cichlid gold, shrimp pellets, courgette, bloodworms, etc). The fish is still isolated in a bare bottom 20g, and I've been doing daily 15% water changes, temp is at 28C.

Does anyone know what it is, and how I can treat it? All the other loaches are fine, and I've moved the other 6 back to the 80g (which will be upgraded to a larger dedicated CL tank in the new year).

And here's a pic of the other 6 being acclimatised back into the 80g.

[chefkeith]

It sounds like you're taking excellent care of the quarantined loach. Sometimes just improving the water quality will help. You might also want to add some antibiotics to the water, like a combo of Maracyn I and II. A one week week treatment should be enough.

It will probably take a few months for this to heal. You might even want to treat the fish for parasites, just to be sure. That's what I'd do. I'd use a wide spectrum med, like Jungle Parasite Clear.

I know you said the water is good, but what exactly is the nitrate level in the main tank before and after each water change?

[Diana]

If it is HITH (I also do not know if Loaches can get it, but it is not just a Cichlid problem) then Metro is the medicine you want. I will search a little bit and see if I can link a few items.
Good nutrition, clean water (nitrates under 10 ppm if at all possible) are always part of any treatment.

http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/articles/hexamita.html

http://www.dallasdiscus.com/Hexamita.htm

[budman369]

think ive got the same thing as u mate.[/img]

[Diana]

Sometimes minor injuries can look like this, too. Are there sharp rocks or something they may have banged into? Loaches can get moving pretty fast when they are playing.