HITH / LLE

[Grummie2]

How common are these ailments in wild fishes (Hole in the Head / Lateral line erosion) ? Does it affect the same species in the wild as it does in captivity ? If so, has any info been gathered as to water conditions/time of year/food availability etc of affected fish ? I'm trying to find some cause/trigger for this ailment and hopefully a possible prevention/cure(?). I know water conditions need to be pristine but is there anything else we're missing ?

[Graham Ash]

Hi Graham
What you are talking about are two different problems, that probably require two seperate solutions.

HITH is usually associated with the presence of Hexamita and/or Spironuclus bacteria. The bacteria are usually kept under control using a proper antibiotic.

HLLE however, is now thought to be an auto-immune condition precipitated by enviroment or social stressors.

Evidently numerous attempts at isolating a guilty pathogen have failed, making the choice of which chemical to use completely unwarranted.

I personally only keep South American cichlids - those who keep Rift Lake Cichlids do not often meet with either of the above problems.

However with SA fish we do seem to get this problem.

Yes - it is brought upon by a lack of plentifull water changes, but it is also thought that this may be coupled to the feeding of too large a food items to some SA fish.

In particular I keep satanoperca and Crenicichla - I havnt had either in Crenicichla but I have had it a couple of times in some Satanoperca -

I would say that it seems to take hold in only certain fish - ie I have had it in S.acuticeps and S.daemon - but not in S,lilith - I have also had it in S.leucosticta but not in either S.pappaterra or S.jurupari.

The judging is still out on this one, we probably need a good fish based scientist to take hold of it coupled by a few dozen expeirenced SA fish keepers to have a go at coming to some sort of conclusion on both the subjects.

I have heard people try to say that the two are the same - but they are not -
The answer is out there - Ive done an article for the BCA on the subject - we shall see
Graham