Help needed for lateral line disease

[Phaedris]

I have a Synodontis Eupteris that I've had for years. Beautiful fish, but in the last few years, it's developed head and lateral line disease. It has whitish area across the head and along the lateral line. No holes or pits, just a white shading. Otherwise, it seems fine in appearance and behavior.

I'm embarrassed to say that for a while I just gave up on trying to cure him. I've renewed my efforts and I recently did rounds of metro, and then 50%+ water changes every few days. No real changes in the past month or so. It seems the area around the head is a little better, but I think it may be just wishful thinking on my part. Lately, I've been keeping him alone in a 20g tank.

Two questions.
1. Does anyone have suggestions on a cure?
2. I'd like to move him to a larger tank, but that which would also include a few other fish. Is he likely to infect those other fish?

[joe_jaskot]

Here is a good article on lateral line erosion and treatment: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/disease/HITH-HLLE.php

[Phaedris]

Thanks, Joe. I'm guessing that since metro did not seem to help, maybe pathogens like Hexamita or Spironucleus vortens are not the cause in my situation. Or maybe they've been eliminated and return, or for some reason the symptoms remain. I just don't know. But I don't think I want to endanger other fish with this one. I guess that, as the author of that article mentions, I was hoping someone would be able to say "X causes HITH/HLLE" and here's the cure. I'll keep up the water changes and try to work on diet.

If anyone has had this problem and found something that worked for them, or even heard about a treatment, please let me know.