Frontosa Has Hole Where Hump Should Be!

[spiff]

Hi! About 3 days ago, I noticed that one of my frontosa has a small fresh looking scar on its forehead. Now, the scar has grown into an open cavity about 1 - 1.5 mm in diameter. The fish seem fine. Swimming, feeding and behaving apparently normal.

What is wrong with my frontosa and what should I do to correct it?

I have a 50-gallon tank that has been running for 7 months already. The tank is home to 5 frontosas which are now about 3-5 inches in length. I do regular 25% water changes every 10 days. But in the past 4 days, I have done 2 25%-water change and added a little bit more salt.

I have no way of testing the water parameters since test kits are hard to come by in this part of the world. But nothing significant has happened to the tanks in the past weeks. So I am pretty confindent that the water parameters are good/stable.

Thanks,

Spiff

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

It sounds like hole in the head desease to me, does it look much like this;

?

 

[WILDER]

http/www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html

 

[spiff]

Hi! The front only has one deep hole where the hump should be. I'm not sure, but the pics you posted have shallow holes/scar. Mine has an open cavity. But the fish continiue to do fine. It is still swimming, feeding and behaving pretty normal.

I continue to do water changes (20%) every 2 days. Will applying antibiotic ointment for humans on the area be a good or dumb idea?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Human meds are a no-no for fish, they will either damage the fish/kill it or not do anything. How long has the fish been like this? What and how much do you feed the fish on average?

 

[WILDER]

http/www.nationalfishpharm.com/articles.html

 

[spiff]

Hi there! BTW, first of all, thanks for all the replies/help I've been getting from you guys! It's really broadening my insights on fish diseases!

I just finished another water change and again added a bit more salt. The water temp is about 28-29C, which is the ambiant temp here at this time of the year. I observed that the cavity has gotten a bit smaller and the perimeter of the wound cleaner/more defined. (the edges of the cavity was a bit rough with skin and other tissues when this things started)

It has been about 6 days since I noticed the problem. I regularly feed them sinking pellets and earthworms about once every 10 days or so and fresh shrimps alternately. (Usually half day before the water change)

It's so frustrating not having a source of meds here in our place.

I was thinking, could this me caused by something going wrong with where the hump of the frontosa should be growing? I remember a while back when I noticed a pimple like lesion on the hump on the head of a friends parrot fish. The lesion was really like a huge zit. After a couple of days, I sort of popped and an open cavity was left. It healed by itself though.

Anyway, just a thought. I don't know exactly what the hump is made of. Is it filled with fat of something?

Thanks!

 

[WILDER]

I would issolate the fish if you can as if is has a big gaping wound on it's head, the fish has now been exposed to anything on top of what it had.