markandhisfish
comfortably numb
what is hole in the head?
hole in the head , also known as head and lateral line erosion is a disease that mostly occurs in cichlids . "pits" or lesions will appear in the head and can also appear along the lateral line of the affected fish , if treated early , the prognosis is usually good , however if left , these pits will continue to get worse over time possibly leading to a secondary infection . if left like this , then this condition can prove fatal .
what causes hole in the head?
there are 2 main theories behind the cause of "hith" in fish . 1 is a flagellated intestinal parasite called hexamita . symptoms of a fish infected with hexamita can include lethargy , loss of colour ( in some cases particulalry discus fish can turn dark) , hiding away , and stopping feeding , along with tell tale long stringy white poo . it is believed that this parasite left untreated long enough leads to hole in the head. and whilst there is a certain truth in that , its not actually 100% accurate. fish showing symptoms of hexamita should be treated with a good anti intenral parasite med such as octozin by waterlife . or if you can get it metronidazole
so how can hexamita be linked to hole in the head?
basicly the true causes of hole in the head are poor water conditions / improper nutrition over a period of time . the parasite itself is not the true cause of hole in the head , but with fish suffering this condition more often than not refusing food , the fish becomes malnourished and then this opens the door to hole in the head. so in short whilst the hexamita parasite is not a true cause of hole in the head , it can certainly be considered a potential catalyst .
how can i prevent hole in the head?
prevention of hole in the head is simply a case of good husbandry. if you spot a fish showing signs of hexamita , treat it immediately with either the med suggested above , or if you can get it use metronidazole. neither of these are hole in the head medications.......there is no such thing as a true hole in the head medication. these meds both treat the hexamita parasite that can lead to hole in the head if left untreated.
if none of your fish are suffering from hexamita prevention is even simpler . its juat a case of keeping up on your regular waterchanges to maintain good water quality and meeting the nutritional needs of your fish with a good varied well balanced diet. these simple steps should ensure your fish remain free from the disease .
how do i treat hole in the head ?
as stated above metronidazole is NOT a hole in the head medication , it is used for the hexamita parasite . hole in the head is treated with excellent water quality and a nutritionally balanced diet . a good fish multi vitamin is a good idea at this point too. the only time any other meds are required is if a secondary infection takes hold . and any diagnosis/action taken should be decided as per the infection / symptoms.
so to sum up
if your fish show signs of hexamita this should be treated early to avoid the possible complications later
and for treating hole in the head your aim is to improve water quality nutrition and vitamin /mineral supplemntation.
hole in the head , also known as head and lateral line erosion is a disease that mostly occurs in cichlids . "pits" or lesions will appear in the head and can also appear along the lateral line of the affected fish , if treated early , the prognosis is usually good , however if left , these pits will continue to get worse over time possibly leading to a secondary infection . if left like this , then this condition can prove fatal .
what causes hole in the head?
there are 2 main theories behind the cause of "hith" in fish . 1 is a flagellated intestinal parasite called hexamita . symptoms of a fish infected with hexamita can include lethargy , loss of colour ( in some cases particulalry discus fish can turn dark) , hiding away , and stopping feeding , along with tell tale long stringy white poo . it is believed that this parasite left untreated long enough leads to hole in the head. and whilst there is a certain truth in that , its not actually 100% accurate. fish showing symptoms of hexamita should be treated with a good anti intenral parasite med such as octozin by waterlife . or if you can get it metronidazole
so how can hexamita be linked to hole in the head?
basicly the true causes of hole in the head are poor water conditions / improper nutrition over a period of time . the parasite itself is not the true cause of hole in the head , but with fish suffering this condition more often than not refusing food , the fish becomes malnourished and then this opens the door to hole in the head. so in short whilst the hexamita parasite is not a true cause of hole in the head , it can certainly be considered a potential catalyst .
how can i prevent hole in the head?
prevention of hole in the head is simply a case of good husbandry. if you spot a fish showing signs of hexamita , treat it immediately with either the med suggested above , or if you can get it use metronidazole. neither of these are hole in the head medications.......there is no such thing as a true hole in the head medication. these meds both treat the hexamita parasite that can lead to hole in the head if left untreated.
if none of your fish are suffering from hexamita prevention is even simpler . its juat a case of keeping up on your regular waterchanges to maintain good water quality and meeting the nutritional needs of your fish with a good varied well balanced diet. these simple steps should ensure your fish remain free from the disease .
how do i treat hole in the head ?
as stated above metronidazole is NOT a hole in the head medication , it is used for the hexamita parasite . hole in the head is treated with excellent water quality and a nutritionally balanced diet . a good fish multi vitamin is a good idea at this point too. the only time any other meds are required is if a secondary infection takes hold . and any diagnosis/action taken should be decided as per the infection / symptoms.
so to sum up
if your fish show signs of hexamita this should be treated early to avoid the possible complications later
and for treating hole in the head your aim is to improve water quality nutrition and vitamin /mineral supplemntation.
