Hole In The Head

[othello]

Hi my Dwarf gourami has been in my community tank for about 4 months. He had been healthy & happy.
I change 25% water every 2 weeks and do a quick poop scoop change of about 10% water change the other week.
I have been treating the water for parasites with Cupermine, I have been checking the copper level and has just been under .5mg/l.
Just over the last 2 weeks and noticably worse this week my Gourami has about 4 sores over him.
I treated the water with with octozin, a 3 day treatment.
Should I put him in a hospital tank? Or leave him in the community tank.
My last gourami died after having him in a hospital tank with the octozin treatment, he was pretty stressed, breathing hard and gave up after about 4 days.

I would really appreciate some advice on treating him.
Thanks

My community tank is 150lts. I have 6 platys, 6 congo tetras, 2 bolivian rams, 14 neon tetras and a kising gourami as tank mates. The water temp is about 27-28 cel, 80-82 f. PH about 6.5-7. Ammonia and nitrates are fine.

 

[smooth_bourbon]

Sorry about your fishie. Do you have Carbon in your tank? I don't personally think you should take him out since you are aleady treating him in that tank. Hole in head is usually associated with poor water condition. By poop scoop change do you mean gravel vacume?

 

[OrganizedChaos69]

Normally I would leave my fish in the main tank, much to many peoples diagreement, and treat the entire thing. But If you have scaleless fishes such as loaches, and weaker fish like neon tetra, I would reccomend removing the sick fish and isolating him. (The reason I would normally leave him is because he doesn't need the stress of being capture if he is that sick, and also as a precautionary measure, just in case another fish may be becoming sick with no visible symptoms yet.

Hole in the head is a verey common cichlid disease, and also fairly common in gouramis. Characterized by intial white cloudy patches that appear above theeye, Eventually it becomes apparent that they are eating a hole into the fishes head. Normally this is a result of poor water qaulity over time. Please tell us what exactly "fine" is. Tell us the exact levels.

Hole in the hea dis normally caused by bacteria, but can also be worsened by parasites who take advantage of the sick fish. Medicated food, in addition to anti bacterial medicines that say they cure hole in the head disease can save the fish. Also parasite killing meds can help, but using multiple medications at once can be dangerous, so make bacterial meds the priority.

Also are the holes particularly bloody, and are they in other places besides the head?

 

[othello]

Thanks for the replies.
First there is no carbon filter, I have a bio-filter, I removed the carbon panels. I gravel vacuum the bottom of the tank once a week.
Annomina level = 0, Nitrates = 0.
I'll go and get double checked at the Auaquirum store again today.
As to double treating. It was 2 weeks since I used the cupermine before adding the octozin but should I remove the copper from the water - I'll have to add the carbon panels to do this.

He has 1 hole above each eye, 1 on his back, and 1 in his dorsel fin. Stringy poo. He is eating - I vary the food, Spirulina flakes, tropical fish flakes, shrimp flakes and once a week frozen blood worms. Sometime they get the small betta pellets, my bettas won't eat them!

I agree with you about moving him. I have the hospital tank set up just incase. But it really stresses them out. I think that was a big factor in the last one dying.

 

[OrganizedChaos69]

Hmmm I have a feeling the tester you are using is faulty. Definately get it checked asap. It's almost impossible to have 0 Nitrates. Nitrates are essentially to algae and plant growth and are the end product of the tank cycle. Normal tap water can range from 20-100 ppms of nitrates. A good and normal range is between 10-20 ppms of nitrates.

And in addition if he is still lively ands eating then it is indeed likely hole in the head. The only other possibility that comes to my mind is hemmoraghic septicima which is similar, but normally bloody, and causes the fish to become lethargic.

 

[othello]

hi again, just got back from having the nitrates and nitrites tested. He didn't give me numbers but said both were healthy.
When you say "bloody" do you actually mean? because there is no sign of blood and the sores are greyish white patches.
He is hiding just now. This is the first time he has done this. The other one that died did the same.
Is it contagious will my dwarf cichilids be at risk?
Thanks

 

[OrganizedChaos69]

It is contagious, but not highly contagious. Just treat it with the meds, and if prudent or possible, isolate it in a medicated tank. If theres no blood then it is hole in the head, so go with the bacterial treatments at your local pet store.