Hole in the Head

[Mackie]

I've just noticed my Salvini has hole in the head. There seems to be two holes around it's left eye and a couple more around it's body. I've moved it to another tank that's about 10 gallons before it spreads. What is the best treatment for this.
My water chemistry is:
PH-7
GH-6
KH-3d
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-between 25 and 100 ppm

 

[William]

Lacking a solid answer as to what causes it in the first place, I would recommend all of the following:

1. Keep the tank as clean as possible- the bottom should be regularly cleaned, with frequent water changes (and I do mean frequent--at least every few days or even daily.) Try to provide as clean and stress-free an environment as possible at all times, not just when your fish actually get sick.

2. Treat for Hexamita. Given the frequent association of Hexamita with Hole in the head, this seems like a prudent step to take, and if nothing else, it can help with other infections possibly present. Indeed, most cases of Head and Lateral Line Erosion seem to respond to Metronidazole. (Metronidazole is used in most hole-in-the-head medications or can be readily found in common anti-protazoan medications like Paragon II.) You could also try giving magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) orally, and raising the tank temperature to 95F (35 C) for seven days. (1) Many commercial products like Hex-a-mit contain Metronidazole, or it is available under the name "Flagyl" to pharmacists and veterinarians.

 

[cichlidmaster]

One other thing to keep in mind.....

The disease is cureable, but the erosion (holes) are there for good. They will not heal up.

You may also want to try a product called Dick Boyds VitaChem. It is a liquid vitamin supplement that works wonders for HITH and lateral Line Disease..

 

[Mackie]

I don't know what caused it. I bought three Hopping Pikes about two weeks ago and they started of a small outbreak of white spot which i've managed to get rid of but the Salvini likes to hide a lot so i can't say for sure if it got it around the same time. Maybe it came from them? But saying that they don't have it. God knows.

Thanks for the info anyway

 

[cichlidmaster]

Mackie,
No one knows for certain what causes HITH, but all usually agree it is in combination with poor water quality.

What is your tank maintanence schedule like? You should be doing 15-20% water changes weekly as well as vaccuuming your gravel bed every other time.

I recommend every other time for the gravel due to not wanting to disturb the bacteria colonies to much.

 

[Mackie]

That's what it is. i must be disturbing the bacteria to much as everytime i do my weekly water change i give the gravel a good going over and get the vacuume right in deep, churning it all up, plus i use it every 1 or 2 days to get rid of the rubbish that builds up at one end of my tank where the water movement is calmest.
It's got to be that.

 

[cichlidmaster]

Nope don't think so...

By the sounds of your water change schedule plus cleaning up the leftovers every few days, your water should be crystal clear.

Do you clean your filter at every water change as well? If so, do your rinse it under the tap or do you wash the filter material in old tank water?

If under the tap you will be destroying the majority of the bacteria (this is where the greatest bacteria live).

One other question....what else is in your tank (fish wise)?

 

[Mackie]

Yeh..i clean the filters every week and use the old water that i've just vacumed out as not to kill off the bacteria. The other fish i have in there are 2 chocolates, 2 nic's, 2 Tetracanthus, 2 pikes, 1 aura, 1 fenestratus, 1 maculicauda, another salvini and 2 plecs. All juvinile's, the biggest being about 5".

 

[cichlidmaster]

What size tank do you have all these in?

 

[Mackie]

Sorry i took so long to reply, i've been at work. It's a 5x2x1.5 (60x24x18). I think it holds roughly about 75-80 gallon (imp).