Sick Uaru

[hooya43]

Tank size:40 gallons


tank temp:80-85 degrees

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):fish is acting normal but has small lesions or holes on his head. there are very faint white ghost patches on the head also the holes are not red, they appear to be small chunks of meat missing.also, water has been cloudy for 2 weeks even with bi-weekly 25% water changes

Volume and Frequency of water changes:change 25% a week 25% twice a week during water cloudy period (2 weeks)

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:I add Amquel plus, novaqua plus, and cycle with each water change. I added salt as a medication a week ago.

Tank inhabitants:1 adult Uaru, (tetras all died)

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

Exposure to chemicals:went through fin rot a month ago and treated tank with triple sulfa 2 times. started treating with pimafix yesterday.

Digital photo (include if possible):

 

[Colin_T]

The fish has hole in the head disease or head & lateral line disease.
It is brought about by overcrowding, poor water quality & dirty tanks.
The cloudy water could be caused by a filter problem and too much food breaking down in the water. Reduce the feeding and do daily 50% water changes and gravel cleans for a week. Then treat the tank with some Metronidazole, available from the vet. Keep an eye on the water quality and if there is any ammonia or nitrite readings then do some water changes to dilute them. Only ever wash filter materials out in a bucket of tank water and not under the tap.

 

[hooya43]

The fish has hole in the head disease or head & lateral line disease.
It is brought about by overcrowding, poor water quality & dirty tanks.
The cloudy water could be caused by a filter problem and too much food breaking down in the water. Reduce the feeding and do daily 50% water changes and gravel cleans for a week. Then treat the tank with some Metronidazole, available from the vet. Keep an eye on the water quality and if there is any ammonia or nitrite readings then do some water changes to dilute them. Only ever wash filter materials out in a bucket of tank water and not under the tap.

are you totally positive of your diagnosis? I have had Mr. Fish for about 8 years now. I would hate to lose him. and what do you mean by filter problem? Changing too often? It is possible that he is over fed. I cannot post a photo because i dont know how to make it small enough.I could possible e-mail a photo to a private address to confirm the diagnosis thanks

 

[Colin_T]

It sounds like it is hole in the head disease. It is very common in cichlids and is characterised by small pits or holes appearing around the face and head. These will produce a white puss like substance that washes off and is sometimes seen but sometimes you don't see it. Over time the holes get worse and cause the skin to erode away. It can also spread along the lateral line on the body.
If you google hole in the head, or Hexamita, then there should be some info on it. Hexamita causes the disease.
Waterlife Octozin (from the LFS) or Metronidazole (from the vet) should clear it up.
If the water is a milky cloudy colour then it is caused by food and waste breaking down in the water. A healthy established biological filter will convert the waste into nitrates. If the filter has been damaged by chemicals/ medications, or by being washed out under tap water, then there won't be enough good bacteria to keep the water clean, and it will go cloudy. Too much food or food that is left to rot in the tank will also cause the water to go cloudy.
Cloudy water often has an ammonia reading which will cause significant stress to fish in the tank, and possibly even kill them.
When fish are stressed out they produce excess mucous over their body. This can appear as a cream coloured film or patches on them.