Hole in the head!!!!

[scottso]

Hi, all!!! I'm new to the forum...My fish has hole in the head BAD!! it has bout 5 holes, to be exact. Is there anything I can do, or should I just let nature take its course? Thanks a lot, guys!!!

Scottso

 

[tttnjfttt]

First of all, can you please check and post your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, temperature, tank size, tank occupants, and also the diet you feed the fish?

 

[scottso]

First of all, can you please check and post your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, temperature, tank size, tank occupants, and also the diet you feed the fish?

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Ok, my ph is 6.8, I don't have an ammonia nitrite or nitrate tester, (lost my all in 1 test strips) but I can bring a sample to the pet store, so I'll have that for you later. My tank is 20 gallons, long version, and I've been feeding Wardley vegetarian flakes, freeze dried blood worms and occasionally fresh black worms. Hope that helps at least some for now. Thanks for the quick response!!!

Scottso

 

[Tolak]

What type of fish, & what other tankmates?

Tolak

 

[scottso]

Sorry, I missed that part. I'm not really sure what type of fish it is. It was a gift from a friend. There are 2 plecos, an angel, and 2 painted tetras in with it. Here's a pic if that helps at all. You can't see the holes in its head, but you can see two red sores on its side. I think this is related. The scales are also protruding from these red sores. Thanks again, people!!!!

Scottso

 

[black angel]

Its not hole in the head. It looks like an ulcerative disease caused by bacteria. You need to start by doing water changes each day of around 30% to bring the bacteria count down and buy a med for ulcers.
How often and how much are you doing water changes and do you gravel vac? Filtration as well must be good and are you cleaning the sponge regularly in old tank water?
Did you notice if they were blisters that burst or did they just appear like that and are they red rimmed?

 

[webcat5]

The pic is kind of fuzzy but here is a few suggestions.

Pale shallow lesions on skin, plus other symptoms such as hollow-bellied appearance, 'pop-eye' colour loss and listlessness.Wasting disease/Fish TB

Treatment: Separate fish carefully as this disease can infect humans! If the condition persists painlessly destroy the fish. This condition can only be treated by a vet and is not recomended for the average fish.

Lesions, Ulcers or sores on the body, plus reddening at the base of fins and vent.Ulcer disease

If the fish is still eating feed the whole tank antibiotic medicated flake or pellet food. If it is more advanced and the fish is not feeding separate it and add nifurpirinol or if unavailable an antibiotic that is similar.

Both of these diseases are caused by bacteria.

Hope this helps.

 

[scottso]

Sorry, I should have specified, it definately has hole in the head, (maybe two separate illnesses?) but the pic is WAY too fuzzy to see it, and the fish wasn't cooperating, either. It literally has muscle tissue (I hope its not more serious) hanging out of one of the holes in his head. Those marks on its side are BRIGHT red, also. Like the same colo4 your skin turns if you itch a bug bite until it bleeds. I did a 75% water change, replaced with filtered water, and replaced the filter cartrideg. I use a tetra 30 gallon filter for a 20 gallon tank, so that should be sufficient. I vaccum the gravel about every other month, as the filter does a pretty good job keeping it clean, and water changes are sually 25% monthly. Let me know if you need more info on this. Thanks for the quick responses, everyone. They are well taken.

Scottso

 

[tttnjfttt]

Honestly, hole in the head is litterally just that, holes in the fish's head. I have never seen them elsewhere on the body, especially in the areas that you have circled.

Here is a picture of what HITH looks like.

I seriously think it is ulcers, simply because of the muscle that is now exposed. I have never heard of muscle being exposed as a result of HITH. Check out these links (with pictures) about ulcers.
http/www.fbas.co.uk/Ulcers.html
http/fish-helpline.co.uk/health/ulcers.html

 

[webcat5]

Hole-in-the-head Small holes appeare in the body, especially the head region, which gradually develop into tubular eruptions. Very often, yellow, cheezy strings of mucus will trail from the lesions, leading some to believe that the fish is suffering from a 'worm infestation'. Affected fish will not eat and develope hollow bellies and have pale stringy poop. Lesions may also develope at the base of fins and along the lateral line.

From what I can tell your fish does NOT have this disease.

 

[black angel]

You need to step up on your water management. Doing water changes once a month is not enough. It should be done at least once a week. I would suggest doing 30% twice a week just now with gravel vacs both times. Clean out your filter once a week by rinsing it in used tank water.
You have a big bacterial problem in your tank and you need meds to kill off aeromonas and other nasty bacteria. Are you uk? Interpet do an anti bacterial treatment which should kill it off in your tank. As for the fish, clean water is needed
and hopefully secondary infections will be kept at bay.
good luck.

 

[scottso]

I must not have been very clear in my descriptions, and for that I appoligize. There are Definately very clearly holes on its head, but my cam wasn't cooperating, and I didn't get as clear of a shot as I hoped. They look about as big around as a sewing needle. The holes are NOT visible in the pic, but the sores on its side are clear enough to see. However, the pic doesn't show the color of them well. They are literally firetruck red!!! And the scales around it are protruding. I am sure these were both caused by the same problem, but they are in different places. Again there are very visibly holes in the fish's head right between and above his nostrils, and there is stringy stuff hanging out of one of the holes. Thanks for all the help. And please bear with me, as I'm not sure I was too clear on the description prior to this post.

Scottso

 

[black angel]

Hole in the head is really down to poor water quality, which you can rememdy with more and bigger water changes. The ulcers and anorexia will be secondary infections.
I have found this link for you to have a look at
http/www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html

 

[webcat5]

Hole-in-the-head The best way to treat this disease is with medicated fish food, or with dimetridazole or metronidazole, both of which are only available with a vetrinary prescription. Ask your local aquarium shop about the availability of treatments. In cases of the marine form of this disease, success has been reported using vitamine C supplements in the diet. Stray voltage due to poor grounding of electical equipment has also been suggested as a cause.

I told you in an earlier post how to treat the ulsers that are on the sides of your fish.

 

[scottso]

Thanks, everyone. You've all been a lot of help. Looks like I have a little work ahead of me. Thanks again, everyone!!!

Scottso