Whar is on my discus face?

[Nichole1984]

Hi,

I am very concerned with what I have seen tonight on my discus face. Could anyone please help me out with what this might be? I've had these discus for 2 and half years and never seen this before.

Thanks

 

[MaloK]

While less common in Discus, This look more like Lymphocystis, but could still be Hexamita at early stage. If it continues to grow looking like cauliflower, I would tend to think about Limphocystis, but if it starts to cave in, Hexamita.

Both are located at place discus doesn't get injured often.

Can you see the texture, is it fluffy and soft or rough and hard looking ?

 

[Nichole1984]

While less common in Discus, This look more like Lymphocystis, but could still be Hexamita at early stage. If it continues to grow looking like cauliflower, I would tend to think about Limphocystis, but if it starts to cave in, Hexamita.

Both are located at place discus doesn't get injured often.

Can you see the texture, is it fluffy and soft or rough and hard looking ?

Thank you for your reply. It is soft looking. I was wondering if it could be ich also?

 

[MaloK]

Thank you for your reply. It is soft looking. I was wondering if it could be ich also?

Ich looks like salt grains of different size, in a smaller range. If it's soft and fluffy it could be bacterial or fungal...

 

[Innesfan]

Not ich. Given that it's on a Discus and around the head, the odds are it's Hexamita, aka 'hole-in-the-head.'

 

[Nichole1984]

Can anyone recommend best treatment for it?

 

[CassCats]

Metronidazole is the medication of choice for hexamita

 

[Nichole1984]

Thank you everyone for your help. I can't get metronidazole here in Australia, so looking for an alternative

 

[MaloK]

I searched Amazon Australia for every Hexamita meds I know and found none.

I will still give you the list maybe you could be luckier on your side. In addition to water quality, and improve vitamin/mineral supplementation and nutrition. If you can get any of these, would help.

Seachem Metroplex
Hikari Metro+
Fritz Metrocleanse
Fritz Paracleanse
Discus X Hexa X
Waterlife Octozin
Api General Cure
eSHa Hexamita

 

[Nichole1984]

Only thing I can find is API melafix. Api general cure is no longer available in Australia! It's very frustrating, I'm just trying to help my fish out! I do weekly water changes, and test my water every week. There was nothing that wasn't normal. I feed them all API food, plus frozen brine shrimp, frozen discus mix. And I put zucchini in their tank once every 2 weeks.... zucchini I have grown myself, so I know it's organic. I have 5 discus in the tank, have had them for over a year and the first time I've ever had anything like this. I am in a routine with water changes, so a little perplexed where this has come from. I appreciate everyone who has replied. Thank you.

 

[Nichole1984]

I searched Amazon Australia for every Hexamita meds I know and found none.

I will still give you the list maybe you could be luckier on your side. In addition to water quality, and improve vitamin/mineral supplementation and nutrition. If you can get any of these, would help.

Seachem Metroplex
Hikari Metro+
Fritz Metrocleanse
Fritz Paracleanse
Discus X Hexa X
Waterlife Octozin
Api General Cure
eSHa Hexamita

Anytime I looked up any of the products you listed API melafix came up... starting to think it might be my only chance. My discus are very large, so pretty stressed about them, especially the one that's infected.

 

[MaloK]

What is your water temperature ?

 

[Nichole1984]

26 celcius

 

[Nichole1984]

26 celcius

I have 2 glass cat fish, 3 cory, and 2 brislenose in with them

 

[MaloK]

26 celcius

Ok, while it's on the upper tolerable... Slowly raise it to 28-29 in the following week. Warmer water increases the discus's metabolism and can help their immune system fight off pathogens.

If you could relocate the glass, cories, bn for the time being and raise the water temp up to 30-32 would be even more beneficial. some peoples suggest to go even higher. It's not a complete treatment but it put more chances on the side of the fish. Some parasites and other microorganisms that might contribute to HITH don't thrive as much at higher temperatures.