White patch on Bolivian ram?

[Tacocat]

my male Bolivian ram has this weird white patch on his right side. He’s had it for a number of months and it’s never seemed to affect his behaviour or appetite. He’s even in breeding colours and chasing the female for breeding attention.
I didn’t post in emergencies because it didn’t seem that bad, I’m just a little worried because the spot has been getting bigger. It started on just the outside of his gill plate and spread to his entire right face.

 

[Tacocat]

I know it's not ich because
A): it hasn't spread to other fish at all
B): It looks nothing like the standard ich spots
C): We had an ich outbreak recently and dosed the appropriate amount of medicine, and this patch was there before it.

 

[CassCats]

This looks to be hexamita, hole in the head.

You need metronidazole to treat it. Cichlids are more prone to this disease. It is a protozoan disease but also can be associated with poor water quality. Some ich medications can impact your filter bacteria, so it's possibly a secondary cause if your parameters are affected from previous treatment.

 

[Tacocat]

This looks to be hexamita, hole in the head.

You need metronidazole to treat it. Cichlids are more prone to this disease. It is a protozoan disease but also can be associated with poor water quality. Some ich medications can impact your filter bacteria, so it's possibly a secondary cause if your parameters are affected from previous treatment.

I actually just found another guy from a different forum with a blue ram that present almost identically to my bolivian ram: https://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/threads/help-blue-ram-with-skin-problems.291108/

There's a bit of an argument going on in the comments and I don't really think it's HITH because there is no physical hole, more just like a patch of white stuff. Some people are thinking excess mucous, which seems more realistic, especially because this patch has been on the fish for months and has not spread whatsoever, nor has it seem to taken notice.

 

[MaloK]

It looks bacterial or fungal... HITH looks like pimples that leaves open sores.

But the sores can rapidly become covered with fungus and bacteria that will complicate diagnostic.

indeed.

 

[Back in the fold]

This has been a while in the making huh ? @MaloK what say you to a salt water dip ?

 

[CassCats]

The reason I'm leaning HITH is because the sores are forming on the sensory pits of the face and also starting down the lateral line of the fish too. That is suspicious of HITH, where fungal or bacterial wouldn't prioritize those areas.

Circled you can see what I mean.

While yes, it can generally start as a pimple looking infection, it can also form just as erosion and become coated in a white film.

Can compare, my elderly ram has had hith, only 2 sores started as pimples. The rest started as erosion and inevitably was covered in white film coming from the wounds.

Notice the spots starting to erode along the sensory pits away from the larger one that did start as a pimple type wound.

 

[Back in the fold]

@CassCats Your pictures and explanation make your case very well . I think you’re right .

 

[MaloK]

I was about to answer @Back in the fold That we should wait for @Tacocat to reply on the question about any

Pimples and sores.

 

[CassCats]

Even if i am wrong in this case, metronidazole will take care of the infection as well, it's both an antibiotic and antiprotozoan.

 

[Back in the fold]

I was about to answer @Back in the fold That we should wait for @Tacocat to reply on the question about any

Pimples and sores.

Do you think that fish is too far gone ? In my experience fungus like that never gets better .

 

[MaloK]

@CassCats

While you made a good point... But... It still looks like a picture of said found civilization on mars to me... Without something better... I would not conclude on that.

Do you think that fish is too far gone ? In my experience fungus like that never gets better .

IF Metronidazole does not work. I would conclude to at least a fungal infection in addition and go with the classic. Maracyn and salt. That will successfully control true fungus.

In case of external parasites.

You could even give it a good hit with a strong 48 hrs bath in any good ich medication.

If you want to go real hard. Methylene blue, Malachite green, ich medication and salt.

Now you have to gauge that to the fragility of the species treated... The fish doesn't have to like it... But It must survive.

The aim is to strip it completely of it's body slime. Then move it promptly to another absolutely clean QT.

I you do it right, the fish can return in the tank in about a week and will show apparent sign of relief immediately after.

Sometimes they don't come out. But letting it go without intervention is out of the question for me.

 

[Tacocat]

@CassCats

While you made a good point... But... It still looks like a picture of said found civilization on mars to me... Without something better... I would not conclude on that.



IF Metronidazole does not work. I would conclude to at least a fungal infection in addition and go with the classic. Maracyn and salt. That will successfully control true fungus.

In case of external parasites.

You could even give it a good hit with a strong 48 hrs bath in any good ich medication.

If you want to go real hard. Methylene blue, Malachite green, ich medication and salt.

Now you have to gauge that to the fragility of the species treated... The fish doesn't have to like it... But It must survive.

The aim is to strip it completely of it's body slime. Then move it promptly to another absolutely clean QT.

I you do it right, the fish can return in the tank in about a week and will show apparent sign of relief immediately after.

Sometimes they don't come out. But letting it go without intervention is out of the question for me.

I unfortunately cannot acquire metronidazole here in Canada, as there seems to be a sort of ban. I did find some other anti-hole-in-head treatments but I think Canada has a ban on fish antibiotics.
I will try to get some better pics but the fish isn't cooperating.
Should I isolate now?

 

[MaloK]

I unfortunately cannot acquire metronidazole here in Canada, as there seems to be a sort of ban. I did find some other anti-hole-in-head treatments but I think Canada has a ban on fish antibiotics.
I will try to get some better pics but the fish isn't cooperating.
Should I isolate now?

No... Until your treatment strategy is not established. it's no use.

Search on amazon Canada for Metrocleanse, there's still sellers that ships and make a good stock of it. This thing will last decades in clean storage.

 

[CassCats]

I unfortunately cannot acquire metronidazole here in Canada, as there seems to be a sort of ban. I did find some other anti-hole-in-head treatments but I think Canada has a ban on fish antibiotics.
I will try to get some better pics but the fish isn't cooperating.
Should I isolate now?

Canadian here too.

Amazon.ca