What is hole in head I am curious. saw some meds for it at the LFS Found an article but wanted to see if any one had experience with it.
hole in head disease
- Thread starter chaibill
- Start date
Hole in the head is a gradual errosion of the lateral line and eventually the skin on the head of a fish. It is generally seen in marine fish, particularly angels and groupers, and cichlids. There is a lack of understanding as to why this happens. Theories range from water quality to parasites to bacterial infection. It is generally not fatal but is unsightly.
As freshwater aquarists, we will mainly encounter HITH through Oscars and other cichlids. It is very unsightly and detrimental to the fishes health. Here's some good info about that was just posted recently on MFK: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167891
Here's an example of it (not my fish). Very sad indeed:
Here's an example of it (not my fish). Very sad indeed:
:iagree:
Also add poor diet to the list...since it is so hard to pinpoint the cause of HITH I doubt the meds you saw work...
Oh man, is that a dead Red Texas lying on the substrate in this pic?? (I know it's not your fish & tank...just thought you might know depending on where you got the pic from)As freshwater aquarists, we will mainly encounter HITH through Oscars and other cichlids. It is very unsightly and detrimental to the fishes health. Here's some good info about that was just posted recently on MFK: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167891
Here's an example of it (not my fish). Very sad indeed:
Haha, I didn't even notice a fish there until you pointed it out. Couldn't stand looking at the pick for very long, its disgusting and sad. I'm not sure what's there, just randomly pulled this pic off of photobucket. =/
The information is still progressing.
HITH/HLLE usually lumped together but more info is leaning towwards the possibility these are similar but different.
HITH(hole in the head)
HLLE(head and lateral line erosion)
HITH is usually associated with pin hole/pimple like injury. they eventually erupt forming a pit. this has been in almost all cases associated with flagellated protozoa which are suspected of infiltrating the gut and affecting nutrition uptake/utilization.
treatment recommends metronidazole to kill the protozoa and clean water with good food.
HLLE, occurs along the lateral line and head..the injury appear more linear. protozoa are not usually associated with this and it is suspected nutrition or lack of is the cause.
clean water is usually recommended in both cases to help the healing.
This is not set in concrete and studies are on going(last I understood)
IME, you can have a single fish in a species tank get this . this leads me to believe that some fish are more susceptible to this than others.
HITH/HLLE usually lumped together but more info is leaning towwards the possibility these are similar but different.
HITH(hole in the head)
HLLE(head and lateral line erosion)
HITH is usually associated with pin hole/pimple like injury. they eventually erupt forming a pit. this has been in almost all cases associated with flagellated protozoa which are suspected of infiltrating the gut and affecting nutrition uptake/utilization.
treatment recommends metronidazole to kill the protozoa and clean water with good food.
HLLE, occurs along the lateral line and head..the injury appear more linear. protozoa are not usually associated with this and it is suspected nutrition or lack of is the cause.
clean water is usually recommended in both cases to help the healing.
This is not set in concrete and studies are on going(last I understood)
IME, you can have a single fish in a species tank get this . this leads me to believe that some fish are more susceptible to this than others.
HITH/HLLE scares me to no end. I am almost paranoid over it as I have become very enamored by my O. Never thought that would happen in a million years!
As the others have stated, cause has yet to be determined. I have read reports of it being viral, bacterial, and even a case of the carbon (once removed condition cleared which leads me to believe that the source was located in the carbon and was not caused by the carbon itself). All agree on one point and that is water quality.
As the others have stated, cause has yet to be determined. I have read reports of it being viral, bacterial, and even a case of the carbon (once removed condition cleared which leads me to believe that the source was located in the carbon and was not caused by the carbon itself). All agree on one point and that is water quality.
I've only encountered this disease once (with my own fish). It wasn't nearly as advanced as that in the pic, but I caught it early and cured it within a week by doing large water changes and adding vitamin supplements to the fish's food.
my albino tiger oscar had this when i had him about 5 years ago. he sadly died. think it was from feeding him too much feeder fish that were not quarantined first.