A common disease the affects mainly cichlids, discus, Gouramis, Oscars and various other tropical fish is hole in the head disease. The cause is not known for hole in the head disease. There are however theories that have linked various conditions to this disease. It usually takes a combination of factors to cause the symptoms of this disease to appear.
Causes:
Hexamita- A flagellate parasite which starts in the intestinal tract and spreads to various other organs such as the gall bladder, abdominal cavity, spleen and kidneys. When this spreads it will cause lesions common to hole in the head disease to appear. Small threads with parasitic larvae contained in them will begin to come out of opened lesions. More serious even deadly diseases can develop from these as the fungal or secondary bacterial infections develop in the openings in the lesions.
Mineral/vitamin imbalances- Activated carbon has been linked to the increase of the disease by some aquarists. It is thought that the removal of beneficial minerals in the water is done with the use of carbon. There are those that think Hexamita organisms growing in numbers in the intestine from the mineral imbalance can cause the absorption of vitamins and minerals vital to fish to decline.
Stress- Things such as poor nutrition, too little room and bad quality of water can increase the likely hood of hole in the head disease. It is more common in older fish leading to the belief that the immune systems decline is a variable in the presence of this disease.
Signs of Hole in the Head
Pit type lesions along the lateral line and on the head that could be mind to begin with and worsen if untreated are a sign. The environment has to change and treatment has to begin to avoid the holes increasing in size and other infections from developing. If treatment is not done then the infections can become so severe the fish will stop eating and eventually die.
Treating Hole in the Head Disease
Improving the quality of the fish’s water supply, vitamin or mineral supplementation, nutrition and getting rid of the Hexamita are common steps used in the treatment of the disease. Antibiotic metronidazole is used to treat the take that the infected fish are in. There is a constant need to correct the quality of the water that the fish live in. Giving the fish fresh or frozen meaty foods and vegetables can help with the improvement of nutrition. (The Oscars are carnivores and the cichlids are mostly vegetarians.)
There are other antibiotics that are also used sometimes to treat this disease. The fish that are affected by hole in the head disease should be put into a tank by themselves and treatments should start immediately.
The environment in the aquarium will affect possibility of hole in the head disease occurring. Filters under gravel and canister filters in aquariums often have more occurrences hole in the head disease in them while it is rare with Bio-wheel filter; so you want to be aware of the type you are using.
Hole in the head disease can be prevented by reducing the stress of your fish. It doesn’t matter what the cause of the stress is. This disease is a real possibility for your fish tank if you own any discus, Oscars or cichlids. So you wan to be sure and do all you can to prevent it.
Resources:
http://www.peteducation.com/ar ticle.cfm?cls=16&cat=1791&arti cleid=2586
http://www.aquariumfish.net/in formation/hole_in_the_head.htm
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