Hole in the Head
- Thread starter cplev
- Start date
LukFox
Active member
What are you feeding it and what are your water parameters?If it's water quality, depending on the issue the cure will be different.
If it's diet, there are several things you'll need to do.You'll have to feed foods that are high in HUFA (highly unsaturated fatty acids), Vitamin A, Vitamin C (this is for tissue repair), and Vitamin G (this increases disease resistance). So said an article I read last year at least (it may have been the reefkeeping magazine on this site's home page even, I can't remember).
If it's diet, there are several things you'll need to do.You'll have to feed foods that are high in HUFA (highly unsaturated fatty acids), Vitamin A, Vitamin C (this is for tissue repair), and Vitamin G (this increases disease resistance). So said an article I read last year at least (it may have been the reefkeeping magazine on this site's home page even, I can't remember).
I dont think that your fish have HITH if in fact this is a SW fish. do you mind putting up a pic. HITH is most common with cichlids, but is caused by poor water quality. The combination of metronidazoel and chloromycetin. Your LFS should have them, they come in little blue tubes. Before you treat your fish, make sure to put up a pic and get a DEFINITE response before you treat for HITH.
GoingPostal
Active member
I think they mean HLLE which is very common in saltwater, especially in tangs. What's your water parameters/tank size so we can rule out stress and water quality, usually it's diet so feed lots of algea flakes, nori sheets soaked in selcon and add a grounding probe, who knows if they work but it sometimes helps.
MIKE ALERS
New member
i agree hlle is pretty common to tangs and its mostly because of bad diet.tang are mostly herbivores but a lot of people including some lfs feed them carnivore diet.but like 'goingpostal' said feed them nori soak in selcon and garlic"to estimulate appetite" and it should be fine.
Hormigaquatica
Active member
"Hole in the head" is a common name for a variety of erosive diseases, just like "Head and Lateral Line Erosion". They both describe essentially the same set of symptoms, and both are caused by a variety of things.
Commonly suggested causes:
Stray Volatge
Vitamin-poor diet
Protozoal infection
Weakened immune system due to overuse of Copper (esp. angels and tangs)
Poor water quality
So, get yourself a grounding probe, boost your water changes up, increase the variety of your fishes diet- make sure your sailfin is getting his greens! Supplement foods with something like VitaChem.
If that approach doesnt work, consider quarantining the fish and treat it with metronidazole. Thats worked for me before with really difficult cases.
Commonly suggested causes:
Stray Volatge
Vitamin-poor diet
Protozoal infection
Weakened immune system due to overuse of Copper (esp. angels and tangs)
Poor water quality
So, get yourself a grounding probe, boost your water changes up, increase the variety of your fishes diet- make sure your sailfin is getting his greens! Supplement foods with something like VitaChem.
If that approach doesnt work, consider quarantining the fish and treat it with metronidazole. Thats worked for me before with really difficult cases.
Sorry, Yes Head and Lateral Line desease. I'll get pics tonight for you guys.
LukeFox, I found an article on reefkeeping.com talking about many possible problems but little for answers.
The water params are fine. I don't have the exact numbers here but I did check before I did my schedule water change on Saturday (5% every 2 weeks).
For food, I mix it up between Nori, Ocean Nutrition Prime reef flake, ON Form#2 flake, Form#1, Form#2, and spirulina Frozen food.
I did recently add some activated carbon into the sump. Can that possible cause it?
I've had the fish for 2 years but this is the first I've seem him with this.
Of course he is acting normal...
LukeFox, I found an article on reefkeeping.com talking about many possible problems but little for answers.
The water params are fine. I don't have the exact numbers here but I did check before I did my schedule water change on Saturday (5% every 2 weeks).
For food, I mix it up between Nori, Ocean Nutrition Prime reef flake, ON Form#2 flake, Form#1, Form#2, and spirulina Frozen food.
I did recently add some activated carbon into the sump. Can that possible cause it?
I've had the fish for 2 years but this is the first I've seem him with this.
Of course he is acting normal...
