Red Devil with a problem...

[fish fanatic]

Hey. Just got a relatively quick quesiton, but regarding a kinda big problem. In a 55 gallon tank that I set up about a month or two ago, I have a Red Devil. Just the other day, I happened to come across a case of hole in the head. I've never actually dealt with this, and am not exactly sure on what to do or if there's even anything I can do. If anyone could give me some advice on this, it'd be greatly appreciated. ~Sara

[100Grand]

My managuense "jaguar" cichlid (see sig) had hole-in-the-head (we'll call it "HITH") around mid life. It had gotten quite bad. I was able to cure it with a medicine that can be bought at any good pet or fish shop. Just ask “do you have anything for hole-in-the-head?” and they should accommodate you. I had to treat it twice, probably due to my own fault. The most common reason is bad water conditions. I would suggest getting a water testing kit to make sure your water is good.

HITH is caused by a combination of poor water conditions, stress, and the accidental scrape or fighting wounds. The bacteria that causes it are allways in the tank. It is the environment that makes the fish vulnerable to it. The fish has a protective layer of slime to protect it from such things. Think of it as a force field.

I don't know if it would go away on its own with better conditions. My best guess it NO. Your best bet is to treat it with the HITH medicine. This med will kill off the offending bacteria and allow your fish to get well again. Remember to take the carbon out of your filter when you treat. The carbon will filter out the medicine.

[ February 08, 2002: Message edited by: 100Grand ]</p>