Hole in head disease on Oscar

[perla123]

Hi guys.

I have 2 Oscars and one of them has Hole in head. I've been treating it for a week now and I see no difference. I tested the water and is perfect. I have done everything you can read about online. I made water changes, lower temperature; I have been feeding them a variety of food, got the medication and nothing.

Any body has experience with this?

 

[borzoimom]

Yea- whats your ph, alkaline and ammonia levels in the tank? and what meds are you using to treat it?

 

[borzoimom]

I use to use a combination of two medications. Here is the first one
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+4756&pcatid=4756
here is the second. Remove your carbon from your filter before adding these meds then do a 1/4 water change after wards.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+4845&pcatid=4845
Also add aquairum salt to the water as this helps the hardness of the water for the medications to work better.

 

[perla123]

I don't have the test results with me since I'm at work. I will post them to day when I get home. The medications name is metronidazole.

 

[perla123]

I use to use a combination of two medications. Here is the first one
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+4756&pcatid=4756
here is the second. Remove your carbon from your filter before adding these meds then do a 1/4 water change after wards.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4615+4845&pcatid=4845
Also add aquairum salt to the water as this helps the hardness of the water for the medications to work better.

Thank you!. I already added the salt in the water and removed the carbon from filter. I will try those medications and see what happens.

 

[borzoimom]

Good- Maroxy is broad spectrum and with the parasite meds should take care of it if caught in time. Hole in head can be parasitic or infection- either way you have covered both directions.
I use to put aq. salt in my tanks all the time. Helps even stress coat etc work better in the tank. The water being more braine in nature is less likely to get a bacterial infection.

 

[perla123]

Thank you. lets see what heppens when I add the other medicaton. should I put them in the water at the same time?

 

[borzoimom]

Thank you. lets see what heppens when I add the other medicaton. should I put them in the water at the same time?

Yes- remove the filter and replace a new one without the carbon. The reason for changing the filter is to remove any residue if this is bacterial. You will want to keep that filter in If I remember right 48 hours, then change the filter, and do the water change. I use to do 24 hours if obvious signs of improvement, 48 if not. Also turn your light off. Bacteria needs light to grow so turn light off during treatment. With Oscars they like a dark night so you should be turning off the light anyway at night.

 

[borzoimom]

Thank you. lets see what heppens when I add the other medicaton. should I put them in the water at the same time?

Also you can get teh same medications at any petsmart but its in tablets. So I use to get a little cup of aq. water, disolve the tablets then add to the tank. Also take a good look at your feeder gold fish if feeding. Many times this condition comes from the feeder goldfish as they were sold not as " healthy pets" but the culls..

 

[perla123]

OK.

He is acting normal, still eating and very active. He took a bite out of me the other day wile I was putting food on the tank LOL(I guessh e was realy hungry) He actualy jump and bit my hand

 

[borzoimom]

Thats a good sign.. When I use to get feeder golds I would keep them in a tank seperate for a week. Its a good indication if the fish were infected.

 

[perla123]

How long did it take for your Oscar to get better?

 

[borzoimom]

How long did it take for your Oscar to get better?

Marked improvement in 2 days. The body took about 2 weeks to heal completly.. You can tell its geting better if the white appears at the hole. The head is making new "skin" to cover it. However- if you have another oscar in that tank that might be a problem. Do you? Oscars are predatory in nature.

 

[perla123]

Thats a good sign.. When I use to get feeder golds I would keep them in a tank seperate for a week. Its a good indication if the fish were infected.

I realy don't feed them feeder fish. I have been told that your fish can get any sickness that the other fish have, so you have to be very careful.

 

[perla123]

Marked improvement in 2 days. The body took about 2 weeks to heal completly.. You can tell its geting better if the white appears at the hole. The head is making new "skin" to cover it. However- if you have another oscar in that tank that might be a problem. Do you? Oscars are predatory in nature.

What do you mean by predatory? If you mean that they fight. No, I have never seen them fight. they are always together, where one goes the other one follows.

 

[borzoimom]

I realy don't feed them feeder fish. I have been told that your fish can get any sickness that the other fish have, so you have to be very careful.

I use to give feeders once a week. The rest were pellets etc. I would get feeders and keep them a week in a seperate tank. ( knowing they were healthy). A Oscar is a hunter and of course- I support raw diets no matter what species.

 

[perla123]

there is some white covering the hole! maybe its healing alredy.

 

[borzoimom]

What do you mean by predatory? If you mean that they fight. No, I have never seen them fight. they are always together, where one goes the other one follows.

If you have two Oscars in that tank the one not infected might go after the ill one. If you have two oscars in that tank get a tank screen to divide the tank

there is some white covering the hole! maybe its healing alredy.

Could be but maroxy is a stronger and also remember that hole in the head could be parasitic..

 

[Angel Chicken]

First off, hole in the head will take alot longer to cure than one week.

You see, HitH is caused by generally poor water parameters. This isn't to say that it's you that is making it bad, but it could be your filter.

Do you have a undergravel filter, or is it a HOB (hang on back) filter? If it is a HOB, does it have Bio-Wheels?

How big is your tank?

How many other fish are in the tank?

I ask these because it can give me a better idea about your tank, and what can be done to prevent HitH from coming back. Most times, even when treated, it will come back, and keep coming back. If I know your tank specs then I can help you better.

Borzoi, please, please, please stop giving people advice when you don't know what the hell your talking about. The advice you gave her could potentionally could kill her fish.

 

[perla123]

If you have two Oscars in that tank the one not infected might go after the ill one. If you have two oscars in that tank get a tank screen to divide the tank


Could be but maroxy is a stronger and also remember that hole in the head could be parasitic..

Ok I will divide the tank.

Thank you a gain.