Hole in the Head

cplev · 11/04/2007, 03:46 PM

AHHH!!! I just noticed my Red Sea Sailfin tang is getting hole in the head. Anyone have a good recommendation to reverse the effects?

cplev · 11/04/2007, 06:48 PM

Anyone??? Help???

mikey3165 · 11/04/2007, 07:06 PM

what exactly is hole in the head? sry i cant help your problem but hopefully youll figure it out. good luck

LukFox · 11/04/2007, 07:19 PM

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).

kydsexy · 11/04/2007, 07:31 PM

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 · 11/04/2007, 07:59 PM

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 · 11/04/2007, 08:22 PM

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 · 11/04/2007, 09:04 PM

"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.

thor32766 · 11/04/2007, 09:59 PM

what are you feeding him?

cplev · 11/05/2007, 07:49 AM

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...

11/04/2007, 07:59 PM	#6
GoingPostal Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,517	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. __________________ Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can make a child look like a deer. *Jack Handey

11/04/2007, 09:04 PM	#8
Hormigaquatica Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 3,022	"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. __________________ Reaching up and reaching out and reaching for the random, or whatever will bewilder me. Have Some Personal Accountability Current Tank Info: 240g LPS/Softie Reef

11/04/2007, 09:59 PM	#9
thor32766 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chuluota, FL Posts: 6,072	what are you feeding him? __________________ "Live your life so no one has to lie about who you were at your funeral" click on my red house to see my tang compound! Current Tank Info: 29 gallon in Wall!

11/04/2007, 03:46 PM	#1
cplev Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gator country Posts: 59	Hole in the Head AHHH!!! I just noticed my Red Sea Sailfin tang is getting hole in the head. Anyone have a good recommendation to reverse the effects?

11/04/2007, 06:48 PM	#2
cplev Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gator country Posts: 59	Anyone??? Help???

11/04/2007, 07:06 PM	#3
mikey3165 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: new york Posts: 350	what exactly is hole in the head? sry i cant help your problem but hopefully youll figure it out. good luck

11/04/2007, 07:19 PM	#4
LukFox Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Los Gatos, CA Posts: 3,502	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).

11/04/2007, 07:31 PM	#5
kydsexy Moved On Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Middletown, CT Posts: 390	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.

11/04/2007, 08:22 PM	#7
MIKE ALERS Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: deltona fl. Posts: 742	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.

11/05/2007, 07:49 AM	#10
cplev Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gator country Posts: 59	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...