Blue Tang Hole in Head

JamesP · Apr 25, 2017

So i got done with an antibiotic treatment and put my blue tang back in the dt. After a day or so it starting eating again. Antibiotics really messed up its appetite. As it is picking at the seaweed on a clip this morning, I noticed one of the sensory pores on its head is a little larger than it should be. This is new as I have had this fish for years and I just started seeing the small hole today after a quarantine treatment.

I guess it is caused by it not eating for days due to antibiotics but I wanted to make sure there isnt something else i should be doing. Im feeding frozen marine zooplankton soaked in selcon daily as well as a sheet of seaweed that is offered all day and removed ay night if not finished.

This isnt a parasite is it? This poor guy just went through a tough time with copper, prazipro, and antibiotics so i cant imagine it being a parasite. If i look up hole in head, or hlle, i see a million different proposed causes and nobody agrees.

Humblefish · Apr 25, 2017

HLLE and Hole In The Head are two completely different things.

HLLE is more of a condition, described here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hlle-head-lateral-line-erosion.259916/

Hole In The Head is an internal parasite caused by various species of the protozoan parasite genus Hexamita: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/internal-parasites-intestinal-worms.267419/

If your fish is being afflicted by Hexamita, you should also be seeing stringy white poop coming out of him.

JamesP · Apr 25, 2017

Ok so hexamita is out because no white poop. Ill try to get a pic when the lights are on tomorrow.

JamesP · Apr 28, 2017

Been working late so sorry for the delay. I was able to get a pic of the hole this morning under blue dusk lights.bno stringy poop. Was in qt and got pretty stressed before I noticed it so maybe HLLE since not hexamita?

4FordFamily · Apr 28, 2017

JamesP said:
Been working late so sorry for the delay. I was able to get a pic of the hole this morning under blue dusk lights.bno stringy poop. Was in qt and got pretty stressed before I noticed it so maybe HLLE since not hexamita?

That's a pretty good close up pic. Looks more like HLLE to me but up close the holes look really dramatic and have me second guessing. Waiting for the HumbleChief!

Humblefish · Apr 28, 2017

@JamesP Can you post a photo of the entire fish? So I can see how these holes compare to the rest of his body.

JamesP · Apr 28, 2017

Sure, ill do it this evening. It was being skiddish this morning and i was lucky to get that shot before i left for work.

JamesP · Apr 28, 2017

I think bigfoot is easier to get a photo of than this fish. Wouldnt stop moving but I got the best few shots here.

Humblefish · Apr 28, 2017

I'm pretty sure that's just the beginning of HLLE: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hlle-head-lateral-line-erosion.259916/

Hippo Tangs are notorious for getting it.

JamesP · Apr 28, 2017

It had a tough time with all the different treatments to get it disease free. Copper, prazipro, and antibiotics. Didnt want to eat for days after antibiotics. Now its back to full hunger. I feed two little fishes purple seaweed daily and a cube of san francisco bay frozen food with selcon daily as well which i rotate for variety.

Do you think it has a good chance at reversing itself? This never happened before treatment, but it had visible ich and looks a lot happier now. Nice clear skin and good color.

Humblefish · Apr 28, 2017

JamesP said:
Do you think it has a good chance at reversing itself? This never happened before treatment, but it had visible ich and looks a lot happier now. Nice clear skin and good color.

Start feeding vitamin enriched foods and lots of nori, and I think it has a good chance of healing. It was probably the copper which caused it.

JamesP · Apr 28, 2017

Thanks once again for the help. Im learning so much from you guys in the last few weeks its crazy.

jeff williams · Apr 29, 2017

Humblefish said:
HLLE and Hole In The Head are two completely different things.

HLLE is more of a condition, described here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hlle-head-lateral-line-erosion.259916/

Hole In The Head is an internal parasite caused by various species of the protozoan parasite genus Hexamita: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/internal-parasites-intestinal-worms.267419/

If your fish is being afflicted by Hexamita, you should also be seeing stringy white poop coming out of him.

Will Prozipro cure hole in the head I've read hexamita is cured with metronidazole just curious cus I have a fresh water tank with a few fish that I inherited with hith

4FordFamily · Apr 29, 2017

Humblefish said:
I'm pretty sure that's just the beginning of HLLE: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hlle-head-lateral-line-erosion.259916/

Hippo Tangs are notorious for getting it.

I agree.

JamesP · Apr 29, 2017

jeff williams said:
Will Prozipro cure hole in the head I've read hexamita is cured with metronidazole just curious cus I have a fresh water tank with a few fish that I inherited with hith

I have some Hikari Metro+ and it says it is good for hole in head and HLLE. Im not sure how they can claim it helps with HLLE if it is not a real disease, but it says it works for hole in head.

JamesP · Apr 29, 2017

She's more photogenic today. Such a beautiful fish.

Humblefish · Apr 29, 2017

jeff williams said:
Will Prozipro cure hole in the head I've read hexamita is cured with metronidazole just curious cus I have a fresh water tank with a few fish that I inherited with hith

No, you'd have to use metro for Hexamita. Preferably in food.

Breadman03 · Apr 29, 2017

JamesP said:
Thanks once again for the help. Im learning so much from you guys in the last few weeks its crazy.

Forums are really great, so long as one has some skill at sorting wheat from chaff.

Just think back to the days of card catalogs at the library and how much the veteran reefers were really flying solo. Today, we can call for help from the aces 24/7 and have help in minutes.

Humblefish · Apr 29, 2017

Breadman03 said:
Forums are really great, so long as one has some skill at sorting wheat from chaff. Just think back to the days of card catalogs at the library and how much the veteran reefers were really flying solo. Today, we can call for help from the aces 24/7 and have help in minutes.

+1 I prefer the forum format over something like say, Facebook, because you can actually do research on here. Look for a consensus answer to your question by using the search function. On FB, you're at the mercy of whoever happens to answer your question.