Clownfish has holes in head

[kiran]

So I was taking some photos of my clownfish today, and when I opened them up in lightroom I saw these holes in his head. From what I read it can possibly be a parasite? Is there any way to treat it?

 

[polyppal]

Could be a form of HLLE, a condition rather than a parasite. Some things you might want to keep an eye on:

HLLE (Head & Lateral Line Erosion)

HLLE (Head & Lateral Line Erosion) - Updated 6-9-2023 What You Need To Know: * This is more of a condition than a disease, and is usually reversible if the erosion is not too severe. * Possible causes include: Stray voltage, Lignite Carbon, nutritional deficiency and copper exposure. Severe...

humble.fish

 

[Sebastiancrab]

@fishmedic

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I was taking some photos of my clownfish today, and when I opened them up in lightroom I saw these holes in his head. From what I read it can possibly be a parasite? Is there any way to treat it?

These pin size holes are known as erosion and associated with HLLE . It is often caused by a parasite : Hexamitid but can also be due to stress by some factors such as :
Activated carbon
Stray voltage
Nutrition deficiency especially if feeding exclusive flake and Pellet diet
Aggresion
Poor water quality

Prevention is more effective than medicating but you can use seachem metroplex added to foods . For foods, good additions are LRS fish frenzy, spirulina brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, small plankton

 

[kiran]

These pin size holes are known as erosion and associated with HLLE . It is often caused by a parasite : Hexamitid but can also be due to stress by some factors such as :
Activated carbon
Stray voltage
Nutrition deficiency especially if feeding exclusive flake and Pellet diet
Aggresion
Poor water quality

Prevention is more effective than medicating but you can use seachem metroplex added to foods . For foods, good additions are LRS fish frenzy, spirulina brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, small plankton

Is there anything about metroplex I should be aware of? I'm putting him in a QT with a few other fish that are in it (not going through any medication right now, just observing), and was wondering if it would be safe to use the metroplex with them in it.

Also yeah, I do only feed fish and pellet food. I have some mysis so I'll try feeding him that. Is it like ich where I have to fallow?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is there anything about metroplex I should be aware of? I'm putting him in a QT with a few other fish that are in it (not going through any medication right now, just observing), and was wondering if it would be safe to use the metroplex with them in it.

Also yeah, I do only feed fish and pellet food. I have some mysis so I'll try feeding him that. Is it like ich where I have to fallow?

Metroplex is good, easy to use and will benefit others who ingest it

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So I was taking some photos of my clownfish today, and when I opened them up in lightroom I saw these holes in his head. From what I read it can possibly be a parasite? Is there any way to treat it?

I consider those essentially normal for the white areas on a clownfish’s head, they are very commonly seen and do not increase in size like true HLLE does. I don’t treat for this if there are also not some other symptoms.
Jay

 

[Sharkbait19]

This has happened in my clowns, it’s never been a problem but it could have been associated with other issues.
I had moved them to a qt without carbon in the water (I had suspected brook anyway) and it did go away, so it’s possible there is an association to carbon. That said, it never came back when moved to the dt again (which ran carbon).

 

[kiran]

I consider those essentially normal for the white areas on a clownfish’s head, they are very commonly seen and do not increase in size like true HLLE does. I don’t treat for this if there are also not some other symptoms.
Jay

I appreciate the help, Jay. He seems to be perfectly fine swimming around happily and eats like a glutton.