clown loach with hole in the head

[catdogfish]

Hello all,

ph 7
nitrites 0
nitrates 20

sorry, cannot remember GH etc.

4ft tank, bogwood used to creat lots of caves, fine smooth gravel, fluval cartridge filter. 30% weekly water changes.

Inhabitants: 5 inch grumpy catfish, 5 clowns, 2 botia striata, 1 2 inch golden plec, 8 neons, 4 rasbora, 2 barb.

Food: flake, tubiflex, sinking pellets

Right, that's the details out of the way. I know the 4ft tank is not big enough for the clowns. In my defence, they are 2 inches at the moment and it is my hope that the regular water changes dilute any hormones that might lead to stunting. 6 ft tank has been ordered and, once matured, should be ready to go in 2 months.

One of my clowns has not been coming out much recently. I lifted a piece of bogwood yesterday and saw him and noticed he has hole in the head. Quite a bad case of it it seems. He has at least 5 or 6 white holes and his dorsal fin has a hole in it. At first I thought it was scarring, perhaps from a fight, but having looked at hole in the head pictures it appears identical.

Has anyone else experienced this with their clowns?

I have done some research and it appears that Water quality is a big factor. Mine seems fine though. Other factors include stress (the clowns often have to fight for their space in their favourite cave as the catfish likes to have it to himself) could this be a cause? Diet, I have tried blanched cucumber, courgette and spinach but none of my clowns seem interested. And finally, some sources say it could be a pathogen.

I have bought more bogwood to creat more caves in case they are gettign stressed out. I also added aquarium salt with yesterdays water change following recommendations from another source.

I'm reluctant to try medicating as i) I don't want to make the clown worse, and ii) I cannot find any medication in my LFS that mentions Hole in the Head as one of the diseases it treats.

I'd be grateful for some advice please. I might even be able to add a fuzzy mobile picture if this might help.


Many thanks in advance.

[mickthefish]

there is a treatment you can use but it's expensive and will only cure depending on how early you caught the disease.
it's a product of waterlife called octozin.
best of luck with it, but if any of my fish get it ,they are put down straight away.

mick

[catdogfish]

sorry, just realised this should be in the treatment section. I'll put it there now.

[catdogfish]

Thanks, I'll look into it.

It is hard to tell if it is affecting him that much. Other than being shy he/she still appears to be eating and looks nice and plump.

[catdogfish]

this is now in the treatment section but I thought I'd add a pic here too.


Thank you for the help.