# hole in head treatment for discus



## peteski312 (Feb 15, 2008)

anyone have a good remedy or name of medication that can help my discus with hole in the head?


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## CherylH (Jul 22, 2004)

You might want to visit here http://forum.simplydiscus.com/ for info on discus care.


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

I love discus. Ive bred them for years'. 
Hole in the head (also knows as hexamita) is actually caused from a deficiency or certain enzymes associated with a healthy discus diet. Eg. if you feed them nothing but blood worms all the time they will likely get hole in the head in a matter of time. if you add spirulina powder to you bloodworms and or feed vegetable flakes you can avoid hole in the head but once it is there a stable diet and medication is the only way to rid your fish of it.
The internal form of Hexamita are flagellated protozoans found in the gastrointestinal tract of a wide variety of fishes. They frequently infect discus. Spironucleus may be a distinct organism from Hexamita, as it is longer and possibly more sinuous, but for practical purposes, both organisms appear to cause similar clinical responses. These parasitic protozoa are very motile. The flagella are usually not easily seen. Many times infections are not apparent. This disease is characterized by poor condition, weight loss and death. The fish may also show excessive nervousness, turn dark in color, and hide in the aquarium. 

Again, Metronidazole is the drug of choice for internal Hexamita. Use 1 teaspoon per pound of food (frozen food is preferred). Thaw the food and mix the Metronidazole into it. Return the food to the freezer, and once frozen you are ready to start the treatment. Feed it to the fish once a day for a minimum of ten days. Do not feed the fish any other foods during this treatment. The treatment may take longer according to the condition of the fish, and the severity of the disease.


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## CherylH (Jul 22, 2004)

Jazzlvr

I'm not up to date on the latest info, which I why I just referred to simply discus. The last I'd read (a long while ago) was there was controversy as to whether the HLLE and Hex were 2 separate illnesses that tended to occur together or were one in the same.

I don't know how current this info is.

says they are 2 distinct conditions
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/disease/hexamita.php
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/disease/holeinthehead.php

says they are an internal and external form of the same condition http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/articles/hexamita.html

Do you have a link to current info where they've decided they are one in the same? What I knew (old knowledge) does agree with your advice--with the addition of improving water quality. I've wondered if agreement had ever been reached.


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## peteski312 (Feb 15, 2008)

THe sick discus is a blue snakeskin about 3 1/2 inches. Glad to see that metro. is the medication of choice as this is what i have been dosing for 3 days now. I have only been dosing the water though, dont think i can do the frozen treatment due to the fact that i didnt catch the hole in the head til a little late. The discus hasnt been eating too much and yesterday i went to the LFS and bought a portion of blackworms to feed, which it LOVED! As far as future feeding i will try the spirulina mix with frozen. Hoping the wounds progress a little more and my $60 fish doesnt end up in the toilet. Additional notes include 2 or 3 half tap half ro water changes a week. Dose my dry flake and freeze dried bloodworms with kent zoe.


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## CherylH (Jul 22, 2004)

If it's still eating, you'll have a lot better shot at treating it. Soak the food in the metro for an hour or so before you add it to the tank.


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## peteski312 (Feb 15, 2008)

Alright, so the hole in the head hasn't gotten any worse, but not better. It ONLY eats live blackworms and dosing a 65 with metrodenizole is a pain. What now?


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

you need to introduce some veggies into their diet mix some veggie flakes and or spirulina powder into their bloodworms if you want to see improvement Hole in the head is caused from an imbalanced diet. eg. feeding nothing but brine shrimp for a prolonged period of time


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