Hole in head?? Please help!!!

[vinnie coyle]

Hi guys,

Happy Holidays....

Just noticed a few small holes on both sides of my Thai Silk Flowerhorn's head. Can u guy take a look and give me your thoughts,

I done a 50% WC 2 days ago, and my temp went up 3 degrees but I got it back to normal 27 degs by the time tank was full. This was my first WC, since receiving this fish..

I also had a small amount of salt in the aquarium about 350ppm, I did not replace this during WC, as I only added it to helpvwith stress moving to my tank, as he was shipped overnight.

My parameters are all normal. 0,0,5 and my PH has not changed from before WC.

I did notice he was swimming quite aggressive anytime I go near tank after WC. He still is hence not so great pics..

He is eating everything as normal.

Any help would be much appreciated...

 

[vinnie coyle]

Better oic

 

[kno4te]

Don’t see the area with the pic blown up. Can you repost with the area in question isolated?!

 

[vinnie coyle]

Don’t see the area with the pic blown up. Can you repost with the area in question isolated?!

Hey,

Sure let me try to get better pic...

 

[vinnie coyle]

Hey,

Sure let me try to get better pic...

Not sure if you can see much better, but he has a line of small holes running down horizontal from both eyes.

It's hard to get a pic of him,. He won't stay still. He seems stressed...

 

[vinnie coyle]

Not sure if you can see much better, but he has a line of small holes running down horizontal from both eyes.

It's hard to get a pic of him,. He won't stay still. He seems stressed...

View attachment 1350882 View attachment 1350883

Doing some googling, I'm not sure if it's the beginning of "Hole in the head".

The holes seemed to be on the lateral line.

 

[kno4te]

Don’t think those are eroding and considered hith. Maybe I’m missing it. Keep an eye on it. Offer a good pellet. Keep the water pristine. Monitor.

 

[vinnie coyle]

Don’t think those are eroding and considered hith. Maybe I’m missing it. Keep an eye on it. Offer a good pellet. Keep the water pristine. Monitor.

Nice 1... Thanks..

I panicked when I saw them today...

And will do. He's my first FH, , only have him a week..

Have a good selection of dried foods, flakes and pellets, and he eats them all, and going to be doing a 40-50% weekly WC..

Ill keep ya posted how he gets on..

Thanks again...

 

[-Oscarmon-]

Good luck, I hope for the best.

 

[duanes]

All cichlids have sensory pores in the head area, as part of the lateral line system, some more than others
Take the Stomatepia pindu below, some of the white areas (emphasized by the cameras flash) are sensory pores that help it detect prey hiding in mud and leaf litter.

That said, as any cichlid grows, your water change schedule should be increased in volume, and frequency, to reduce stress, and stress from poor water quality is a major cause in fish getting Hole in the Head.
If when your cichlid was 1" and got a 10% water change per week, at 5 ", they may need a weekly 50% water change to stay healthy, and dilute the by-products of metabolism and fish urine.