Sick Jurupari

[edisondave]

Spike, my Jurupari does not look very well. He has like a white hole on the top of his head and also like a line of it above the top of his right eye. I noticed about 2-3 months ago the space where the white mark is between his eyes looked kind of caved in a little. I just thought maybe he hit it on the lid cause sometimes he will go up pretty hard to get food and bump the lid. Then about 3 weels ago it looked like it opened up and turned white, and about a week ago that white mark showed up over his eye also. And lately he has been hideing most of the time even when I feed them he just kind of stays back which is out of the norm for him. None of the other fish in the tank show any symptoms. From looking online I think it may be HITH (hole in the head disease), though I have not seen any pics that look as bad as Spike.

I have not added anything new in months and do about 40% water changes every 2 weeks, and I use Prime. He's in a 55 gallon with an Emperor 400 filter. I feed him Tetra Min Pro tropical crisps once a day and frozen bloodworms maybe 2-3 times a week. Also in the tank are 3 Bala sharks, 1 angel, 2 festivums, 7 red minors, 3 black tetras, and 5 ottos.Temps at 78, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 10, ph 7.4,with an api master kit.

I attached some pics, the best I could get. If anyone knows what this is for sure and can help me save him I would be very greatful. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[happygirl65]

Wow. Sometimes is it tough to diagnose these things. It does sort of look like and injury that perhaps got infected to me...it's hard t tell, does it look fuzzy at all or just sunken in?

If it is Hexamita (Hole in the Head disease) you may try treating with metrodinazole but you should quarantine this sick fish in any case and perform as many water changes as you can. If it is an injury, daily water changes may cure it, and no matter what else it could be the water changes will help.
Good luck to you. Keep us posted.