# Hole in the head on Red Severum



## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Hi,

Bad news, folks!

My red-spotted gold severum is getting hole in the head. I think the combination of being beaten up by the other severums in the 180 gallon tank, plus being isolated in a too-small 20 gallon hospital tank has caught up with him.

He's getting significantly large holes (1-2mm) around his eyes and on the side of his face  I swear this stuff is worse than ich!

I also see secondary bacterial and/or fungal infections on his gills and around his body! 

He's not eating much. I can occasionally (maybe every other day) get him to eat a mini-algae wafer which is soaked in multivitamin.

He's being treated now in my 75 gallon tank. He has been on Metro+ (Metronidazole med with some other stuff, for treating hole in the head) medication since Saturday. On Monday I added Tetra Fungus Guard to the tank.

When I ran out of metro+ on Sunday I started to dose daily with 100mg pure metronidazole per 10 gallons. Also added Tetra Fungus guard as I was starting to see secondary infections.

Last night I did a 30% water change and continued dosing with metronidazole daily.

I think his gill infection is getting worse and I'm still seeing new holes appearing on the side of his face. I ordered some kanamycin which should come in by later this week.

Not looking good...:-(

He's still somewhat energetic enough though, he attacked my grabber today when I was removing an uneaten algae wafer...

I should be getting more metro+ today (which contains metronidazole + nitrofurazone) which should be good for a few more days. Kanamycin will be coming in within 2 days. I plan to treat with all three.

Beyond that, I think I'm doing all I can do here...other than keep up on 30% water changes every other day. I also am trying to slip some metro+ medication into the food, but he isn't eating much.

Any other suggestions? I hope he gets better soon, it still seems to be getting worse...

-Zeke


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

Hey Zeke,
What are your actual water parameters?
I would bump the water changes up to 50% a day and take out any carbon(if you have any) try feeding him some fresh veggies instead of wafers(they won't foul up the water as quickly, plus he should be getting some fresh veggies frequently). hOPE HE GETS BETTER SOON.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

My 75 gallon tank is very understocked (just this red severum and 3 male guppies, which barely eat anything) so I think 30% every other day is appropriate. I don't have enough meds to do 50% change daily. the only food getting eaten is 1 algae wafer every other day, so very little waste to begin with. It's already very expensive to medicate as it is.

I can't really get good readings because the remaining tetra fungus guard in the water has discolored the water...Once it's purely on metronidazole and nitrofurazone tonight and I have clearer water I should be able to get some readings...I probably can do a 50% water change tonight and do a reading after that. Once on the new set of meds tonight I should be able to do daily parital water changes.

-Zeke



Manafel said:


> Hey Zeke,
> What are your actual water parameters?
> I would bump the water changes up to 50% a day and take out any carbon(if you have any) try feeding him some fresh veggies instead of wafers(they won't foul up the water as quickly, plus he should be getting some fresh veggies frequently). hOPE HE GETS BETTER SOON.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Can you put him in a smaller tank to treat. As water quality and nutritious food is what helps best along with antibiotics.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Nope, this is all I have right now. I don't care about the money at this point...I just want him to get better. I think I can also keep the water quality better in this 75.

-Zeke



susankat said:


> Can you put him in a smaller tank to treat. As water quality and nutritious food is what helps best along with antibiotics.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Thanks, I'll try some zucchini and/or peas tonight.

-Zeke



Manafel said:


> Hey Zeke,
> What are your actual water parameters?
> I would bump the water changes up to 50% a day and take out any carbon(if you have any) try feeding him some fresh veggies instead of wafers(they won't foul up the water as quickly, plus he should be getting some fresh veggies frequently). hOPE HE GETS BETTER SOON.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Hey Zeke! Sorry to hear about your fish.Like manfel said definately get rid of carbon if you are using any!There are many links that say carbon can be a contributing factor as it removes things needed in water along with "impurities".
Fresh vegatable and soaking with meds/vits is the best.Often hole in the head and lateral line erosion are linked to hexitima(a seperate disease) but also an internal parasite(why meds and vits need to soaked in food{got to get meds IN the fish}).
Good luck here's a link(sure you searched many already).
Freshwater Hole in the Head Disease Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

There's no carbon on my tank filters I do have a whole house filter which is carbon though, that may be causing problems. It does make my water very soft (<=1KH, 3GH)

-Zeke



coralbandit said:


> Hey Zeke! Sorry to hear about your fish.Like manfel said definately get rid of carbon if you are using any!There are many links that say carbon can be a contributing factor as it removes things needed in water along with "impurities".
> Fresh vegatable and soaking with meds/vits is the best.Often hole in the head and lateral line erosion are linked to hexitima(a seperate disease) but also an internal parasite(why meds and vits need to soaked in food{got to get meds IN the fish}).
> Good luck here's a link(sure you searched many already).
> Freshwater Hole in the Head Disease Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I would think for the "brief " time it is in contact for the whole house filter it is not the same as continued exposure,in the tank.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Yeah I don't use carbon anywhere in my tanks, only use on occasion to remove medication.

The whole house filter uses this cartridge: Pentek EP-20BB Carbon Block Filter Cartridge, 20" x 4-5/8", 5 Microns: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific


-Zeke



coralbandit said:


> I would think for the "brief " time it is in contact for the whole house filter it is not the same as continued exposure,in the tank.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Update:

He seems to be doing better now but not out of the woods yet. He accepted a pea. Might be stabilizing, don't see any new holes and secondary infections *may* have started to disappear (will check again in the morning, with better lighting)

Did a 50% water change tonight. And redosed Metro+. Temp at 78.6F.

Current water parameters: 

pH 7.4 (I beileve this is thrown off the remaining blueish tint from the tetra fungus guard I had previously used). I think the actual pH is more like 7ish.
ammonia 0 to 0.25 ppm(I am pretty sure the still-blueish water is making this a false reading of 0.25ppm).
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 1ppm (yellowish with slight orangeish tint). so definitely > 0ppm.

Btw I misread the metro+ ingredients earlier. It is a cocktail designed to treat hole in the head + lateral line degeneration (exactly what my severum has), including the following: 

metronidazole, sodium chloride (salt), synthetic polymers and a chelating agent. There is no nitrofurazone. Though there probably is a small amount of nitrofurazone left from the Tetra Fungus guard.

I'm getting kanamycin in later this week, will use this in conjunction with the Metro+.

-Zeke


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Fed the severum two peas this morning...still looks pretty infected though -- infected gills and body damage. The holes themselves don't appear horribly infected. Kanamycin ("Seachem Kanaplex") was delivered today, hopefully that in conjunction with the Metro+ will help with the healing process.

-Zeke


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