# Hole in head



## panda.lover (Nov 22, 2012)

What is hole in head and how do fish get it?


----------



## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

Malnutrition usually. As the name suggests. Holes in its head. Gaping holes. Discus are the most common example.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 LTE


----------



## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Its exactly as it sounds. Fish get small holes in there head. They grow bigger overtime. Its common with large cichlids. ex Oscars. Its very common with them.

I havnt read about it in a while but from what I can remember theres no 100% proven reason on why they get it. Some say it happens from poor water quality. 

One thing I remember reading is that if you use a filter with a bio wheel. Hole in the head wont happen. Not sure if thats true but worth a try.

Google it and look under images. You will see what it looks like


----------



## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

I've read a few articles and they seem to contain conflicting information. I believe that water quality or lack there of is the main contributer to HITH. I've also heard of malnutrition/vitamin deficeincy as well as a proazon being causes. Perhaps there is no one cause but a culmination of many.


----------



## kacairns (Apr 10, 2012)

jbyoung00008 said:


> Its exactly as it sounds. Fish get small holes in there head. They grow bigger overtime. Its common with large cichlids. ex Oscars. Its very common with them.
> 
> I havnt read about it in a while but from what I can remember theres no 100% proven reason on why they get it. Some say it happens from poor water quality.
> 
> ...


I've got a sump with 2 bio-wheels and I've got a betta that has hole in the head.

As for my water, I at most go 2 weeks without a water change, sometimes I change upwards of 80g during a water change if I've got a build up of nitrates/phosphates so doubt I have poor water quality and I feed a variety of foods and the bettas are first one to it so I can rule out malnutrition as well!

In my case, I would just say, it got it because it got it, nothing I could change that would affect it.


----------



## panda.lover (Nov 22, 2012)

This is a hard one to figer out. I have good water and feed flakes, algee wafers and blood worms on rotation. It popped up on one of my fish. I have him in the hospital and I think its looking better. there is no more red spots and the grey has gone whiteish pink.


----------



## fishykisses (May 11, 2010)

i believe it can also start with an injury.


----------



## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

kacairns said:


> I've got a sump with 2 bio-wheels and I've got a betta that has hole in the head.
> 
> As for my water, I at most go 2 weeks without a water change, sometimes I change upwards of 80g during a water change if I've got a build up of nitrates/phosphates so doubt I have poor water quality and I feed a variety of foods and the bettas are first one to it so I can rule out malnutrition as well!
> 
> In my case, I would just say, it got it because it got it, nothing I could change that would affect it.


Im just giving you a hard time but unless you raised that betta from an egg in the tank with the bio wheels, your test isnt accurate. Ive worked at a petstore. Ive seen the shape bettas are in when they arrive. I have no idea how old they are when they get shipped. They live in tiny bowls. He could of had hole in the head when you bought him due to bad water conditions. Bio wheel saving fish from hole in the head might be possible. LOL. Someone should raise a few large SA Cichlids from egg and see if the test works. Be great to know.

I had my large Cichlids get hole in the head years ago. Back than I wasnt as big of a fish nut so my water wasnt always ideal. Tank was under filtered. I think thats what caused it IMO

I also agree that maybe its just destiny for some fish. Who knows. Its sad to see when it does happen since theres no 100% cure.


----------

