Cardinal with Hole in head :(

[Catspa]

any help would be GREATLY  appreciated !!!!!!!!!

 

Not having much luke with B. Cardinals.

Yesterday, i purchased one thats been at the store for a couple of weeks.  He was eating at the store, looked nicly fed, fins and color looked good, and he/she wasn't displaying any odd behavior... so i bought him. BUT i take him home and put him in my issolation tank, when i notice he has a major hole in his head, right between his eyes. (can only notice it when you look from above.

 

This hole, is more like a gap in his forhead, that occupies the whole space between his eyes.. I can actually see inside him to the space between his eyes, and possible the starting of his brain...AHHH!

 

Note : but its hard to tell because his insides are ruffly the same color as the his silver skin, hence hard to tell where the hole starts, or the skin ends..etc.

 

Other then this hole there are no other symptoms, no fuzz, no white edges, no spots, no signs of paracites, AND the tank he was in only had hermits and a firefish in it, so its not a fighting injury ..etc..  

 

Currently started treating with Melfix, and Machite Green.

 

ANY suggestions on what this is, or what i should do, or what i should use?

 

I've got another fish (orchide dotty) in the quaranteen tank, should i take it out because of possible spreading this, whatever, to him?

 

anyone tried cupermine?

 

again, would really appreciate any input

[Guest samson]

I have a cardinal as well and it looks like there is a hole in his head between his eyes, but i belive it is only an illusion. Take a good look and make sure that is not happening to you. When I first noticed mine, I swear it looked like I could see right inside his little head, but it is not so. I don't know how to explain it except for it's not really a hole, more like transparent film or soemthing. I have had my Cardinal for about 3 months, he eats well, is social and not sick in any visible way.

 

Anyone else notice this on their Cardinals?

 

This a link to a site wiht some info on "hole in the head disease":

http://www.vin.com/PetCare/Articles/Fish/PCF00515.htm

[anthony812]

hmmm... have one also..but i never noticed that..i guess i will go back home tonight and check that out...

[Toyfreek]

In both my male and female there is a kind of se-through area between the eyes that I can actually see the other sides eyeball. but there is clearly flesh there even though translucent, if yours has a pit or a dent or a real no flesh hole, then it's a problem, otherwise it might be an opticle illusion.

Dunno?

Toy

[Catspa]

ahhh, thanks guys for the reply.  Its definately the same thing you guys have, BUT i do not thinks its suppose to be like that, seen many others that do not have it at all.....

 

I was going to mention that i thought it might be something like a translusent skin, but thought you guys would think me crazy. So, Yes it does look like there may be a translusent film there.. BUT what worries me, is that i've seen a number of other cardinals (big ones) that positively do not have this translusent film. (just took a really good look at one yesterday). I've also tanken a good look at all the pics i could find on the web, and have seen non that had this condition either..

 

So why does ours have them? anyone have any ideas?

 

could it be do to nutriousional deficiency?  (ie eating, but  not getting the proper nutrients/vitims?)

 

or poor genes?

 

 

 

 

(Edited by Catspa at 8:30 am on June 28, 2002)

[Guest samson]

I found a couple of links that you may dig through to find out more info on this subject. My cardinal is a bit shy, but he eats and doesn't display any signs on malnutrition. Dr. Frank Marini has experience with these fish and maybe he can answer some of these questions.

 

http://www.reefkeeping.com/authors/fm.htm

(jump down to the link for the marine fish forum)

 

some other info on Cardinals:

http://www.hobbyschool.com/reef/Livestock/...ardinalfish.htm

 

here is a quote form one of Dr. Marini's Q&A articles on Cardinals:

 

Q: My banggai cardinalfish is not eating

 

A: This is a typical email on feeding dilemmas-Q: my problem is the cardinal not accepting any food that I have offered, I have tried flakes, frozen brine shrimp, formula one, tetra bits, dried shrimp & frozen squid, he is not being picked on by other tankmates & I have tried different feeding times, any help would be appreciated. Feed him live foods, I always start off my banggais with live brine shrimp, and gut loaded ghost shrimp. Then slowly ween them onto "dead foods".

 

 

In everything I have read and searched, I found nothing about the transparent issue we all seem to have. Maybe it is not an issue after all. If we all seem to have the same thing, what are the odds we are all experiencing malnutriton or some other form of probelm. I'll keep looking to see if i can find anything else and let you know.

 

 

Sam

[Catspa]

thanks sam and the rest of u.

I'll keep looking to and i'll see if i can get Dr. Frank's opinion.

I'll keep you updated.

 

Still think we might have a problem...  If you look at that sight you linked to on cardinals, the picture clearly shows that he has no optical alusion head thing going on..... and something such as this would get mentioned... ie don't worry if you can see is brain... LOL,  its just transparent skin

 

 

 

 

(Edited by Catspa at 9:21 am on June 28, 2002)

[Toyfreek]

it's not mentioned because it is normal,

My Bangaii's are extremely healthy and breed every 30 days I'm sure there is nothing wrong with them. even the babies have the same spot between thier eyes, relax it's ok

Toy

[Catspa]

ok, thanks toy and u guys/gals

i guess its just in the genes or something, but i've now got bigger problems to worry about.

i'd went out and purchased some vitamine food suplements (made by kent), thinking befoer, that they might help my cardinal situation - i used them once, and next day everything is dieing on me, each in a horrible way... i feel like someone just ran over my dog or something..............

 

words to live by:

Keep it simple.  If its not broke, don't fix it..