Parasite, or something else?

[pinbot02]

Noticed that I had not seen my male A. cacatuoides the other day and found him very lethargic in the corner of the tank. He appeared to have something feathery protruding from his head. This apparently dislodged in a salt dip, leaving a white wound in the head. Currently treating with metronidazole because it was what I had on hand and I am suspecting a parasite/HITH. Has anyone seen something like this? TIA!

Which animal is affected? Species, sex, age? (If age unknown: How long have you had the fish?)
A. cacatuoides. Age unknown, had for about 5 months.

What are the symptoms? Any changes in look, behaviour, bearing, buoyancy, fecies?
Sudden lethargy. Wound on head with possible parasite.

How long has the problem been going on? (Timeline?)
9/20/2026, evening.

What's the full stocking list?
2 A. cacatuoides (breeding pair), 12 ember tetras, 9 black phantom tetras, 6 marbled hatchetfish, 6 otos.

Any changes in the behaviour of the other fish?
No.

What size is the tank? (Preferrably dimensions, not volume!)
Standard 29 gallon (30" x 12" x 18")

How long is the tank running?
7 months.

Have there been any changes in the past 2 months? New animals, plants, decoration?
Black phantoms added approx. 2 weeks prior. Micro sword added about 1 month prior.

What food are the fish fed? How much, how often?
Community fed bug bites daily. Apistos supplemented with blackworms every other day.

What is the temperature?
80F

What are the water parameters? (Please note all known tank and source water parameters in numbers! Not "good", "optimal" or "perfect"!)
pH: 7.2
GH: 10
KH: 3
EC/TDS: u/k
NO3: 10
NO2: 0
NH3/4: 0

What test kit did you use? (liquid, strips, store service?)
API liquid tests

Are you using water conditioners or any other additives? (e.g. dechlorinators, humic/blackwater extracts, fertilizers)
Prime. Occasional alder cones for light tint.

What filter are you using? (Canister, sponge, internal, mattenfilter?)
Sponge

What's the maintenance regimen? (Waterchange volume and frequency, thorough cleaning of filters/substrate?)
Weekly 20-40% water changes w/ gravel vac. Filters as needed, about monthly.

Have there been any chemicals used around the tank? (Cleaning agents, room sprays, wall paint, adhesives...)
No.

Have there been any pesticides, fungicides or herbicides used around the tank?
No.

Are there any unknown animals in the tank?
No.

What has been done already? (Timeline!)
9/20 - Salt dip and evac to hospital tank. Treat with metronidazole and Seachem Stressguard.
9/21 - 50% hosp. tank water change, re-dose metro and stressguard.

If so, what meds have been used? (Timeline!)
Metronidazole

 

[anewbie]

to my eye it looks closer to a touch of fungus which can be ignored. Perhaps he scrape himself or got a bit of plant matter around the wound. Someone else might spot something more significant but if it is fungus it will last until the wound heal (i would try to examine him with a magnifying glass if he comes near the edge of the aquarium) but is otherwise harmless - clean water would be best but not meds.

The 2nd photo definitely makes it look like he scraped himself - do you have any odd hard scape in the aquarium ?

 

[pinbot02]

to my eye it looks closer to a touch of fungus which can be ignored. Perhaps he scrape himself or got a bit of plant matter around the wound. Someone else might spot something more significant but if it is fungus it will last until the wound heal (i would try to examine him with a magnifying glass if he comes near the edge of the aquarium) but is otherwise harmless - clean water would be best but not meds.

The 2nd photo definitely makes it look like he scraped himself - do you have any odd hard scape in the aquarium ?

Nothing odd, just driftwood. If it's just an abrasion hopefully he'll be coming out of the shock of that soon. It's the lethargy that has me most concerned at this point.

 

[anewbie]

Nothing odd, just driftwood. If it's just an abrasion hopefully he'll be coming out of the shock of that soon. It's the lethargy that has me most concerned at this point.

That part (lethargy) might be unrelated or the cause of his scrape. Unfortunately i'll have to let someone else chime in on that issue as i find domestic cockatoo (unless hobby bred a bit more delicate then they should be); was he lethargy before the use of Metronidazole and why are you using salt or Metronidazole ?

Your water is on the hard side of course but no real experience keeping domestic in water that hard.

 

[pinbot02]

That part (lethargy) might be unrelated or the cause of his scrape. Unfortunately i'll have to let someone else chime in on that issue as i find domestic cockatoo (unless hobby bred a bit more delicate then they should be); was he lethargy before the use of Metronidazole and why are you using salt or Metronidazole ?

Your water is on the hard side of course but no real experience keeping domestic in water that hard.

He was definitely lethargic in the tank, that was the reason I had to go looking for him in the first place. Was at least somewhat more active this morning. Possible parasite was the reason for the treatments. Local tap here is 20 dGH and the LFS I got it from keeps their stock in tap. I've been gradually bringing it down.

 

[pinbot02]

Just an update in case anyone else happens upon this, but unfortunately the fish passed away. Noticed there was a problem on Sunday, and by Tuesday evening they had succumbed to whatever this was.

 

[MacZ]

The growth was indeed a fungus: Saprolegnia. And it looks very typical.
In a fish with a good immune system this would have simply fallen off at some point, but fish in a rather bad condition usually die from it.

The medication may have had additional negative impact. It may sound a bit rough, but it's really necessary to keep the discipline to only treat after a somewhat clear diagnosis is set. Fish meds tend to put strain on the body which a fish battling an infection really doesn't need unless it helps against that specific infection.

Question is: How did it get the injury in the first place?

 

[pinbot02]

I think at this point I am learning towards HITH being the culprit. It's not clear in the photo, but the wound was definitely recessed to a significant degree. Four additional pores towards the mouth were also inflamed on close inspection. It didn't look like any abrasion that I have ever seen.

 

[MacZ]

I can't see any signs of Spironucleus/Hexamita. But let's assume it was that: How did you administer the Metronidazole?