I've only encountered it in Oscars in the past but I think one of my bream has Hole In The Head (HITH) disease.
I used my hydrometer and the water is basically fresh, I've been watering dirt gardens with the water so I guess the salt % is diluted to basically nothing now.
I had slight but measurable ammonia readings and very high nitrates.
Apparently nitrate stress is a probable cause of the weakening of the immune system in Oscars which is likely to be what allows the infection to take hold.
"Pathology
Hexamitiasis is caused by various species of the protozoan parasite genus Hexamita. These are likely present at low levels in the intestines of many aquarium fish where they do no harm. It is only when the fish is weakened in some way that the parasites can multiply rapidly and spread into the rest of the fish’s body. Once the parasites become established in the other internal organs, the fish soon dies."
from - http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/ ... amita.aspx
It is curable but the damage/scarring is permanent, you can only stop it from progressing further.
I did a fairly large water change to bring down the nitrates and will do a few more until I'm happy with the level and will salt back up to at least 3PPT to help the bream out a bit and hopefully reduce any stress on them.
This fish had lost a bit of condition compared to the others but still seemed reasonably vigorous at this stage.
When I first noticed the fish it seemed to have large nodules on its head but there are none now (if there ever were) and there are only little craters where they had seemed to be - in a crescent above both eyes and in another line further up on its head with some more on the side of the head.
Only one fish of the three affected at this stage.
I may cull it yet, surely it would still be safe to eat?
(Annoyingly the camera decided to focus on my fingers and I didn't notice because the bright sunlight made it too hard to see the pic. Don't really want to net them out again unless I have to).
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All the more reason for FT windows perhaps?
