# fuzzy head (picture added)



## sandman503

got a piranha off CL a few months ago. the tank he was in was small and dirty, like 20 gallons and so dirty i couldnt see past the algae on the glass. got him home and noticed he had what appeared to be ammonia burn. for a month i treated with salt and kept the water pristine with no results. still had a fuzzy looking forehead. stepped it up with melafix, and removed my carbon, still no results. i just bought Jungle's "fungus clear" because thats my only other guess as to what it is.

3 questions

1. how long does a bad amonia burn to take to heal?
2. has anyone had a fungus like what i described and used Jungle to cure it?
3. any other suggestions?

i can get a pic up tomorrow but what he has looks exactly like ammonia burn.


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## notaverage

Pictures are going to help here.
I have never seen "fuzzy" stuff on any fish unless it was dead.


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## Dr. Giggles

Jungle's product is good if you are convinced it is fungus. Another good product besides salt is Mardel's Maroxy. Ammonia burn is not fuzzy, but a fungus can be the after effect of a burn


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## sandman503

took some pics, and this is the best one i could get. its strange because you can really see how gnarly it is in this pic but he eats, swims around and acts really healthy. i dont get it.


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## notaverage

Its Beyond me


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## jman785

Looks like a common case of hole in the head gone bad.

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/hole_in_head/

I would definitely treat as a fungus as well because it looks like it might be suffering from both HITH and a fungus. That's a good sign that he is acting normal and responding to feedings. It could be a number of things that have caused this problem, it almost looks like some abrasions like chimples that have progressed into an infection of some sort.

More picture would be great if you can get some without him freaking out.


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## thedude8

omg that piranha looks crazy.

Like a crack head about to kill you for a little bit of dope!!


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## Dr. Giggles

May also be suffering from the affects of a pH crash at one time. Sure looks it. I would treat for a bacterial infection if anything. A broad spectrum product also.


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## sandman503

Dr. Giggles said:


> omg that piranha looks crazy.
> 
> Like a crack head about to kill you for a little bit of dope!!


LOL.... for sure, i sure hope i can cure this though.


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## thedude8

sandman503 said:


> omg that piranha looks crazy.
> 
> Like a crack head about to kill you for a little bit of dope!!


LOL.... for sure, i sure hope i can cure this though.
[/quote]

i just keep thinking of an evil clown from a horror movie!!


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## sandman503

how about a combo of pima and mela fix? or is there something better than that?


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## sandman503

here is the same thread on MFK, see what you guys think about the advice ive been given

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=237519


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## Dr. Giggles

sandman503 said:


> omg that piranha looks crazy.
> 
> Like a crack head about to kill you for a little bit of dope!!


LOL.... for sure, i sure hope i can cure this though.
[/quote]

kanacyn may be worth a try.


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## Scooby

If it looks like cotton or "Fuzzy" it is most definitley a fungul infection. My 2 yellow tails got ich and one of my red top zebra's has a fungul infection. Essentially it looks like a white spot on his head but slightly "Cottony". Best of luck with treatments







I'm using aquarisol to primarily cure the ich and I am hoping this will be enough to start the healing process on my red tops fungus as I am sure the ich in the tank most likely cause it.


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## sandman503

look on the MFK link i posted. Lupin hit the nail on the head, it was bad amonia burn that had developed in to a bacterial infection. ive been treating with Mardel's Maracyn-2 for 3 days and its already starting to get better. i will keep you guys posted.


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## sandman503

on the 5th day of treatment he started tweaking out. chomping his jaws franticly, swimming around like crazy and then he started swimming upside down, i freaked out and did an emergency 50% water change and added carbon to the filters. be careful with maracyn 2. the only thing different i did on the 5th day was add melafix, that was a mistake. anyways, after the water change he started acting normal. i thought about doing a big water change and doing another 5 day treatment but theres no way im doing that now. the little guy still looks funky but ive done what i can and he is eating and seems happy so im content with that.


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