Red Texas in need of help!! Is it hole in the head??

So I just finished doing a water change in my 60 gallon tank with a red Texas, jack, and rainbow shark and I notice the red Texas has a piece of it’s skin on it head missing! I’ve never had to deal with hole in the head but it looks more like he cracked it open to me than if the skin was ripped off. The skin is still hanging on by a thread. He seems to be swimming just fine and I’m 99% sure it had to of happened while I was clean the tank because I didn’t notice it before and it’s quite noticeable. I’m just wondering if this sounds like it could be hole in the head or if he just hit his head of a rock when he go spooked when I was cleaning the tank. Is there anything I can do and is this deadly to the fish or can he recover? He seems to be doing just fine.

 

Post a pic if possible.

 

Sounds like an injury, not HITH.

 

Post a pic if possible.

I’ll try










That’s the best I could do for pictures, hopefully it helps some

 

Sounds like an injury, not HITH.

So what would I do then? Do I need to treat it and how long should it take the recover?

 

First of all, yeah, this is an injury.
Second: Keep the water quality up, do more water changes. Can take a few weeks. Otherwise it just takes time. I would not use any meds, as you would have to redose with every change and that can be fatal.

 

First of all, yeah, this is an injury.
Second: Keep the water quality up, do more water changes. Can take a few weeks. Otherwise it just takes time. I would not use any meds, as you would have to redose with every change and that can be fatal.

Awesome! I know a injury is not good, but I’d much rather an injury over a disease! I was looking online and saw dust heal faster when they have less stress, my fish don’t ever seem stressed, so hopefully it heals fast, but is there any other way of getting less stress like less light time? And I always do a 25-35% water change every week, is that good enough?

 

Looks like an abrasion to me. Clean water, patience and a little time should heal it up.
A little advice from a past Red Texas Cichlid owner. I raised a nice looking unfaded Red Texas in a 65 gallon. He started out as a one inch juvie and grew to nearly eleven inches. Took about three years to reach that point. Along the way the RT murdered many, so called, aggressive tankmates. I traded the big guy for African Cichlids. You'll eventually need a much bigger tank. If you want tankmates, look into Red Devil / Midas types. Before & after pics.

 

Awesome! I know a injury is not good, but I’d much rather an injury over a disease! I was looking online and saw dust heal faster when they have less stress, my fish don’t ever seem stressed, so hopefully it heals fast, but is there any other way of getting less stress like less light time? And I always do a 25-35% water change every week, is that good enough?

I don't think that shorter light times do much. Abrupt changes stress actually more than no changes.
I would do 25% every day for the next few days and then 25% every 2 days for another week. After that do at least 50% every week until the injury is healed.

 

Looks like an abrasion to me. Clean water, patience and a little time should heal it up.
A little advice from a past Red Texas Cichlid owner. I raised a nice looking unfaded Red Texas in a 65 gallon. He started out as a one inch juvie and grew to nearly eleven inches. Took about three years to reach that point. Along the way the RT murdered many, so called, aggressive tankmates. I traded the big guy for African Cichlids. You'll eventually need a much bigger tank. If you want tankmates, look into Red Devil / Midas types. Before & after pics.
View attachment 696087View attachment 696088

Wow that’s a beautiful fish, hopefully mine turns out like that unless it fades, but I do plan on getting a bigger tank along the way and this fish r like the other sa cichlids, some are very aggressive and then some are very easy going, but I’m always ready to separate him if needed

 

Thanks. My RT was a great fish to keep. Beware, they develope a healthy set of teeth. I was bit numerous times during WC's. Lol.
RT's are more Central American hybrids than South American. Depending on what genetic formula the breeder took will likely determine your RT's demeanor. Sometimes they mix in Midas or Red Devils genetics.

 

Thanks. My RT was a great fish to keep. Beware, they develope a healthy set of teeth. I was bit numerous times during WC's. Lol.
RT's are more Central American hybrids than South American. Depending on what genetic formula the breeder took will likely determine your RT's demeanor. Sometimes they mix in Midas or Red Devils genetics.

Yeah I learned about all the different types of red Texas! That have quite the genetics to them, some have flowerhorn, some have red devil and some are just the simple parrot and green Texas

 

Your RT looks to be a stocky male w/ a lot of potential. I believe my RT had Kamfa Flowerhorn genetics judging by the the overall adult shape, demeanor and color pattern.

 

Your RT looks to be a stocky male w/ a lot of potential. I believe my RT had Kamfa Flowerhorn genetics judging by the the overall adult shape, demeanor and color pattern.

Woah that’s cool!! It would be pretty cool if it’s a fertile male as well, but I’m not quite sure yet!

 

Just wanted to put out that the fish has recovered very fast and looks great and I can’t even tell it happened!