Need Help Identifying

[fishrodeo]

I "confiscated" this yellow tang from a co-worker 4 days ago. Most of it's fins are gone, they look eroded or rotted away and not like they were chewed off. I'm told it has been getting worse over the last few months! It was in a 100gal with 1 maroon clown, a school (about 8) green chromis and a large hippo tang which seems to be o.k. for the moment. The tank it came from has very high nitrates(in the 50ppm range), ammonia, nitrite not detectable, 8.2 ph, 1.023 sg, temp was at 82F. I'm 98% positive that lack of proper nutrition is the major factor as it was feed WAY too much brine shrimp and almost no algae. The remaining fish began their new feeding schedules today and I made him buy some Selcon, Vita-Chem and Garlic additive.

I have place it in a very well established 29 gal (i know way too small) with a a coral beauty and some cleaner shrimp. This is basically a FOWLR tank. This fish is quite active in it's new home and is eating very well. If I can nurse it back to health it will be moved to my main tank at some point in the future and not returned to it's former owner.

It's hard to tell in this picture that his color is splotchy, white areas where it looks like the pigment has left the flesh/scales. Any clues as to what I may be dealing with? I want to give this fish a chance at survival.

[returnofsid]

Most likely lack of proper diet. Feed this guy good quality algae and give it the best water quality and tank conditions that you can. Unfortunately, that's going to be hard to do in a 29. Tangs need LOTS of swimming room, to be happy. If possible, even soaking the algae with selcon will help.

[ToddTT]

Do you have a quarantine tank?

He doesn't need space at the moment. He needs lots of high quality food and supplements, and possibly medications in the very near future.

A Fish Quarantine Process

Hopefully it is a nutrition problem, and not something that can spread to others in the tank.

Nitrates at 50 ppm are most likely unrelated.

What were they being fed in the original tank?

Did all of the other fish in the original tank look 100% healthy, including the hippo? Was the hippo in there as long as the yellow tang?

Another thread that may be related:

Strange Excrement from Fish -or- How to be a Super Pooper Snooper

Can you post a clearer pic?

Will your coworker be purchasing another tang, and continue feeding his tank poorly?

[fishrodeo]

Thanks for the replies guys. Selcon is now part of this tangs diet (added to dry algae) and he is eating macro from my refuge, formula 2 frozen, dried red algae so far. I don't currently have a QT as this is the first fish introduced to one of my (2)tanks in over a year. My main DT is a 125gal and I hope to move this fish there some day and my 29gal really should be taken down and tuned into a QT.

The hippo in the former tank I'm told has only been there for about 1 month and I have referred my co-worker to this forum for more nutrition information (feeding schedule). From what I've been told brine shrimp, frozen & live (not enhanced) was the staple food used for all his fish. Based on that I'd have to say none of the fish in that tank are healthy.

I will try to take some macro photos of him tonight for more detail. I did put my coral beauty a risk by introducing a sick fish but in this case I believe the risk is minimal, I just couldn't leave this fish to be "flushed".

[fishrodeo]

Here are a couple of the better images I was able to get tonight. You should be able to click to enlarge them I think.


pics taken 3-16-2010

[ToddTT]

Looks like head and lateral line erosion, which is suspected to have many possible causes.

Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion: A Description of the Syndrome and a Review of its Speculated Causes by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

By moving him into your tank, with better water quality and nutrition, I'm guessing he'll show improvement within a week or so. If not, it might be something requiring dips or medication.

Do your supplements contain vitamin C?

If you can post a pic every few days, please do. It will be a great way to track his progress.

And we'll all have our fingers crossed... good luck!

[fishrodeo]

Yes, I'm using Selcon(treating tank), VitaChem(food soak) and Vitamarin-C(food soak). I may be "overdosing" vitamin c but I believe his body will expel any excess. I will post progress photos every couple days, the information may help others that encounter this. Thanks for the link to MHLLE, I will read it tonight.

Thanks for the help ToddTT

[fishrodeo]

I don't think it shows well in the photos, but the yellow pigment is intensifying behind the gills, from the organ cavity to the dorsal line and about half way to the tail. It's eyes seem to "shine" a little more and seems to have more "gold" in the iris. Fish is eating very well and accepting all fortified foods, fresh macro. The tank has been treated with "C" and Vita-Chem. Current parameters: 1.023 SG, 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia, temp 79, 20 nitrates, ph 8.2

photo dates: 3-19-2010