Brown spot on yellow tang

[oracledba72]

I have had my yellow tang for about a week now and have noticed a brownish spot on only one side ( the right side ) of him. It seems to have grown a touch. I wish I could send a pic, but not digital cam at this time. He also seems a little less yellow/more whitish in color. Plus has a light white stripe down his side. Is this a disease or a problem. He seems fine although yesterday I saw him like scratching on the rock in the tank. Maybe a damsel got him? Could he have cut himself on the rock? I've learned more about swf in the last month than i ever learned in years of keeping freshwater tanks.

 

[marty]

In my humble opinion, it sounds like your tang is still stressing out in the new tank. If you see the brown spot and the white line during the day with the lights on (they normally have the spot and line at night without lights as a defensive measure), then he probably is stressing out. Couple thoughts:
1) turn lights off all day for 24-48 hours
2) re-arrange rocks/deco so that all fish have to find new territory. Your damsels may be picking on him. Re-arranging may have set new territories
3) Does he have small salt like spots? He may be coming down with ich. Do a search in the disease forum on ich and read as much as possible.
4) How long has the tank been up and running? Finish cycling?
HTH
Marty

 

[heavenly damsel]

My thoughts go along with stress. Damsels are very agressive fish, especially dominoes. Try rearranging the rock or even adding more rock for him to hide in. Good luck

 

[oracledba72]

Thanks for the replies. I don't think it's Ich, but I am new and could be wrong. I wouldn't say my tank is finished cycling yet. I wish I would have waited on the tang, but the LFS told me to go ahead. I think they just wanted the money. Anyway, the spot on him is always there. It's like he has a cut or something. He also just seems to be whiter in color, not as yellow as when I got him. I feed him flake along with the damsels, and also seaweed salad once a day. Every other day or so I throw in some frozen brine shrimp. Is his diet ok? I would hate to lose him.

 

[oracledba72]

Oh, I am going to get some more base rock today for everyone to hide. Also, I know dominos are damsels, but they really don't seem all that agressive. I have seen the tang and the dominos kind of hang out a lot. They usually seem friendly towards each other. The yellow tailed damsel is another story, although he ALWAYS stays away from the tang.

 

[marty]

His diet is probably ok, tangs are algae eaters so you need to have alot of that for him either thru seaweeds selects or spirulina flakes, preferrably both.
How far along is your tank in its cycle? He probably is stressing from the cycle process. How high are your water parameters? What are they? He also may have HLLE (head and lateral line erosion) Read up on that either here if anyone has posted lately or just search the web for it. You can find alot about it.
Couple other thoughts: If the tank is still cycling and not near its finish, I would check to see if the LFS will take the tang back. He might now survive the cycling. He might, but I would expect he is going to be in very tough shape. 2) Others may jump in here with words that are their opinions. Just as I am giving my opinion too based on my experience and reading/research. By no means am I an expert. Anyway, alot of people will say that you need to take the tang back because A) still cycling and B) too small of a tank. Most will say a 65 gallon tank is too small for a tang, tangs need alot of swimming room. Your tang might do fine (assuming he survives the cycling). He might not. Your tank, your money, your fish. 3) Do some more reading and learning, buy a fish book. Do these before you add any more live stock. Again, just my opinion and hope that your fish will survive.
Hope this Helps!
Marty

 

[oracledba72]

Thanks Marty. I will probably end up taking him back, but I'm sure the lfs doesn't want a problem fish with the way he looks now. I was reading something about "FLATWORM Disease" or something. He is scratching a lot now, has a round browning spot on him, and is really discolored white. The flatword disease has all the symptoms. How do I treat this fish now since I have no QT tank?

 

[marty]

Not sure what Flatworm disease is, you may be right. But... my thoughts are still that the tang is stressed out. The brown spot - how big is it? Is it in the center of the side of the tang? On both sides or only one? In my experience, the brown spot (on both sides typically) and the paleness (i.e. whitening) are due to stress. As for itching, I was thinking it might be the start of ich. Typically I thought fish will itch themselves before you really can see ich.
As for treating it, before you do so, make sure you know what you are treating. Place a post in the disease forum, hopefully Beth or another shark can answer. Be very thorough in your post including water parameters and how long your tank is been set up and your equipment and substrate etc... If it is ich, read some cures in that forum.

 

[oracledba72]

The spot is about a 1/4 on an inch in diameter. Pretty large. It is on his right side only. It is on the lower/front of the tang. I have had freshwater fish with ich, but not experienced in sw yet. It drives me nuts when I don't have an answer, but it sure seems like in saltwater, everything is a mystery. Thanks again.