explanation of HLLE?

[lovelife88]

i think that my tank my have it because i was looking at the pictures that beth posted of HLLE and i think that he has it.
i would just like to know what it is , and what can i do to help him, and if its going to hurt my other fish..etc.
thanks so much!

 

[lion_crazz]

Head and lateral line erosion is not a contagious disease.
It usually caused by bad water quality, poor nutrition, or stray voltage.
Can you tell us your water quality (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, kH, salinity, and temp)?
Can you also list what you feed the fish? Do you use garlic and vitamins?

 

[lovelife88]

i just tested it...but i forget what it was.
i remember everything being fine, besides my nitrates.
i know they are high, and ive been trying to keep it down with a nitrate sponge made by Kent.
Then i read that tangs dont liek the nitrates so much, which is probably why he is having this problem. IM really REALLY glad thats its not contagious because that would be a disaster.
Tomrrow im picking up some garlic so that i can mix it with their food..right im feeding them...Squid, Brine Shrimp, Plakton. I also throw in a a krill or too for my star fish about once a week and some of them nibble on that..
i also read that i should buy sea weed for him to eat? Should i? and should i soak it in some garlic as well? Also should i stick with the Kent Nitrate absorbing sponges or by something else, or just try and stick with water changes?
my temp is 81 degrees, Salinity is 1.024, Ph is 8.2, amm. is 0,alkalinity is 10

 

[lion_crazz]

Nitrates are definitely an issue with any fish, especially tangs. You need to get these down, ASAP. Unfortunately, there is no product out there that elimates nitrates. The nitrate sponge by Kent does not work well at all. The only way you are only going to get rid of high nitrates is large water changes. I would be doing 30-40% water changes at least once a week.
That diet you have your fish on is not very sufficient. There is really only two nutritious items on it, since brine shrimp really does not have much nutrition at all. You definitely need to get some kind of green matter into the tang's diet as well. Seaweed sheets would be goof for this purpose. I would pick up a few formula foods, such as formula 1 and 2, VHP formula, reef formula, etc. They contain a very high mix of different seafoods, and will provide your fish with a great variety. I would also recommend using garlic in their foods, as well as vitamins like Zoe, Selcon, and VitaChem. Adding vitamins to the fish's food will help reverse HLLE.

 

[beth]

Where there is nitrates and tangs, I can just about guarantee that the tangs will develop HLLE. You need to determine why you have the nitrates, and fix that. There can be many causes for HLLE.

 

[lovelife88]

ok so, i just did a 40 % H2O change for the week, and i have been feeding my fish the formulas you have recommended and mixing their other food with garlic liek you said. Ill do the 30-40%H2O change weekly to try and keep it down. I gues..all i can do i wait...

 

[beth]

I have recently posted information about HLLE in the FAQ Thread at the top of this forum.