Help, Please

[harman]

THIS IS A PICTURE OF A FRIENDS HIPPO TANG. WE HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TREATMENTS WITH NO SUCCESS.the ph is 8.3, amonia is 0, and all others are within range. the fish have all been in the tank for 6 months. he only has a single 40 watt bulb over a 75. i didn't know if that mattered or not. any reply would be appreciated. THANK YOU

 

[beth]

Hard to tell what the problem is, as that pic lookls more like a negetive. However, I'd hazzard a guess---Head and Laterial Line Erosion [HLLE].
More details about the problem is necessary. What are the nitrates in the tank, type filtration, type and size tank, diet for the tang? Details, details.

 

[harman]

nitrites are 0, nitrates are20 ppm, he eats sea weed with drops of zoecon on it, frozen brine shrimp, and omega one flake food. it is a 75 gallon tank with a hot magnum bio wheel, and an emperor. a power head for airation and circulation

 

[beth]

Ok,, what type tank is it?? Aggressive, reef, FO. I'm guessing a FO in any case? Live rock? More details. What is wrong with the fish. I can't tell much from that pic as it is distorted. Is the fish skin like eroding away???

 

[harman]

no live rock. dead corol and plastic reefs. fish only tank. fish is loosing color and eyes are cloudy.

 

[harman]

what, no ideas?

 

[harman]

he eats and swims around the tank like there is nothing wrong. there is a huma trigger, lunar wrasse, majestic angel, cinamen clown, and two percs.

 

[beth]

This is head and lateral line erosion. HLLE. What are the nitrate levels in the tank? I could have predicted that the fish was in a FO tank. It is very difficult to keep tangs healthy, particularly hippos and yellows in a FO tank. I'll bet, too, that you've got high nitrates. What type of filters are on that tank?
Do a serach here on HLLE. There is a lot of info and what can be done. But, bottom line, this fish probably needs a whole new type setup. Like FOWLR. After doing some research here, post back with questions.
Also, TerryB is doing an article upcoming in a hobby mag. Tro/Terry, can you post what mag that is going to be in, and is it April's issue?