please help with yellow tang

[scotty]

i have a yellow tang that is acting very strange. i first noticed it last night and through out the day today...he is staying in one corner of the tank and swimming eradically in jerking motion.....prior to this he swam all over the tank in a normal fashion and was quite active....i also noticed that around his eyes he has what appear to be little holes or dark specks of discoloration(they look like holes to me and specks to a friend of mine)....the water parameters are fine if that helps and he is alone in a 75 with a small hippo tang and baby spiny box puffer. anyway, i am a fairly new hobbyist and look forward to your answers...thanks...scott

 

[beth]

Scott, can you tell us what your water readings are: including nitrates and phosphates?
How long have you had your tank set up? How long have you had your sick tang? And, what was the last fish you added to the tank, and how long ago did you add it?
What type tank do you have? FO, Reef?? Any LR, inverts?
Also, if you have a magnifying glass, please take a close look at the tang from nose to tail and then report back on anything that you see out of the ordinary. In the discolored areas you mention, see if you can discern if the skin looks eroded or if there is something actually on the skin, like a coating, or is the area just discolored, but the flesh is in tact....get down to details in discription [hopefully you do have a mag glass].

 

[scotty]

this tank is a 75 gallon fo tank....it has been up and running for about 4 months...the yellow tang is the last added of the three fish in there...the hippo and box puffer are acting normally and appear healthy....my water parameters were nitrate, nitrite and ammo all 0....my ph is 8.2 and the specific gravity is 1.023...the temp is 78....i feed them those dried seaweed squares on a clip, flake, and frozen and freeze dried shrimp for the puffer as well...he eats well and all food is soaked in garlic extreme....on closer inspection without a magnifying glass(i don't have one) this problem does appear as "errosion" near the face....almost like small pin prick dark holes in very close proximity...i have had the yellow tang for about 3 weeks. i hope this helps and i appreciate your help...thanks...scott

 

[beth]

Does it look like as if the skin is rubbed off, exposing the whitish skin beneath? Is it like in a line, along the lateral line of this fish. If you don't know, the lateral line is the slightly visible line that arches along the back of the fish.
Here is a diagram of what I am talking about:

 

[scotty]

it is around the eyes on both sides similar to the diagram you posted...it does not, however, go beyond the eye/facial area....it is nowhere else on the fish....the dots seem to be in a random pattern...they appear translucent at times and dark at other times depending on the light....he is very very skittish and his swimming is awkward...he has been running into the glass....i don't know what is wrong...this is now day two of it...scott

 

[beth]

I believe it may be HLLE, which is Head and Lateral Line Erosion. However, with the behaviors you are describing, that is not consistent. I need to go to work this am, so I can't write you up info on HLLE. However, there is a good deal of info out there. See if you can do a search for info using our search feature, as well as using your internet brouser. After some studying up, see if you think HLLE fits your visible symptoms at least.
I don't supose you have a hospital tank?

 

[timsedwards]

I thought HLLE always seemed white? and very large normally around the eyes....just a thought...my yellow tang seems to have developed them, very small, they seemvery uniform in their order and definately black, almost like a tatoo! Very small - in fact may have always had it, lol, just havent noticed...would be interested in what people think.
Tim

 

[scotty]

thanks for your replies.....i changed the filters and did a water change and he is acting normally now....i don't know what these marks are on his face, but he is eating well and swimming noramlly now...i wondered about lateral line as well, but since i am new, i don't know exactly what i am looking for....thanks for your help! scott