Purple Tang Needs More Help

[jktenpro]

I have had a purple tang that I purchased 2 months ago, in a quaranteen by himself. About week 2 he aquired ich, so I brought salinity down to 1.009(refractometer) in about 3 days. He was in hypo for 38 days. It took 15 days for the ich to disappear(used magnifying glass) and then he was in another 23 days before slowly raising salinity(over the course of six days) to 1.020. The last week he was in hypo I noticed his fins fraying and he was spitting up most of the food after a few minutes of intake. Up to this point I hadn't noticed that at all.
Anyway, the reason I stopped at 1.020 is because I saw him start to twitch, dart and scratch a little and thought maybe he was getting ich all over again, and was going to drop levels down, but a few days later he now has white blotches(bigger than ich and not raised at all almost like color is fading(some spots behind gills a few on body). They have not changed in 3 days. He is still eating fine, but throwing up food occasionally, the tail fin has not frayed anymore and I have added Melafix yesterday. His breathing has never been labored. Not really sure what it is or how to treat. His stomach has been emaciated for the most part the whole time but color good, even though he eats twice a day. I feed Julian Spring's seaweed selects every day, Formula 1&2, Formula VHP, Mysis, Ocean Plankton, flake and New Spectrum pellet all soaked in Selcon. Tank parameters have been good after a bout with them the first 2 weeks.
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-20
Ph-8.2
Temp-79 to 81
Thought I had another week or so before adding him to main but now who knows.
Anyone have any ideas on these white blotches and where to go from here. Beth and Lion I appreciate all of your help to this point.

 

[lion_crazz]

Hm, it sounds like he could possibly have internal parasites. The fact that he is spitting up his food and emaciated, despite the 2 a day feedings leads me to think this. Your levels are okay, the diet is wonderful, and it sounds like you are really on top of everything. Metronidazole would be the treatment of choice, in my opinion. I am curious to see what Beth has to say about this.

 

[jktenpro]

What is Metronidazole and where would I find this?

 

[lion_crazz]

Metronidazole is a medication that treats internal and external parasites. It can be given to fish as a bath or administered in the fish's food.

 

[jttenpro]

Thanks Lion, does anyone else agree, sorry I can't post a pic

 

[jktenpro]

I was able to take a few pics after all. These blotchy marks resemble more of a discoloration, not raised and are bigger than ich which he had for 2 weeks.
Lion, I bought Jungle anti-parasite food that has 1 % Metronidazole which he has been taking for 3 days. He still looks emaciated but is eating well and is not spitting up as much food. He is breathing is still normal at about 60-70 per minute.
Any suggestions on how to treat?

 

[lion_crazz]

To me, that looks like a bacterial infection that is commonly seen with tangs (usually atlantic blue tangs).
The medicated food should help him out.
I have used Melafix with good results in treating bacterial infections. A combo of the medicated food and MelaFix I think would help him.
I am curious to see what Beth has to say about this, now that there are pictures to comment on.

 

[jktenpro]

It has been 20 days since he came down with these white blotches and nothing has changed. They have not increased or decreased. I am still feeding the Jungle parasite food and he has stopped spitting up food entirely and seems a little fuller in the stomach. He has been in this 20 gal quarantine for 3 months and I know he has to be stressed big time let alone going through ich and a bacterial infection or whatever he has.
I have also been continuing with the Melefix for 2 weeks. He is eating great and everything else appears to be normal although once in awhile he will scratch or twitch but definitely no more signs of ich for the last 6 weeks.
Lion, How long can I continue to use the Melefix? Do you think these blotches will eventually go away and do you think what he has is contagious? Could I put him into the main tank or give it some more time?

 

[lion_crazz]

I have never known this bacterial infection to be contagious. Like I said, it is usually something that larger tangs break down with. I have never seen it with a smaller tang such as yours.
I would continue using the medicated food, but I am not sure the MelaFix will help. I have dealt with this problem at stores I have worked at, and nothing I have ever done seems to work to fix this problem.
I am going to send these pictures to a marine biologist friend of mine to see what he has to say. I should have more to tell you tomorrow in regards to this problem.

 

[beth]

It may just be ill health from being in the QT too long. What are your water conditions in the QT. Perhaps it is time to move him into a real tank.

 

[jktenpro]

I did have a struggle with the water the 2nd two weeks of the first month he was in quarantine. The ammonia was up to .4 and nitrites almost reached 1. The last 2 months the numbers have been very steady:
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-20
Ph-8.2
Alk-9.6 dkh
Salinity-1.020
Temp-79 to 80
I stopped raising the salinity because the blotches appeared after reaching 1.020 and I first thought he was getting ich all over again. I just started raising it today actually, it is at 1.021. He started scratching, twitching a litlle and flicking his anal fins after the blotches appeared for a few days but only does it on occasion the last 2 weeks. I was thinking he has some other type of external parasite. The tail fin rot seems just about healed. Tough decision on whether to put him in main which is a 90 gal. I've had it set up for 1 year and the numbers have been consistent:
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-0 to 2
Ph-8.2
Alk-8.4
Cal-380
Salinity-1.024
Temp-79 to 80
All Salifert

 

[beth]

I say time to go to display, assuming you have not seen any sign of ich for 3 weeks? Do you have LR? Size of tank? What and how often are you feeding?

 

[jktenpro]

No sign of Ich in six weeks, 90 gal tank, I have 90lbs of live rock and a wet/dry. I feed Sea Weed Selects every day, Formula 1,2, Mysis, Ocean Plankton, Krill, Spectrum pellet. All soaked in Selcon.

 

[jktenpro]

Hey Lion, did you ever have a chance to send pictures to you biologist friend. Just wondering what this might be and if its permenant.
Even though there haven't been any signs of ich I hope that the past 3 months haven't been all for nought and the little bit of scratching and flicking once in awhile is not something transferable, since you say the bacterial infection shouldn't be. I will probably transfer him to the main tank tonight but if you have any more info Lion, that would be great.
Thanks again Beth and Lion

 

[lion_crazz]

I did send the pics, but I did not hear back from him yet. I resent them today, because my email screws up sometimes and does not deliver email. I will let you know.
Keep us posted on how he is doing.

 

[saltwater8]

Ok, this is WAY out of my league...
But maybe try ParaGuard....Lion?

 

[bigtang803]

I have an achilles tang he got ick. After the ick was eliminated, he had some scaring. Not saying that is what you have, but it looks just like mine looked. MY lfs sold me some vitimans for the tank. I put some on the food, and some directly into the water. after a few weeks, they gradually went away. He looks fine now, no signs of spotting.

 

[jttenpro]

Did the scaring occur directly after the ich? These blotches were not present on him for almost 4 weeks after the last sign of ich, when I raised the salinity. I don't think they are scars but I hope they are if yours finally went away. They have been the same for about 4 weeks now. He has been in the main tank for 1 day and is eating and fitting in fine.

 

[bigtang803]

Yea, it came right after the ick. it was present before i took him out of qt.

 

[jktenpro]

It's been almost a month since the last set of pics were taken and his white blotches are almost gone. He has been in main tank for about 8 days now and doing great.