For the past month my purple tang has lost his color and he stays in the rocks and don't come out. He won't come out to eat only feeds with the lights off he use to be the biggest hog I got when it comes to food. I fees them brine shrimp, spectrum, seaweed strips and alge wafers. I also use garlic and selcon with the food garlic every now and then not all the time. My water has been tested and everything is fine. I'm trying to post a pic give me a few minutes here
Purple tang skin problem.
- Thread starter krebs11
- Start date
pegasus
Well-Known Member
HLLE. Other than the brine, it sounds like it has a fairly well-rounded diet. PT's are prone to get it, but very likely after being treated for parasites using copper. Switch to frozen mysis, include a lot of Spirulina in it's diet, and add Selcon to everything you feed it. Continue to feed it tiny pieces of fresh /chopped/minced garlic (not jarred).
Agree that it is Head and Lateral Line Erosion. The brine you are feeding your fish is not nutritious. While you have a good amt of vegetarian items in the diet it is sorely lacking in adequate quality meaty foods. I'd suggest getting a variety of frozen meaty items and offer it along with the vegetable items. Also, start using Zoecon or Selcone supplement to the meaty items offered.
Here is information you should look at on HLLE. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/head-and-lateral-line-erosion.105
Here is information you should look at on HLLE. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/c/index.php/articles/content/head-and-lateral-line-erosion.105
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
I feed an assortment. Every day I put one sheet of algae, different types green and purple/red. Between my tangs and bicolor blenny they eat it all. I have 3 tangs so you wouldn't need as much. I feed a number of different frozen foods. currently in my freezer I have, Hikari spirulina brine, Sally's emerald entree (contains mysis and algae), mega marine algae, and PE mysis. I alternate which one I give them. I thaw all with selcon. Once a week I feed flakes just to keep them eating them.
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
Provide plenty of options and do it when he is willing to eat. If that is at night, then feed him at night. I've heard garlic does entice them to eat, sure works for me. I've never tried it on my fish so I can't say for sure it will work for this.
His HLLE appears to be fairly advanced. A fish store near me has a poor 6" Naso tang in a 20 gallon tank that has the worst case of HLLE I have ever seen. He has been there in that condition for a long time, so I would guess it isn't a fast killer.
His HLLE appears to be fairly advanced. A fish store near me has a poor 6" Naso tang in a 20 gallon tank that has the worst case of HLLE I have ever seen. He has been there in that condition for a long time, so I would guess it isn't a fast killer.
mandy111
Active Member
Hi @beth Very interesting article. Thanks for that.
Just wanting to know what your opinions on "high nitrates"
I have always read that nitrates should not be above 10ppm in a healthy reef tank, especially with tangs.
What does your take on "high"mean ?
I have seen debates on varies forums regarding this subject ans some people saying . oh I have mine at 60ppn with not problems.
When do you think nitrates are too high ?
I suppose my feeling is that in the ocean you wouldn't see nitrates in any large scale so that's what we as fish keepers should be aiming for ?
As to tangs, time and again the higher nitrates seems to factor in in most cases of HLLE. Higher nitrates mean that there are organic waste material in the water that has not being taken care of by the system you have in place. The goal should always be to get that as low as possible. Natural filters tend to do a better job of this over the use of mechanical filters such as media in canister filters and wet/dry systems. IMO, if you are using such filters, it is best to wean your system off of them in favor of live sand, live rock, macros, refugiums, etc.
Krebs, are all your tangs experiencing HLLE?
Krebs, are all your tangs experiencing HLLE?
Fish can do fine in higher numbers, 80 and such. However, tangs, and even angels seem to need better conditions. 10 and below IMO. Its achievable with natural filters and the elimination of media based filters.
what else do you have in the tank? could something be harassing them ? personally I try to keep all my numbers at ZERO, I would strongly suggest a big water change and what are you running for filtration..are you using a "stray voltage probe" there are studies that it can cause hlle, from the pictures it doesn;t look like that to me but, I do think that you have some very sick fish..