Regal Tang Infection

gazmarine

New Member
I have a large reef tank with multiple types of fish and invertebrates. Recently my water went high in nitrate while I was away on holiday. Water all sorted now although the tang had multiple White spots over his body which I treated using 'para guard' by 'Seachem' which I have used before to remove the spots. This time they have cleared but left him only using one of his side fins at the one side now has two small red areas which we cleaned out by a cleaner wrasse I have in my tank. They do not seem to be getting any better and his fin is not getting used and is damaged to the tips. Any help would be good. Cheers
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/377850_10150533155542803_513072802_10529408_1099388172_n.jpg
 

btldreef

Moderator
Welcome to the forum!
It sounds like a bacterial infection, and your cleaner wrasse may actually be doing my harm than good by irritating the area and not allowing it to heal.
Excellent water parameters are very important while they fight the infection, along with the addition of vitamins such as Selcon and VitaChem in their food.
Can you post a picture so we can correctly identify what's going on and how severe it is?
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
It sounds like you are medicating your display tank? What are your nitrates now? By white spots, so you mean this (example below):
 
S

smallreef

Guest
Do you have a quarantine tank you could get him into?
if they are red lesions and the cleaner wrasse is just irritating them you need to remove him and as BTLD suggest add vitamins and use a broad spectrum antibiotic but only in a QT..
 

gazmarine

New Member
The nitrate level is still remaining low. As I do not have a Q Tank set up, although I could create one using a spare tank I have. All I think is happening now is my cleaner wrasse is just not letting it heal. All the medication I have used has been natural and reef safe. Any more ideas?
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/377850_10150533155542803_513072802_10529408_1099388172_n.jpg
Photo of tang
 

gazmarine

New Member
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/377850_10150533155542803_513072802_10529408_1099388172_n.jpg
Photo of tang
 

gazmarine

New Member
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/377850_10150533155542803_513072802_10529408_1099388172_n.jpg
Photo of tang
 

gazmarine

New Member
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/377850_10150533155542803_513072802_10529408_1099388172_n.jpg
Photo of tang
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
I think your fish has ich, and the rest have been exposed to ich. Is that a fish only tank set up?
You did not say what your nitrate is?
 

gazmarine

New Member
No the tank is a reef set up with fish, coral and invertebrates. The joys of going on holiday for two weeks!!
The Nitrate level in my tank is 5mg/L
Tested KH and PH also and all correct.
Going to try catch my cleaner wrasse today to prevent him doing more damage than good.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
If these fish have ich, you will need to catch all of them and treat them with hyposalinity. The meds you are using will do absolutely nothing to address this disease. Can you post better pictures of your fish so we can perhaps positively ID the problem?
 

gazmarine

New Member
For my tank to treat them in, is it best to have noting in there but fish, I have a tank I have a few live rocks in which I could place them all in, best to remove rocks?
 
S

smallreef

Guest
It is best to set up a Quarantine tank seperate from your display...then move the fish there to treat them and let your tank be fishless for 8 weeks
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Post another pic from the one you posted it does not look like ick to me also what was your nitrate reading which you considered high. was anyone else feeding your fish while you were away? also could they have overfeed your fish
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member

Post another pic from the one you posted it does not look like ick to me

If you blow up the pic, you may see some blurry ich on both the tang and the chromis; however, due to the poor quality of the pic, I would not beat my house on it.
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Beth when you enlarge the pic and take a look at the lower clown it seems to be totally infected OR a really bad picture. That’s why I think a better one is needed before any drastic measures are taken FYI if you look at the whole picture is seems that there are white spots all over the glass
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member

If these fish have ich, you will need to catch all of them and treat them with hyposalinity. The meds you are using will do absolutely nothing to address this disease. Can you post better pictures of your fish so we can perhaps positively ID the problem?
That is why I had requested a better picture as quoted here. Waiting to see that before giving advise to tear apart a reef tank trying to catch fish.
In any event, a long term plan should be to quarantine all new fish before any new additions to a tank, especially a reef tank. This hobby will be a lot more enjoyable if you did not have to have this type of headache every time you got a new fish (which presumably is supposed to be a fun thing to do).
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
If I had a dime for every time that advice was given AND not taken I would be very rich
Quote:
In any event, a long term plan should be to quarantine all new fish before any new additions to a tank, especially a reef tank
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
After almost 12 years at SWF, I'd be a billionaire by now.
However, I converted meow over, so that accounts for something. lol
 
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