AHHHH!!! what is this?

[steveomori]

hello every one, I have had my reef up for over a year and well i dont know what this stuff is on Dori. I was babysitting a few fish and 2 weeks later this is what i have. Dose anyone know what this is? i dont think it is ICH but having never delt whit ICH i just not sure. please help.

 

[steveomori]

here is the picture

 

[ctjim2005]

Its not ich ,looks like a fungus

 

[fishyvet]

Please upload your photo to photobucket and post directly into the thread... No offense, but I don't download attachments.

Fungus is pretty rare in marine environments. Does it look anything like lymphocystis?

 

[steveomori]

try this.
http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd69/steveomori/?action=view&current=dori.jpg

 

[Spracklcat]

Also, is the pale area a loss of pigmentation, or something white on top of the scales?

 

[steveomori]

it loos like a loss of pigmentation. I dont see that it is raised the or anything like that. LFS said it could be stress. I was in the tank cleaning and moving things around. any ideas?

 

[Spracklcat]

I'm thinking maybe a parasite--sometimes when they latch on in a particular area, you'll get loss of pigmentation in a spotty pattern like that, around each parasite location. Bacteria tends to be more of one location, not spotty.

 

[fishyvet]

This is what I would do if the fish was in my care:

If it's eating well, not flashing or showing signs of distress, I would just watch the lesions. Keep the water quality as pristine as possible and give him a healthy diet. If the fish shows signs of illness or distress I would be prepared to fish him out.

He looks nice and healthy otherwise... is it possible he scraped himself on something? How big is the hippo and how large is the tank its in? Also, can you please post your tank parameters?

 

[steveomori]

the tang is medium sized about 3.5-4 inches in length, eating very well, the tank is 120 gal reef with plenty of room to play. Tank main prams are fine with exception of the nitrates 20ppm. somthing that always is there (all others 0). I stopped fighting phosphates as i never make headway however my corals seem to thrive. i dont think they are scrapes it dosent look like a wound at all, but a loss of pigment. thanks for your response.

 

[steveomori]

Great news my fish pigment has returned and the fish looks better i dont know what it was but i guess ill chalk it up to stress. (kind of an bs explaination) but what-ever Dori is looking better!