Coral Beauty Angel issue

[kyley]

Hello,
I've had my Coral Beauty for about 5 months now (quarantined first). It looks like it's lost some tissue from the front of its face. Mouth almost looks bloody. I think it's been like this for a week or two. Thoughts on what this is and how to treat it? HLLE? Do angels get that? Is it possible to do in-tank? See pics below. The other fish I'm not as concerned about, but thought I'd ask about them too.

My McCosker's Flasher Wrasse has been in there the same amount of time (5 months, also quarantined) and is fine.

I also have a clown fish that's been in the tank for almost 10 years. He's always had some amount of these black markings (almost look like burns), but this seems to be the most he's had by far. Any idea what they are?

And last, my Royal Gramma Basslet has been in there about 8 or 9 years. It's mostly fine, but it looks like there's a small amount of tissue loss (whiteish area) on top of her head as well? I think this has been like this for quite some time as well.

All fish act fine and eat like pigs. They generally get along, but the clown is a bully. Never seen him chase the Angelfish though - just the wrasse. These are all in my 65 gallon Red Sea Max which has been established for 10 years now. I am upgrading to a 120g (established for 6 months now and has 3 tangs in it) and want to transfer these 4 fish all at once. But I don't want to if they are sick and especially if it's something that could affect my other fish.

So that's the other key question - if it's just a water quality issue from carbon or something, is it safe to go ahead and transfer the fish?

Note - there are no white spots or anything on the fish - that's just stuff floating in the tank in front of the fish. Also, I did the TTM process with the 2 newer fish (wrasse and angel) and used PraziPro as well. Thanks!
--Kyle

 

[HumbleFish]

With the clownfish, it looks like a bad case of Hyper-Melanization: https://humble.fish/hyper-melanization/

Basically, whatever coral he's trying to host in is stinging the crap out of him.

The angel could have HLLE or an infection or possibly is getting stung as well. Have you ever seen him nip at any corals, especially those zoas??

 

[kyley]

That's about what I thought about the Clownfish. But all I really have in that tank now are zoas, palys, mushrooms, and yumas. But all he hosts in are a few zoas and palys on the sand.

I've seen the CB nip at rocks often, but never at corals. Any thoughts on a treatment? Or on moving him to the new tank? Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[HumbleFish]

I've seen the CB nip at rocks often, but never at corals. Any thoughts on a treatment? Or on moving him to the new tank? Thanks,
--Kyle

Since most of the damage appears to be around the face, I would assume HLLE. Since no one can agree on the exact cause, all you can do is address all of the following theories regarding HLLE:

1) Stray voltage "“ Use a titanium ground probe & test your tank for stray voltage.
2) Running carbon "“ Don't use it, or use only premium grade carbon.
3) Nutritional/vitamin deficiency "“ Feed high quality nutritional foods. Some have had success reversing the effects of HLLE by soaking food in "œfish vitamins" (e.g. Selcon, Zoecon, Vita-chem) and also feeding nori.
4) Copper exposure "“ Sometimes fish treated with copper (especially tangs) will develop HLLE. It usually "œheals" post treatment, but food soaking a vitamin supplement is a good idea to help expedite this.

 

[kyley]

Since most of the damage appears to be around the face, I would assume HLLE. Since no one can agree on the exact cause, all you can do is address all of the following theories regarding HLLE:

1) Stray voltage "“ Use a titanium ground probe & test your tank for stray voltage.
2) Running carbon "“ Don't use it, or use only premium grade carbon.
3) Nutritional/vitamin deficiency "“ Feed high quality nutritional foods. Some have had success reversing the effects of HLLE by soaking food in "œfish vitamins" (e.g. Selcon, Zoecon, Vita-chem) and also feeding nori.
4) Copper exposure "“ Sometimes fish treated with copper (especially tangs) will develop HLLE. It usually "œheals" post treatment, but food soaking a vitamin supplement is a good idea to help expedite this.

1: Stray voltage - yes, I'm using a ground probe.
2: Carbon? Runnin BRS ROX, but moving all the fish to my 120 where I (likely) won't run carbon (currently have a small amount in a bag, rather than reactor, but may remove that when I get a UV Sterilizer setup).
3: I recently ran out of Vita-Chem, but usually use it. Have used Selcon in the past. Maybe I should get some of that as well.
4: No copper in the DT of course, but I might have done some copper when I first started QT (and then switched to using TTM).

What do you think about just moving the 4 fish to the new 120g DT and removing the small amount of carbon I'm using in it? My 3 tangs in that tank all are in pristine health. And I'll resume supplementing with Vita-Chem and Selcon (I also use garlic in there on the seaweed for the tangs). If I move them to a QT for a bit, it seems a little risky too (always worry about ammonia spikes), and I'm not sure what I'd do to treat the CB anyway... Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[HumbleFish]

What do you think about just moving the 4 fish to the new 120g DT and removing the small amount of carbon I'm using in it? My 3 tangs in that tank all are in pristine health. And I'll resume supplementing with Vita-Chem and Selcon (I also use garlic in there on the seaweed for the tangs). If I move them to a QT for a bit, it seems a little risky too (always worry about ammonia spikes), and I'm not sure what I'd do to treat the CB anyway... Thanks,
--Kyle

I'd move the 3 healthy looking tangs into the 120, but the Coral Beauty might need to go into QT. It doesn't make sense that the CB would have HLLE, but not the tangs, if they were all housed in the same system.

I would put the CB in a QT, and dose a mild antibiotic (e.g. Neomycin) for a week or two.

 

[kyley]

I'd move the 3 healthy looking tangs into the 120, but the Coral Beauty might need to go into QT. It doesn't make sense that the CB would have HLLE, but not the tangs, if they were all housed in the same system.

I would put the CB in a QT, and dose a mild antibiotic (e.g. Neomycin) for a week or two.

Sorry for the confusion... The 3 tangs are already in the 120g that I plan to transfer the other fish into. They've been in the 120 for about 5 months (yellow tang was originally in the tank with these 4 fish - the other tangs came from a different tank, and all 3 tangs were introduced at the same time). So the Coral Beauty hasn't been with any of the tangs except for the yellow many months ago. Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[ThRoewer]

Activated carbon affirmed as causative agent for HLLE disease...