HLLE issues

[kjmst29]

--- Please keep this in the fish only forum, since the mthods to resolve might be different in a reef tank.

Ok, so I have a hippo tang and Coral Beauty Angel in my tank among other fish. Both of these fish, however, are losing skin. Their faces look aweful and their lateral lines are showing now. I was told their diet is usually the #1 cause. I believe the diet I am giving them is ok though.

Spirulina flakes every day @ 9:00 am. Night time feedings are a mix of either Mysis, Brine, or Formula A & B mixed. I use garlic, selcon and vitamin C (alternating). I also use those seaweed strips, green and red. This is a pretty varied diet i think.

Ok, so onto cause #2. Stray electrical current. I just bought a probe last week. I am not sure if this will do the trick or not. Can I expect the skin to grow back if this fixes the problem.

If not, I was told excessive carbon could be an issue. I run my Magnum 350 every day, all day in my 90 gallon tank. Should I reduce this? I change it every 3 months. Should I change it more frequently?

My hippo tang looks downright ugly. My coral beauty is getting there. My other fish and eel are all ok though.
Thoughts?

 

[stykthyn]

their diet looks good. stray voltage is a cause and if this does cure it then the skin should grow back in time. I dont know about the carbon though. I usually run carbon 24/7 and havnt run into a problem with it. hopefully the probe has fixed your issues and all will be ok. depending on the damage done your fish may exhibit some scarring, and keep in mind that it may take several months for your fish to recover.

 

[fishykid9212]

I also heard that bad water quality can cause it also. I have a hippo tang that has HLLE and Im am fishting it too. good luck

 

[leebca]

The best help I can offer is to provide you with as much information as is known:

Possible causes for lateral line erosion:
In order of what I think is most likely:
Vitamin deficiency (A and/or C); Poor Nutrition; see this reference:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=785228
Chronic Stress
Poor water quality (including high levels of dissolved organic matter and/or nitrate)
Activated carbon (either removing something the fish need or the dust clogging the pores on the fish)
Stray Voltage (is your system grounded properly?)
Retrovirus
Hexamita
Amyloodinium-like dinoflagallate

See this article for more info on MHLLE:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/sp/index.htm

 

[jmicky41]

My vote is that the carbon is to blame. The two times I've had HLLE in my tank coincides with leaving some black diamond (carbon) in the sump for too long. Usually, I take it out after a couple of days - but I forgot. Maybe it was just coincidence though.

 

[kjmst29]

jmicky41,

Do you mean too long between changes, or too much use all together? I currently use it 24/7, and change every three months.

leebca, loved the article, but he mentions stray voltage as NOT one of the possible causes. And he mentions the probe as a possible CAUSE. This is the first time for me hearing this. Interesting.

I think I should kick up my water changes a notch. While all of my water tests come out ok (as always, waste of money on the kit), i thin the trace elements provided by the salt mixture may be running out. More water changes will help in this area. So I will try once per month instead of once every three months. I generally do about 10%.

 

[mistergn10]

[QUOTE.

leebca, loved the article, but he mentions stray voltage as NOT one of the possible causes. And he mentions the probe as a possible CAUSE. This is the first time for me hearing this. Interesting.

[/QUOTE]

Well without the probe there is no direct path for the current so I think the current would be harmless. I would bet on the carbon. Just keep up on water changes and I think the problem will be a thing of the past.

 

[jmicky41]

kjmst29, I meant too long between changes. I usually use carbon for a couple of days once every month or two.

 

[ACBlinky]

My flagfin had the beginning of HLLE and an eye infection when I got him, I suspect diet was the cause along with poor conditions (the description of the person's tank wasn't pretty). After a few months of feeding Two Little Fishies green seaweed, brine, mysis, plankton, Cyclopeeze, shrimp, and Hikari Marine pellets, he's fat and the HLLE is completely gone. I do water changes every week to two weeks (10-20%) and run carbon 24/7.
I think your feeding schedule sounds good, but I'd step up the water changes; it can't hurt, and it might help.
Best of luck, hope you can turn them around

 

[leebca]

mistergn10,

Thanks for the heads up. I'll make note of that.