saltyESQ
New member
Why is it every time I speak with biologists at public aquariums and maintenance companies (excluding guys on this board) I hear the same thing about HLLE; it is an uncontrollable disease.
So why is it when my Sohal developed HLLE, I did a water change and changed his feeding habits and the HLLE is almost completely healed.
I also noticed that public aquariums and maintenance companies generally feed their fish a terrible diet.
So, I got a haircut the other day and there was a fish tank in the business. The name of the maintenance company was on the tank. The tank had a large porky puffer that looks sickly, a hippo tang with severe HLLE and a normal looking foxface.
I decided to write the company. I told them they have no idea what they are doing yada yada yada.
this is their response.
I am still writing my response. I find his response laughable.
Hello Salty,
Thanks for your inquiry about this widely misunderstood tropical fish Syndrome.
You came to the right place! Fish Art Aquariums Inc. has dominated not only the Western US. custom (mostly very large scale) aquarium market, but the maintenance and ongoing care of them as well for over 25 years. Additionally I have studied Marine Biology and oceanography under Dr. Gary Wells, (at the time) director of M/B and O at USC University. John Mackey is a local Marine vet (VMD) that we get many of our inject able medications from, and E. Scott Weber MSc, VMD at UC Davis provides pathology testing and lab work for our case studies.
Fish Art Aquariums Inc. has been so successful at solving many of the industry’s most troubling issues over my last 30+ years in the business, but HLLE still nags at me, especially since I also own Feeder Fish and Feeder Feast tropical fish food brands(more on that momentarily). The prevention and cure of HLLE remains a mystery, even to the best companies, doctors and scientists in the field. You see, a business like Fish Art Aquariums can provide a “test lab” unlike any other in the world. We have over 600+ aquariums/clients that we maintain on a monthly basis and are therefore able to provide a wide range of control variables, as we collectively strive to develop a cure, with/from the doctors and scientists we work with.. The reality as of now, is that some tangs get this disease and some do not. Blue tangs are more sensitive than most fish but the occurrence is not exclusive to blue tangs, “fish only” aquariums or “reef aquariums”, etc. etc. as we have seen HLLE in virtually every possible aquarium scenario. At my frozen tropical fish food company, we strive to find a dietary additive, as we lead the field in the tropical fish food arena worldwide. The sales at each of our business has more than tripled in the last three years.
I sometimes have to apologize because my incredibly busy schedule does not permit me to see every client as regularly as I might like to(also because we have to maintain such a gigantic service area), but Nuovo Hair Studio is in the capable hands of one of the best service technicians in the business, Milton Gonzalez. Every one of our staff trains extensively, before they are ever able to work on any one of our aquariums. You can see Milton’s service capabilities in the Feb 2010 issue of architectural digest. You can’t see too much of the 6000 gal shark tank or the other four 1000 gal plus aquariums and large pond at the residence, but the caliber of the house will show the caliber we are known for as well. The fact that most of our installations are of a very large scale nature doesn’t mean the “little guy” should not be able to enjoy an aquarium as well, even if on a limited budget….right? And, service technicians, as good as they are, shouldn’t be held responsible for the ongoing research of this type of challenge that we face as an Aquarium industry…I’m sure you will agree with as well.
All of our marine fish come from Quality Marine in Los Angeles, and most are MAC certified. I’ll continue to search for a cure, in the meantime, you can read one of many articles published on the topic at the link below. I’ll be at a conference next week in Orlando, I’ll let you know if I learn anything new and thanks again for your inquiry to our firm. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.
Here is the link and a highlighted excerpt:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/headlledisease/a/aa040901.htm
Possible Causes
There are many "theories" as to why this disease occurs, but there seems to be no single definitive answer that can be pinpointed or solely connected to it. Many of the contributing theories include stray voltage in the aquarium, poor water quality and environmental conditions, high nitrate levels, lack of vitamins and poor nutrition, stress, parasitic infestation (a protozoan, Octomita necatrix), using carbon, and that some fish may just be genetically pre-disposed to this disease condition, such as Tangs & Surgeonfishes (refer to sixth discussion down).
Best Regards,
So why is it when my Sohal developed HLLE, I did a water change and changed his feeding habits and the HLLE is almost completely healed.
I also noticed that public aquariums and maintenance companies generally feed their fish a terrible diet.
So, I got a haircut the other day and there was a fish tank in the business. The name of the maintenance company was on the tank. The tank had a large porky puffer that looks sickly, a hippo tang with severe HLLE and a normal looking foxface.
I decided to write the company. I told them they have no idea what they are doing yada yada yada.
this is their response.
I am still writing my response. I find his response laughable.
Hello Salty,
Thanks for your inquiry about this widely misunderstood tropical fish Syndrome.
You came to the right place! Fish Art Aquariums Inc. has dominated not only the Western US. custom (mostly very large scale) aquarium market, but the maintenance and ongoing care of them as well for over 25 years. Additionally I have studied Marine Biology and oceanography under Dr. Gary Wells, (at the time) director of M/B and O at USC University. John Mackey is a local Marine vet (VMD) that we get many of our inject able medications from, and E. Scott Weber MSc, VMD at UC Davis provides pathology testing and lab work for our case studies.
Fish Art Aquariums Inc. has been so successful at solving many of the industry’s most troubling issues over my last 30+ years in the business, but HLLE still nags at me, especially since I also own Feeder Fish and Feeder Feast tropical fish food brands(more on that momentarily). The prevention and cure of HLLE remains a mystery, even to the best companies, doctors and scientists in the field. You see, a business like Fish Art Aquariums can provide a “test lab” unlike any other in the world. We have over 600+ aquariums/clients that we maintain on a monthly basis and are therefore able to provide a wide range of control variables, as we collectively strive to develop a cure, with/from the doctors and scientists we work with.. The reality as of now, is that some tangs get this disease and some do not. Blue tangs are more sensitive than most fish but the occurrence is not exclusive to blue tangs, “fish only” aquariums or “reef aquariums”, etc. etc. as we have seen HLLE in virtually every possible aquarium scenario. At my frozen tropical fish food company, we strive to find a dietary additive, as we lead the field in the tropical fish food arena worldwide. The sales at each of our business has more than tripled in the last three years.
I sometimes have to apologize because my incredibly busy schedule does not permit me to see every client as regularly as I might like to(also because we have to maintain such a gigantic service area), but Nuovo Hair Studio is in the capable hands of one of the best service technicians in the business, Milton Gonzalez. Every one of our staff trains extensively, before they are ever able to work on any one of our aquariums. You can see Milton’s service capabilities in the Feb 2010 issue of architectural digest. You can’t see too much of the 6000 gal shark tank or the other four 1000 gal plus aquariums and large pond at the residence, but the caliber of the house will show the caliber we are known for as well. The fact that most of our installations are of a very large scale nature doesn’t mean the “little guy” should not be able to enjoy an aquarium as well, even if on a limited budget….right? And, service technicians, as good as they are, shouldn’t be held responsible for the ongoing research of this type of challenge that we face as an Aquarium industry…I’m sure you will agree with as well.
All of our marine fish come from Quality Marine in Los Angeles, and most are MAC certified. I’ll continue to search for a cure, in the meantime, you can read one of many articles published on the topic at the link below. I’ll be at a conference next week in Orlando, I’ll let you know if I learn anything new and thanks again for your inquiry to our firm. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.
Here is the link and a highlighted excerpt:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/headlledisease/a/aa040901.htm
Possible Causes
There are many "theories" as to why this disease occurs, but there seems to be no single definitive answer that can be pinpointed or solely connected to it. Many of the contributing theories include stray voltage in the aquarium, poor water quality and environmental conditions, high nitrate levels, lack of vitamins and poor nutrition, stress, parasitic infestation (a protozoan, Octomita necatrix), using carbon, and that some fish may just be genetically pre-disposed to this disease condition, such as Tangs & Surgeonfishes (refer to sixth discussion down).
Best Regards,
