Kole Tang suddenly sick

[Jacob D]

My lights came on a couple of hours ago and I just noticed my Kole tang has got something pretty serious looking going on. Yesterday he looked fine and has looked fine for the 2-3 months that I've had him. I just snapped a couple of quick pics.

Note: frayed fins, blotches
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/4580326424/" title="Problem Side by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4580326424_e71026357a_o.jpg" width="750" height="600" alt="Problem Side" style="border:4px solid #000;" /></a>

Note: Orange spot on tail. He's always had this. I assumed it was a little lymph or possibly a small tumor. The black rings near it have me concerned.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/4579727145/" title="Close Up by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4579727145_1a40ba02a8_o.jpg" width="600" height="480" alt="Close Up" style="border:4px solid #000;"/></a>

Other Side
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/4579692863/" title="Other Side by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4579692863_941d18fd73_o.jpg" width="750" height="600" alt="Other Side" style="border:4px solid #000;"/></a>


My first thought was physical damage from something. What do you guys think? His behavior is normal. Last night I did a 10% water change, and this morning I added 3 fish from my QT; a pair of flame angels and a bellus angel. I haven't seen any aggression.

 

[shawna1972]

My lights came on a couple of hours ago and I just noticed my Kole tang has got something pretty serious looking going on. Yesterday he looked fine and has looked fine for the 2-3 months that I've had him. I just snapped a couple of quick pics.

Note: frayed fins, blotches
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/4580326424/" title="Problem Side by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4580326424_e71026357a_o.jpg" width="750" height="600" alt="Problem Side" style="border:4px solid #000;" /></a>

Note: Orange spot on tail. He's always had this. I assumed it was a little lymph or possibly a small tumor. The black rings near it have me concerned.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/4579727145/" title="Close Up by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4579727145_1a40ba02a8_o.jpg" width="600" height="480" alt="Close Up" style="border:4px solid #000;"/></a>

Other Side
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/4579692863/" title="Other Side by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4579692863_941d18fd73_o.jpg" width="750" height="600" alt="Other Side" style="border:4px solid #000;"/></a>


My first thought was physical damage from something. What do you guys think? His behavior is normal. Last night I did a 10% water change, and this morning I added 3 fish from my QT; a pair of flame angels and a bellus angel. I haven't seen any aggression.

In that second and last pic he looks like he has a parasite attached (2nd pic tward the right) and last pic before his tail.
Is this something on the glass? the pic of his tail does not look like lymph to me? Hope others can chime in to help,Did this tang go through prazi or copper while in Qt?

 

[Jacob D]

I think what you're seeing on the middle-right is actually the purple pigment from a stripe on his skin. I also noticed that and looked at it blown up in the original picture. It looks like a piece of skin is sticking out. I don't think he has any parasite issues, but the orange lump on his tail has always bothered me.

This fish was not QT'd. I had a terrible run of failures with tangs in my QT and finally, against my better judgment, I gave him a bath of Malachite Green and added him to the main tank. He has always appeared healthy, even last night none of this was there. It makes me wonder if one of the new fish tore into him this morning (not likely) or if he got a little too close to one of my Tunze 6100's that are in the rock work.

 

[shawna1972]

Ahh ok yeah from the pic thats what it looked like.Yeah wish I could be more help beautiful tang though. Yeah the lump on the tail ? Have you tried a fresh water dip as a last resort to see if maybe it was a parasite as a last ditch? I never thought my scopas had parasites until after he died and I put him in a bowl full of fresh water and the flukes were falling of of him "Never even seen them on him" but yeah that would bother me as well, it looks physical to me but again Im no expert by any means and do not want to comment on something im not familiar with,but good luck and Im sure others with more exp will chime in and give some good imput
take care.

 

[Jacob D]

It's too bad this forum is so slow. It speaks to the small number of people who actually know enough and/or have some experience caring for sick fish.

Anyway... my Kole looks like he is on the mend. I've been mixing a little Maracyn II into the fish food as a preventative measure against bacterial infection. I considered doing a Melafix treatment on the entire tank (since I can't catch him and my QT is full anyway) but thought better of it since he doesn't seem to be going downhill.

I'm pretty sure the injuries were from a Bellus angel that evicted him from his old cave and has taken it over as hers.

 

[jjk_reef00]

It's too bad this forum is so slow. It speaks to the small number of people who actually know enough and/or have some experience caring for sick fish.

I know what you mean, it seems like every time I buy a fish there always seems to be something wrong with it. It is hard to believe others don't have the same problems.

Glad to hear your fish is doing better. It didn't seem to be bacterial infection because the damage was on the body with no signs on the tail or fins. I've used a 50/50 combination of pimafix/melafix with great success in the past, just never tried it in a reef.

 

[Jacob D]

I know what you mean, it seems like every time I buy a fish there always seems to be something wrong with it. It is hard to believe others don't have the same problems.

I'm sure there are a lot more problems than are ever posted about here. I'd guess that a lot of them go without notice because (it seems anyway) that there is a general lack of knowledge about fish disease and treatment, other than ich for which there is a ton of misinformation floating around.

I'm certainly no expert but I've treated my share of sick fish. Most of the time I have some idea of what could be going on, but even then I'm rarely 100% sure. For newbies there's not much hope and most LFS are little help.