Purple Tang in rough shape - Help

[jbrowning1]

My tank specs:
90gal
Kessil 360w lights
100lbs Rock
Trigger sump
Reef octopus skimmer
Eheim heaters
Apex controller

All water conditions are good!

Livestock:
Purple tang
Blue hippo tang
7 clowns
Fire fish
Spotted goby
Cleaner shrimp
Red leg hermit crabs
Dwarf blue hermits
3 emerald crabs
Turbo snails
Green star polyps
Toadstool leather
Mushrooms

Tank has been up for almost two years. No issues.

A friend bought this purple tang and it got ich. He dosed it with copper and probably other stuff. Ich went away, but it looked as though it barely survived and wasn't eating. My friend didn't want him, so I took him. I put him in 20gal long QT for a month and got him eating romain lettuce and dried sea veggies. I finally put him in my DT. He has been there for a month and acts healthy and eats well. His find will started to grow back a little, then it looked like something was nipping them off again. His body still has a really pale color to it as well. I am wondering if he will recover? Will his top/bottom fin grow back? I am not sure what is going on. I never see anything pick at him. Looking for any advice on care for this fish.

 

[ThRoewer]

It also looks like he has a bit HLLE going on - do you or did your friend run activated carbon on his system?

The continued fin damage could be from bites of the hippo tang. That you don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

 

[laga77]

Stop the Romaine. Marine fish get no benefit from terrestrial plants. Stick with nori or algae flakes.

 

[ThRoewer]

Stop the Romaine. Marine fish get no benefit from terrestrial plants. Stick with nori or algae flakes.

Precisely! Saltwater fish have no ability to digest terrestrial plants - they need marine algae.

Freshwater fish are a bit of a different story as freshwater plants are not much different from terrestrial plants.

 

[snorvich]

Some good advice above. Hippo tangs can be super aggressive especially in a tank that is too small.

 

[jbrowning1]

I do run carbon. Should I stop using it. I have always been told it is good to do so.

 

[jbrowning1]

I used the romaine in the QT tank. Only gets pellets and dried sea veggies now.

 

[scooter31707]

I agree, looks like HLLE. I recommend trying to get him out and treating.

 

[ThRoewer]

I do run carbon. Should I stop using it. I have always been told it is good to do so.

If running carbon you should only use the pelleted form and wash it excessively. When placing it into the system take precautions that the pellets are not tumbled around by the flow as that can cause abrasion and release of micro carbon particles into the water.
Though as long as the fish looks this bad I would discontinue the use of carbon.

You find more about this here: Activated Carbon: HLLE Smoking Gun Found

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

If running carbon you should only use the pelleted form and wash it excessively. When placing it into the system take precautions that the pellets are not tumbled around by the flow as that can cause abrasion and release of micro carbon particles into the water.

Though as long as the fish looks this bad I would discontinue the use of carbon.



You find more about this here: Activated Carbon: HLLE Smoking Gun Found

Great article! [emoji106]