Purple tang need help

[kouma]

Hello,

I have a 250Gal reef tank. Parameters are all good except for high Nitrate that I am still trying to resolve.

Three days I found both my tangs (yellow and purple) pretty beat up. They have lived together for years and always had their go at each other but never this bad. Both tangs had their tail spines broken and the skin around that area was severely damaged on both sides.

I change the aquascape and started feeding garlic. Both fish are eating okay, but the purple is not as active as before. Today I noticed the yellow is fully healed but the purple only one of his sides are healed the other developed a white blotch. Looks like fungus or something, please see the pic.

Can you please tell me what to do to heal him. Catching him is out of the question because the tank is big and too many hiding spots.

Thanks

 

[HumbleFish]

It's possible the wound has gotten infected. Only in-tank treatment option you really have is soaking his food in vitamin supplements (i.e. Selcon, Zoecon, Vita-chem). Also, feed lots of nori!

 

[kouma]

I will try that. Any other suggestions?

 

[Rea17]

I will try that. Any other suggestions?

Not without catching him. As Humble said, vitamins may help buffer his immune system so he can fight off the infection on his own, but this fish probably needs antibiotics which need to be administered in a hospital tank. Try trapping him (if catching is the issue), I have an aquamedic trap that works wonders.