Regal Tang Problems

JownsenJesus

JownsenJesus

Premium Member
About two weeks ago I bought 2 regal tangs from my LFS and put them in my tank which had a red sea sailfin, 5 chromis, 2 convict blennys, a cleaner shrimp and some other inverts and snails. I did not quarantine *whoops*, but just a week ago I noticed some black lesions on one of the regal tangs. I had already noticed Ich on the sailfin and got that to subside with soaking his food in garlic. So I decided to throw all the fish in a 50 gallon quaratine tank. Im treating with hyposalinity for the ich and leaving the main tank fallow for 6 or more weeks. But I cannot find any source for what the regal tangs lesions are from. Maybe someone here can help.
img0450tv8.jpg
 
Black Ich- caused by turbellaria - a type of flatworm. While the organism itself is nothing like the parasite that causes marine "Ich", the life cycles are similar. The turbellaria feed on the host for around 6 days and then drop off move into the substrate. They then brood for 3 or 4 days where they can produce up to 160 juveniles. After the 2 to 4 days, the adults body ruptures and the juveniles released. The juveniles are infective and seek out fish to infect.

Numbers of parasites can build very quickly and can result in the death of the fish.

As the life cycle is around 10 days, you need to wait longer that 2 weeks for them to die off in the main tank - and also general quarantine. You should leave your tank without fish for at least 6 weeks. This should ensure that most of the parasite will have died off.

Treatment for fish infected with turbellaria is with a formalin bath.
This will eventualy kill off all your fish one by one or several at a time if quaratine isnt invoked. Hope this info helps. Good luck!!
 
Black ich is usually smaller...pinsized black dots.

The only other thing it looks like is the reaction many Clowns get from stinging corals:confused: And I have seen many Naso's get spots like this from stress..

How is he behaving otherwise? Eating?

You maybe should go ahead with the Formalin dips...see if that does anything but I don't think its Black ich....
 
I treated the hippo that had the black spots with a formalin bath, is it nessecary to treat all the fish even if they don't show outward signs of the black ich?
 
When I feed the zebrasoma desjardinii is a super pig but I always manage to get some to the hippos. They don't pick at the sea veggies as much as I would like but they eat the flake, formula and brine i put in. All soaked with garlic and selcon.
 
As far as stinging corals, my tank contains a couple colonies of catspaw, some green star polyps, zoanthids, a purple tip sebae anenome that is no bigger than a half dollar, a. millepora, cinulara, a few blasto merletti's, some acans, and a brain coral. I dont know if any of these have the ability to sting him or not.
 
Mmmm, both regals same problem? Not black ich? I kinda doubt it. How are your other fish any symptoms? You cant hurt them by doing a dip I say give it a shot if it clears you found the culprit if not look to something else. Tangs are suseptible to ICH thats a given Regals especially but the possibility remains it may be something else. Personally Ive never had a Tang get sick from stress that wasnt already sick.. Black Ich is less common but still common. Id keep a close eye on them make sure they are both eating well. Watch them breath see if its labored. Get some more opinions.
 
Only the bigger of the two regals is showing signs of the black lesions, although all my tangs at one point showed signs of ich (white). The red sea sailfin has some heavy breathing so I figured he has it in his gills. The chromis and the blennys show no outward signs of any ich or parasites.
 
Man Im sorry to hear thatl. You need to get them out and quartine them start treating them. You run a UV? If not Id suggest getting one will help dramatically.
 
THey are already in quarantine like my first post said, Im putting all of them through hyposalinity to treat the ich, leaving the main tank fallow, and the red sea sailfin has some abrasions from scratching so I used some melafix for those. I just don't know what to do for the hippo, I have not seen a disease that looks like it except for maybe HLLE.
 
It does kinda look like stings rather than ich now that I compare the differences. If it clears up in QT Id put the hippo back in and watch him like a hawk for several hours. See what hes doing. Might even want to take him back the the LFs and see what they say about him. Alot of tangs fight with each other too. He maybe fine until feeding time when they can get aggressive and hes diving into something thats stinging him to get away from another aggressor. Hard to say for sure. Doesnt resemble the black ich or MHLLE eithier. He doesnt have the tell tale patches near the head to indicate MHLLE. Black ich or any ich for that matter usually precludes no eating and weight lose. Keep him in QT til he looks better for sure.
I stopped trying to keep tangs til I got a UV and went BB. Thats the only way I felt confortable keeping these fish. I got to stressed out with the various diseases and inflictions they incure from slight changes in water quality. Now goin on 2 years with a big fat PBT hes happy and so am I.
It used to kill me to watch one deteriorate and die over something I did or didnt do. I just couldnt bare the blame anymore and spent the money on the UV. Now I base my whole tank around keeping Tangs. Thats the only fish I ever wanted as a Newbie. To keep them happy is to be educated about their needs. I keep only 1 until my big display is complete thats enough.
 
Ill definitly keep an eye on him, do you think I should still formalin dip him or hold off on it? I tried going to a lfs and they were all out of Zoe and the owner told me vita-chem is crap, then tried to sell me this other off brand stuff that was super expensive.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7772515#post7772515 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JownsenJesus
Ill definitly keep an eye on him, do you think I should still formalin dip him or hold off on it? I tried going to a lfs and they were all out of Zoe and the owner told me vita-chem is crap, then tried to sell me this other off brand stuff that was super expensive.
Click to expand...
Thats what LFS do. Vita -chem is not crap its good stuff. I use it I atest to it..He probably wants to off load on you something he cant sell on the shelf. Id be leary. Is the fish getting worse, the same or better in Qt? If its getting worse in qT definetly dont hold off on the dip. If hes the same Dip him and if hes better than hold off and wait a few more days to see if he is truly getting better. Keep offering him food. Nori is his favorite if you have it. Understand that a tang that isnt eating all day long is not a normal tang. They graze sun up to sundown. My tangs eat constantly. They attack an empty veggie clip assuming it is going to give up some food.
So you need to see if he will eat. If hes eating normally (that means alot) usally then hes not likely sick with a parasite but a victim of hositlity. Something you have in with him is giving him a bad time. Word of caution also tangs are super sensitive to Temp changes. Acclimate slowly back into your display when you put him back.
 
Update- Tang's spots are noticably clearing up now, I have not formalin dipped him since the first time about 6 days ago. I have been feeding Formula 1,2 Flake as well as some Spirulina flake. Some emerald entree, and mysis. Green and Purple algae all soaked in selcon, garlic, and zoe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Regal white spots
Replies
7
Views
551
Scotty333!!!
S
S
White spots on tang
Replies
13
Views
989
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
A
New Naso Tang breathing heavy and not swimming much anymore
Replies
2
Views
436
griss
griss
A
Stocking Recommendations for established 92 gal
Replies
8
Views
536
Aquado
A
G
Adding fish: need advice
Replies
5
Views
990
wvned
wvned
Back
Top