Sick Kole tang?

[hkgar]

I tried this in the Reef Disease forum with little success, so I thought I would try you folks;

My Kole tang is pretty much staying in one semi secluded are of the tank. I noticed yesterday he didn't come over to feed on the Nori when I put it in. He has a spot on both the right and left sides on the gill area and appears to have a distended belly. Here is a link to pictures.

Any ideas of what it might be?

 

[WVfishguy]

Actually, a distended belly will distend down, while this look like it distends out to the side.

Looks bad. Probably a tumor. I believe the gill spots are inflamed sensory organs, a stress indicator.

I doubt there's anything you can do.

Please DO NOT treat that fish in the same tank with those nice corals. This is why quarantine tanks are so useful.

I believe any treatment will be a waste of time, but someone here may have advice. I can't see antibiotics helping. Just be happy Kole's are not terribly expensive.

If it dies, I would definitely do a necropsy and see it it was a tumor. You learn a lot this way.

 

[hkgar]

A necropsy could be considered bu my guess that his death will be somewhere in the middle of all the rock work and getting him out will be about impossible. Hope the CUC is up to the job. And the live rock bacteria.

Chance of a replacement making it with the Purple and Atlantic are pretty slim. The Atlantic in particular is pretty territorial.