Sick Regal Tang, need some help

[stolaas]

Hey everyone
First of all it was great to meet everyone at the NARC meeting today

Second - Here is a picture of my Regal Tang that I told some of you about. I thought it might of been fluke because yesterday it looked like something was attached to his sides. But today it looks more whitish but not specks like Ich. I treated him once for Ich already last week and he was all better when I put him back in the display. Can anyone diagnose these spots or holes/leasions?

Thanks everyone

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Looks a bit like Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE). Some marine fish and a lot of fresh water cichlids (related to marine fish) are prone to this. Usually a diet (vitamins C and A) and sometimes a living condition issue (over crowding and a poor water quality.)

Here's what wetwebmedia says about the diseases that Regal tangs are prone to:

"This is the darkest element to keeping the palette tang. Paracanthurus are quite susceptible to crypt, (amyl)oodinium, and other infectious and parasitic outbreaks common to captive marines. They are particularly liable to an erosive condition termed HLLE, "head and lateral line erosion". There is growing evidence that this symptom of this bilateral gross pitting and bodily disfigurement is principally due to a lack of nutrients, mainly the vitamins C, A and D; but there are still advocates that a/the root cause of HLLE is stray voltage, and/or the protozoan Octomita necatrix, and/or "poor water quality".

It is my anecdotally derived opinion that all these factors play their part in the expression of HLLE. Given that the species is inclined genetically to this disposition, resolve to keep yours well-fed, in an appropriately set-up and maintained system. Avoid specimens showing signs of erosion as young, and don't give up should yours start to fade and show signs of pitting. Enriched foods and improved conditions have shown to reverse such trends."

Tomoko

 

[Tomoko Schum]

How about posting in Fish Disease Treatment forum in RC?

Tomoko

 

[stolaas]

Here is an update on my Regal - He looks like he is doing okay. I was going to catch him and QT but I thought I would give it a few more days and see what developed. Well his spots went away and some others come and went too. He has a little case of Ich and still some of those white spots on him but not any of the original ones, so I guess he is just plain living. I have to remind myself that you can't always heal a fish, sometimes you just have to let him be and he'll take care of himself.

 

[twkenny]

Quite possibly secondary infections from the ich.
He still doing better?

 

[stolaas]

Yea he is still doing better, has a big white spot on his head now the same as the others but today the others are gone but one. He is still breathing okay and eating well and getting fat.

 

[twkenny]

Roll with it and keep himn eating. Be sure he gets plenty of nori.
Good luck!