Spot on Tang

[Johnseye]

There has been a single spot on my Kole Tang. It's been there for about 3 weeks and I've been watching every day for signs of spreading or disappearing. It is whitish in color compared to the body and located in the upper middle portion of the body, below the dorsal fin. Just today I noticed another on the body, toward the caudal fin. Neither of these spots are on the fins themselves

I have been examining all my fish in case this was a sign of ich. No other fish have these spots. I have seen ich before and this doesn't look like it, although I could be wrong. I think if it were ich 3 weeks would have been enough time for it to spread.

It's hard to take a picture of it, but I'll give it a try and update later. Any thoughts on what this might be by my description?

 

[ReeFreak1]

Difficult to tell without a pic. What are your water pars?

 

[Johnseye]

Difficult to tell without a pic. What are your water pars?

I just did a 10% water change while cleaning out the sump this weekend so the levels are a little off from what they typically are.

I have an auto water changer that changes out 1 gallon per day, and an ATO

salinity is always at 1.026

PH is at 8.14 today because of the change but it's usually between 8.2 - 8.4

temp is always at about 79F

I'll have to check my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate tomorrow. I never have an issue with these levels however.

Alk was at 7 dKH but I target it at 9 with sodium bicarbonate and kalk. It's a constant battle to keep it up.

Ca was at 390 when I checked today but it's typically at about 420 and I supplemented some Ca after I did my change today.

Mg was at about 1280. It stays at about 1280 - 1300 consistently

 

[Johnseye]

Ammonia, Nitrite an Nitrate were all 0

Here are some photos of the tang. The two spots don't show up white in the picture for some reason. In one of the shots I circled where the white spots are.

 

[Deinonych]

If it has been there for more than a week, it's not ich. The pictures are inconclusive. How is the fish behaving otherwise? Any scratching, labored breathing or decreased appetite?

 

[Johnseye]

No scratching, labored breathing or decrease in appetite. It appears healthy other than those two spots. Could the spots be Lymph?

 

[Deinonych]

Could be, but lymphocystis usually manifests on the fins first. If the fish appears healthy otherwise, I would do nothing at this point.

 

[Triton_Z]

Agree with Deinonych. I would just keep watching for change. This doesn't look like ich at all at this point. Any other fish show signs of the same discoloration? Is the yellow tang free and clear of spots? Does the tang get into any fights with other fish in the tank?

I was thinking, at first, the spots looked like abrasions from a fight or rub against a rock/sand, but the spot in the middle of the body looks too round.

 

[Johnseye]

Agree with Deinonych. I would just keep watching for change. This doesn't look like ich at all at this point. Any other fish show signs of the same discoloration? Is the yellow tang free and clear of spots? Does the tang get into any fights with other fish in the tank?

I was thinking, at first, the spots looked like abrasions from a fight or rub against a rock/sand, but the spot in the middle of the body looks too round.

The spot by the caudal fin is gone completely. The whiteness of the spot by the dorsal fin is gone, but where it was is what looks almost like a mosquito bite. the color around where the spot was is slightly darker than the rest of the body and it's slightly raised.

All the other fish are fine, no discoloration or spots. All the fish in the tank get along. The Kole hasn't lost any appetite.

 

[Nina51]

very pretty fish! what are the white speckles to the right of his eye? sand?

if you don't already, you might start soaking their food in selcon and/or vita-chem.

 

[Johnseye]

very pretty fish! what are the white speckles to the right of his eye? sand?

if you don't already, you might start soaking their food in selcon and/or vita-chem.

Not sure what the speckles around the eyes are. I was wondering that myself. Not sand. I'll have to take a look to see if they are there today.

I ordered Selcon, Zoe and garlic which should be here today. I'll start soaking the food.

Kole's are really beautiful fish. Understated colors.

 

[.Chris.]

Could be, but lymphocystis usually manifests on the fins first. If the fish appears healthy otherwise, I would do nothing at this point.

I agree.

I'd lean towards thinking it was caused by fighting.

 

[Johnseye]

Could it be an anemone sting? I do have a BTA in the tank.
I have never seen any of my fish fight.

 

[Triton_Z]

Could it be an anemone sting?

It's a strong possibility now that you mention the anemone. I have a clownfish who developed dark spots due to trying to host in a colony of zoas. They eventually went away over time and she still enjoys laying right in therm. Search hypermelenization on the forums. There should be some good pictures.

Here ya go.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1899199