Tangs... How much algae do you give em?

[jamesbaur13]

Hello,

I have a Chevron Tang that I've had for 2 1/2yrs now. He's developed HLLE. I think it all started around 1 1/2yrs ago when I was moving him from my display to a QT tank to treat for ich. He jumped out of the net and plummeted 5ft onto a tile floor. He got "knocked out" for around 5mins. Like on the outdoor shows you watch on TV... I had to rock him back and forth in the water until he regained his senses.

After moving him into the QT tank I noticed a blemish just forward of his gills. This blemish, until recently, had stayed the same size. Now, the blemish has increased in size and there are small new blemishes (pit like markings) popping up.

I have read up on this disease a bit... I realize this disease is typically attributed to dietary or water quality issues. However, water quality is good... It's a mixed reef that I typically have my nitrates between 5-10ppm. All the other parameters are dead on.

As far as diet... I feed the best stuff based on what I have heard on here (NLS pellets, PE mysis, 3 varieties of ON algae sheets, frozen cyclopeeze, hikari spirulina brine). I soak the brine and mysis in selcon... they get this feeding every 2 days. I used to feed garlic to them, but I gave that up around 9 months ago (prior to the progression of the HLLE) because I read that it slowly damages their liver.

Weight is not an issue for this guy. He is by far my least picky eater in the tank and he wears that fact in his appearance.

I'm wondering how much of the algae should I be feeding him? I read that tangs should be allowed to graze all day... should I always see algae sheets in there for them to snack on?

He is around 4" I also have a 3.5" powder blue, and 3" melanurus... which all eat the algae from the clip.

The Powder Blue looks fine... no issues at all with his appearance. In fact he's one of the nicest looking PBT's I've ever seen.

Thanks.

 

[gsiegel]

I also have 3 tangs and feed them 2 strips ea about an inch by 4 inches. I cut the pieces into little slivers like labels to be ripped off and then fold them and put each on a magnetic clip. That way none goes to waste and they rip off the little slivers. I feed them this every morning, and then feed a mixture of frozen every night.

 

[jamesbaur13]

There's actually 2 tangs... the melanurus (not sure on my spelling) is a wrasse.

I feed them 2x's per day. I cut strips via scissors along the perforation of the ocean nutrition sheets... roughly 1x6" strips. I feed them 1/2 a strip in the AM and the other 1/2 at night. The melanurus is never up in the AM (he likes to sleep in)... so, just the 3 1/2" PBT and the 4" chevron chow down on that one.

At night it's a little differnt... the melanurus eats it, in addition there are also 2 clowns and a solar wrasse that get involved... they will take occasional bites.

 

[desjardinii]

3 Tangs in my tank to and I feed Nori, NLS Thera +a, Tetra colour bits and a mix of fresh local sea food. Once in a while a few baby spinach leaves to. I've always had a good supply of green algae growing on the back glass, not by choice lol but they all graze on it constantly. Never used fresh garlic or selcon or any other added stuff and one Tang I've had now for 17 years. Also have a HTF that loves Nori and steals it all and then goes and hides with it.

 

[o2manyfish]

I have a bunch of tangs -
9 Yellow
1 Purple
2 Blue Hippo
1 Achilles
2 Chevron

The small chevron has pock marks on his head. All the other tangs are clean. The Chevron was the last tang added about 10 months ago. Nobody is picking on him and he is eating all the same food as the other chevron who looks great - although he is mature chevron, so they aren't that great looking

Dave B

 

[Cliff519]

My tangs get two different types of seaweed each day. I also feed them in the evening, one of either: NLS flakes, mysis shrimp, bryne shrimp, or some new era marine pellets.

 

[jamesbaur13]

Thanks, I appreciate all the feedback so far.

How much are you all feeding them algae though?

I'm just trying to get an idea if i'm feeding him too little and if that's the reason for the HLLE or if it's something else.

 

[anbosu]

Check for stray voltage and if you're running carbon make sure you are rinsing thoroughly before use

 

[Dmorty217]

Try using enriched nori and food with selcon and other vitamins like Zoe or vitachem to combat the HLLE. I have 4 tangs and they get algae 2 times a week. I also feed formula 2, spirulina, flakes and pellets

 

[frostyjay1]

From the way it sounds, when you were feeding the garlic, it stayed at bay. now you stopped, its getting worse. sound right? If so, maybe start giving the garlic again but in smaller doses, or dare I say try to dose Vit C and see if that works. I know its not a fix all but I have heard some success stories