What's wrong with my Blue Tang?

[mjc0760]

My blue tang has been losing color for a few weeks. The problem progressed to a big white spot on his head, then he started to lose color between the spines in his dorsal fin. He still acts fine and has a huge appetite - eats the majority of food put into the tank.

No new additions to the tank. Parameters are okay. The other fish and the few corals I have look perfectly fine.

I took some pics and attached the best one I could get. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

It's hard to tell from the pic. However, it looks like HLLE. Can you get another pic without as much actinic?

 

[lagatbezan]

what are you feeding it?

 

[mjc0760]

Newsmyrna - I checked out some pics of blue tangs with HLLE and I think you're right.

Lagatbezan - For a long while i was only using frozen brine and pellets when I was in a hurry. About a month ago I added frozen mysis (still with pellets on a regular basis) soaking them in garlic. Over the last week I have put full sheets of nori in the tank 2 times. I even soaked the nori in garlic the first time. Sounds like I need to keep up the regular greens in his diet. Does the garlic help HLLE? I guess it couldn't hurt, right?

 

[mjc0760]

I also added Rod's original and pacific plankton to the mix occasionally about a month ago. Not even weekly, but it seems loaded with goodies for everything in the tank...

 

[Martini5788]

Garlic can actually cause issues later on in life. I would discontinue using it, but that's just my opinion.

 

[mjc0760]

Martini - I hadn't heard that about garlic. What types of problems?

 

[Martini5788]

There was a thread that got brought back up called "is garlic bad for fish?" There will be useful info in there. I can't link it on my phone for some reason.

 

[lagatbezan]

yeah too much garlic is not good and i dont think it will do anything for HLLE. I would alternately add selcon and vitachem to its food on a daily basis as well as continue feeding it seaweed on a daily basis. Maintain a good water quality, make sure there is no stray voltage in the tank and maybe stop using carbon if you currently are. (not proven causes for HLLE, but lots of debates over it).

 

[snorvich]

yeah too much garlic is not good and i dont think it will do anything for HLLE. I would alternately add selcon and vitachem to its food on a daily basis as well as continue feeding it seaweed on a daily basis. Maintain a good water quality, make sure there is no stray voltage in the tank and maybe stop using carbon if you currently are. (not proven causes for HLLE, but lots of debates over it).

Good advice. The carbon thing is controversial but it cannot hurt to discontinue using it.