White face issue

[Oldsalty56]

Hello people new member in hobby for 6 years. My nephew has 145 with 30 gallon sump. Does water changes weekly, feeds very balanced diet and Nori everyda

y and has been adding trace elements. Has perfect naso, copperband, 2 perculas, and hawfish for at least 2.5 years. Proble 4 fish Koran, Sailfin, Flagfin, and Hippo have l

ost slowly all color in face actually became albino. Other then this they are fine. Sending pictures. Any help on what this might be. Added grounding assembly also thinking maybe low voltage. Thanks for any help

 

[leebca]

The pictures show severe HLLE (head and lateral line erosion). This is more of a condition rather than a disease. The most common causes are:
Poor nutrition
Stray voltage
Carbon particles in the water (from carbon dust/pieces of Lignite carbon used in filtration)
Copper exposure

Check for each:
Download then read, the Fish Nutrition document
Help the fish by improving its immunity and ability to heal wounds by adding supplements for an ill fish to its diet as recommended in the Fish Nutrition document. Click on that link, then download (and read) the document. Use especially Beta-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan found online, in health-food stores, and pharmacies. Directions for its use and quantity is provided in the link.

Verify there is no stray voltage

Verify what type of carbon, if any, is being used. You want to use premium quality carbon

Test the water for the presence for copper. The best test kit to use for this is: Hanna Copper Test kit.

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The condition has advanced quite a bit on these fish. I'm not sure they will sufficiently recover. Make sure the water quality is the best it can be and get them eating vitamin enriched foods. Follow the directions/suggestions in the Fish Nutrition document.

 

[Oldsalty56]

Thank you for your response. I'm a little confused as 1/2 of his fish has no issue including the sensitive Copperband and Naso tang. He also has a grounding pole unit plugged into tank. Never any copper in tank. Diet Nori daily, whole clams, Hikari Mega marine Angel & Mysis, Veggies pellets and LRS fish frenzy. Of course I will have him try the vitamins and look at their diet requirements. As a side note I have a 6 year old fish only system wth 3 angels , 2 tangs, 2 bannefish, same diet and they are flawless. I tend to think voltage. Can that still happen with a grounding unit plugged in? Again THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

 

[leebca]

The condition affects mostly Tangs. It is because their mucous coating is rather thin and of a slightly different composition. Other fish, e.g., the Angelfish, can be affected if their mucous coating has been compromised. There are minor variances in the fish even within the same species and/or family. There are no guarantees or rhyme nor reason why some fish succumb to this and others may not. Quite often it can be combined with additional stressors. For instance, if the water quality is not top notch, then it may be a contributing factor.

Grounding pole will work IF it is properly set up. Also, I have heard that even though there may be a ground, there still may be some current present. I'm not sure of this, though. I also don't know how to verify that there is no current in the aquarium. Perhaps someone else has a way to verify this.

Although there may have never been any copper put into the tank it doesn't mean there isn't copper there. Copper can come from the water the fish came in. E.g., many fish suppliers use copper in their system to keep parasites at bay long enough to sell their fish. Also, copper can leech into the aquarium through rocks and/or metals in contact with the water. Some dry salt formulas in the past have also contained copper. Still worth checking the water for it.

Regarding nori: Is it sun or air dried nori? If it has been baked like for sushi, its nutritional value is reduced. Check this out. This is covered in the nutrition link. I would replace the nori with actual sun dried seaweeds readily available at most fish stores that sell ornamental marine fish. Also, very important, the link explains how much nori/seaweed is the right amount to feed.

 

[Oldsalty56]

Thank you for enlightening me on this issue, we will try and implement your suggestions. You have been extremely helpful.

 

[Timfish]

Am I wrong in guessing the coral skeletons are pulled out on a regular basis and beached? And is that a silica based sand? What is the alkalinity and calcium levels?