Yellow Tang, brown splotches

[Elricsfate]

One of my yellow tangs has begun to develop brown splotches. Not small spots like ich, large brownish areas...like bruises. I found a picture that is pretty much what he looks like and I will try to link it here.

Any ideas/suggestions on what it is and how best to treat him (assuming I can get him out of the tank)?

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FAQ Pix/MVC-019F1.JPG

 

[scooter31707]

Looks like uronema. I would start doing Formalin Baths. Bad news is if it is in your DT, you might have to break the tank down, bleach it and re-start. Uronema can live without a fish host; how long, I don't really know. Good Luck.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

Doesn't uronema usually have more open sores? These look like bruises or burns or even a rash. Could a bacterial infection be the cause?

 

[Tripod1404]

Doesn't uronema usually have more open sores? These look like bruises or burns or even a rash. Could a bacterial infection be the cause?

Yeah I also think uronema causes large open sores, plus I have never heard of a tang getting uronema. This looks more like a bacterial infection

 

[JustinM]

We just bought a mimic tang(granted he went right in qt) and he had some brown blotches. We gave him a bath in Ruby Reef Rally for 60 min then dosed the qt with nanoplex and metroPlex. It is definitely some sort of bacterial infection and this seemed to be the right path to go.

 

[scooter31707]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2621552

 

[Tripod1404]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2621552

Hmm, so dosing carbon can cause fish to get bacterial infections. Logical in the sense that dosing carbon cause more bacteria and increase the potential for bacterial infections.

 

[scooter31707]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2625037

Uronema can get a hold of any fish. I had to deal with it with a Flame angel and Bluethroat trigger.

 

[Elricsfate]

First of all let me say that today more than any other day, I appreciate this resource. I came home today pretty well crushed and thinking that I was going to have to go through what would have been a massive ordeal tearing down my tank. The notion that it may be carbon (and I don't dose it, but I run it in a reactor) is giving me some hope.

I run phosguard and BRS carbon in a BRS dual reactor (trying to keep the algae down). So, assuming the diagnosis is correct, simply unplug that reactor for a while and see if he improves? If he does, and carbon was the cause, what do you guys use to perform the good things that granulated carbon does (remove colors, toxins, etc)?

 

[Tripod1404]

First of all let me say that today more than any other day, I appreciate this resource. I came home today pretty well crushed and thinking that I was going to have to go through what would have been a massive ordeal tearing down my tank. The notion that it may be carbon (and I don't dose it, but I run it in a reactor) is giving me some hope.

I run phosguard and BRS carbon in a BRS dual reactor (trying to keep the algae down). So, assuming the diagnosis is correct, simply unplug that reactor for a while and see if he improves? If he does, and carbon was the cause, what do you guys use to perform the good things that granulated carbon does (remove colors, toxins, etc)?

The carbon in reactor and carbon dosing are different things. Carbon dosing is adding a carbon source such as ethanol (vodka), glucose/fructose (sugar) or acetic acid to the tank in order to increase the bacterial population that reduce nitrate and phosphate. Carbon in a reactor is charcoal used for absorbing organic molecules and heavy metals from the water column.

If it is a bacterial infection like you suspect, remove the fish to another tank with a broad spectrum antibiotic in water.

 

[PilotMaximus]

Are you giving him any Seaweed? Makes a huge difference with tangs

 

[Sk8r]

Most algae is a piffle of a problem. Many tanks go to fields of wavy thick green hair. It's just a phosphate overload.
I've SEEN PHOTOS of bad bubble situations, but usually it stops on its own and just gives up.
Cyano isn't an algae, but again, transient and not really that bad.


All of these are why I preach 'water quality' night and day.

 

[Elricsfate]

Are you giving him any Seaweed? Makes a huge difference with tangs

There are three algae stations that are refilled every day, in addition to regular feeding with (mainly) mysis and (less frequently) pellets.

The issue is definitely not burns, as there are no heaters in the tank. However, there is also a purple tang in the tank, and they scuffle a bit. So, it is entirely possible that they are bruises, or injuries which have developed an infection.

My wife is working on getting him out of the tank for treatment. If we are able to catch him, and treat him, and his condition improves, I will move him to another tank that currently only has 2 dwarf angels in it.

As far as behavior goes, I have noticed him flashing a bit here and there. However, he is swimming normally, eating normally, and generally acting normally aside from that.

We are going to try the broad spectrum antibiotics for bacterial infection and hope that works. If not...then I have some difficult issues to work through.

Any suggestions on which antibiotic to buy?

 

[FishN00b83]

never mind I just saw your last post

 

[Elricsfate]

Just a couple of questions...

How long has the tang been in the tank?

Are the spots in the center of the tangs body?

Do they go away when the lights are on for a while?

I ask these because if the tang is new, and this is your first, yellow tangs turn brown when the lights are off but will color back up again during the day.

If you knew all this I'm sorry, I would just like for you to know you really need to medicate before you start.

He's been in the tank for a couple of months. He is also in there with another yellow tang, so I have a direct comparison.

Yes, the splotches are in the center of his body. No the lights don't change anything, they are there 24/7. Also, it seems like the yellow tangs get whitish during the night and then yellow up after the lights are on for a while.

I have been doing some additional reading, and there are some suggestions that simply doing a large water change might help. My wife is still trying to catch him for individual treatment, but I will do a big WC anyway...either way.

The AC konked out a few days ago and the temp got to 82 (was a warm day but not a hot one). I'm wondering if the higher temperature, which also alters the salinity, may have simply resulted in a bacterial bloom which has affected him. It appears that school of thought is what leads to the "WC will help" conclusion.

 

[FishN00b83]

He's been in the tank for a couple of months. He is also in there with another yellow tang, so I have a direct comparison.

Yes, the splotches are in the center of his body. No the lights don't change anything, they are there 24/7. Also, it seems like the yellow tangs get whitish during the night and then yellow up after the lights are on for a while.

I have been doing some additional reading, and there are some suggestions that simply doing a large water change might help. My wife is still trying to catch him for individual treatment, but I will do a big WC anyway...either way.

The AC konked out a few days ago and the temp got to 82 (was a warm day but not a hot one). I'm wondering if the higher temperature, which also alters the salinity, may have simply resulted in a bacterial bloom which has affected him. It appears that school of thought is what leads to the "WC will help" conclusion.

Well hopefully it is just a localized bacterial infection. I just got through a tank redo and it was the worst experience I've had since I started keeping aquariums.