Faded color on Hippo Tang

[vmalpi]

Hi,
I'm new to Aquarium Advice and to Salt Water tanks, i have a my tank for like 3-4 months and have a small 1" Hippo Tang that since yesterday color has faded on his top fin... looks like a round spot.
What can it be?
Here is a Pic.

 

[roka64]

WELCOME TO AA!!

Can you tell us more about your tank, equipment, other critters?
What are you water parameters?

It can be a number of things, from poor water quality, food, lighting, pH.

 

[quixand]

Have you introduced any new tank mates recently?

Can your tang flash against anything hot? Looking along the bottom of his belly where the black bleeds into the blue, I see some white spots. Are those artifacts from the picture, or can you see them on him right now? Right side.

If they are there now, it's possible he's got a case of ICH, and the fade could be from that, or flashing against something hot that could have maybe burned him a bit?

 

[vmalpi]

Thanks for the quick reply,
Here is my tank details:

Equipment:
36 Gal
Power Compact one 65w 10k and one 65w aticnic
eheim wetdry canister filter (2227 model)
AquaC Remora potein skimmer
UV Light - Coralife
Phosban Phosphate reactor.

Levels (last tested was 4 days ago)

Salt Level - 1.022 and use Tropic Marine Pro Reef Salt mix
Nitrate - 10-20 (i'm due for water change tomorrow, and make weekly 5gal water changes)
Nitrite - 0
Amonia - 0
PH - 8.4
Ca - 350 (i know is low, but that is another topic, have questions on how to increase it)
Alk - 9.0
PO4 - .05

Chemicals i use (i follow the instructions from the bottle lables):
Kent Calcium
Vita Chem vitamines
Kent Coral Vital
Kent Iodine
Kent Strontium
Kent Essential Elements

Food:
Formula 2 pellets with Garlic
Dried Sea Weed
Frozen Missid Shrimp
DT's Live Phytoplankton
Cyclope eze Wafers

Fish:
lemon damsel 1"
hippo tang 1"
6 line wrass 1"
powder blue tang 2-3"
anthias 1 1/2"
fake percula clown 1"
algae blenny 2"
engenneer goby 2"
sand sifting starfish
like 10-15 hermit crabs (all kinds small)
10 black turbo snails
cleaner shrimp

Rock/Coral
45-50 lbs of live rock
polyps
leather coral
assorted mushrooms
feather dusters

===============

quixand,
that white spot is the picture, i just looked at his body and No white spots on fins or body
thnks...

 

[roka64]

Nice looking tank
Alright, that is a lot of fish in that tank. Thoses two tangs need a way bigger tank.
2nd, your pH is kind of high (this might be the cause of him changing color), not real bad but a little too high for my comfort.
Those nitrAtes need to stay around 10ppm or less.
I am not sure on the corals (if you are overstocked or not), but you shouldn't have to add all those chems to your tank. Regular PWCs should replenish the depleted trace elements. I definitely wouldn't add chemicals to the tank if I didn't have the proper test for it.
Do you have a QT?

 

[vmalpi]

I don't have a QT. I don't have the space for it . But guess what, after the post with the description, the spot went away... and the over all color of the fish is very bright and intense.. i really don't know what it was.

 

[roka64]

OK, I would stil reduce your bioload. You will definitely continue to have problems, especially once your critters get bigger. (I know you didn't want to hear that). But i believe you can alleviate a lot of future heartache, if you take a few of you fish back to the LFS....unless you upgrade! That is my favorite solution! LOL! Get bigger tanks.

 

[vmalpi]

yeahh i know i have alot of fish in there, i really like my tangs (main reason i like my fish tank) but for now i'll keep them until they get to like 3", once they get that big i'll give them away to someone who has a biger tank than me.

Thanks for all your help roka64 !!!!!

 

[roka64]

Cool, keep us updated and watch those nitrAtes.

 

[melosu58]

I agree with Scott about your additives. You dont need them with frequent PWC`s. Save the money and get something nice for the tank. I cant help but wonder if you`ll have more episodes in your tank due to huge bioload. Good Luck.

 

[oo7cable]

Oh man, take their advice and lose some fish! I have 10 small fish in my 55gal and Im always battling NO3!