more tang problems

[Smonkey15]

well first off all, 6 weeks ago i quarantined my yellow tang due to some kind of parasite, black dots. i had the qt set up and everything right so i put the tang and damsel into the qt. i didn't pay much attention to them, just fed them a couple times a day and what not. the next thing i know it looks like my tangs face is peeling off. like very light brown or something, patches on his face. literally looks like his skin is peeling off. i flipped out obviously and did water changes and what not and monitered water quality. everything stayed fine after that. i dont know what got out of whack but something sure did. so about 5 weeks later his face looks the same. i put them both back into the main tank because it should have been enough time for the parasites to die off. now they have been in there for like days and i think i already see a black dot on my tang again. obvioiusly its probably because something is wrong with him. whats going on. whats wrong with my tang and why do i keep getting black dots?

 

[Smonkey15]

also, will his face grow back?

 

[steve-s]

the next thing i know it looks like my tangs face is peeling off. like very light brown or something, patches on his face. literally looks like his skin is peeling off.

Look something like this?

whats wrong with my tang and why do i keep getting black dots?

Sounds much like turbellarian worms. What was the tang treated with in the QT and how long was the tank left fallow?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Smonkey15]

yea kind of like that. i put him the quarantine for 6 weeks. i started using a copper based medicine, dont know it off hand, but stopped. i didn't think i really needed to use it because i gave him a freshwater bath and everything appeared to be back to normal. i dont know what to do. were the worms never actually gone then? will it heal?

 

[steve-s]

The above pic is the effects of HLLE and will generally be caused from an improper diet. Tangs are herbavors and require algae based foods regularly. Meaty foods will do little for them. I would suggest you start leaving some nori in a clip for the tang to graze on and soak the foods you use (once or twice a week) in a good marine vitamin like Zoe or Selcon to provide added vitamins. The HLLE will subside with a little TLC but the scars may only diminish.

If the black dots are indeed turbellarians, the copper and FW dip should have been somewhat effective unless they where not done long enough or improperly. If you put the tang back after 6 weeks of treatment and there has been a re-occurance then either the treatment wasn't long enough or not enough time passed for them to die off in the main tank. Unlike C. irritans and the like, turbellarians can actually take up to 2 months to be eliminated from the display tank in some cases.

If you need to re-treat the Tang make sure all the fish are removed and placed in a QT to prevent the worm from keeping a strong hold. I would suggest >>hyposalinity<< instead of the copper though. It is far less stressful to the fish and 100% effective against the pest when done properly for the correct duration. You will also need to leave the tank fallow longer.. There can be no fish in the main display if you are to be rid of it.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Smonkey15]

thanks a lot steve-s. i looked up more about hlle and that is definitly what is going on. unfortunatly what i have found is that no one knows what really causes it and there is no sure fire way to treat it. i will definitly work on nutrition though. all i have been feeding him is brine shrimp. i read also that tangs are VERY suseptable to hlle, which is nice because they are also VERY suseptable to parasites. its like i have a swimming magnet to disease in my tank. thanks again though.

 

[MACATUA]

Get that tang some veggies! If all you have fed him is meaty items, ie brine, he needs some green matter BAD! My Regal loves Spirulina flakes. Also try the seaweed in there, that should be good too. If they don't take to it quickly, try soaking in garlic to entice them to eat. But please, get him some veggies.