Yellow Tang has big white spots - not ich

[Bogie]

Well, I guess it can't hurt to wait to see if anyone else on here knows exactly what it is then. Tangster?

[phoenixhieghts]

I think it is a parasite of somesort. I dont think Lympho gets that big, have you tried a freshwater dip? Thats what i did when i had some kinda worm like parasite on one of my blennys. I just popped him in my tropical tank for 5 mins and watched the worm squirm and fall right off!

[bogey977]

FYI... I call it pretzel salt disease because it looks like that. If anyone has any idea what I am talking about please help. I love our little tang and don't want anything to happen to it. Thanks everyone!!

[omard]

Originally Posted by bogey977

FYI... I call it pretzel salt disease because it looks like that. If anyone has any idea what I am talking about please help. I love our little tang and don't want anything to happen to it. Thanks everyone!!

Check out spot on upper fin of CB...looks much like what you are seeing on your tang...

Shows up now and then, but never sticks around long...parasite probably gets what it wants then falls off.

My tang has gotten them also.

[Tangster]

Its really hard to say forsure with out seeing them in person But I'd look to the family of parasite or louse called Isopod 's Its about 10 million different species and They latch on and ride as they feed on the fish.. If you can catch the tank ?? A copper dip will knck them off Thats is if the things are isopods ? If you could get a good close up that would make it easier . But by what I could see on the picture you posted ?? Thats where I'd start looking ..

[Bogie]

Thanks Tangster and Omard. I guess it must not be lymphocystis, because the big ones fell off sometime during the day while I was at work. The yellow tang is doing fine, just has the little bit of fin missing that will probably grow back in a week. Does this isopod parasite, or whatever it is keep coming back, or once it drops off and (hopefully) gets sucked into the skimmer or filter, get taken out of the system?
Or do they scare easily, but will it be back, and in greater numbers, like the sand people?

[omard]

Originally Posted by Bogie

Thanks Tangster and Omard. I guess it must not be lymphocystis, because the big ones fell off sometime during the day while I was at work. The yellow tang is doing fine, just has the little bit of fin missing that will probably grow back in a week. Does this isopod parasite, or whatever it is keep coming back, or once it drops off and (hopefully) gets sucked into the skimmer or filter, get taken out of the system?
Or do they scare easily, but will it be back, and in greater numbers, like the sand people?

Haha...don't expect they "scare" as easily as Reef Keeper might...

May be something you and fish need to learn to live with. Keep fish healthy with good water conditions and you may have seen last of them, or at least will not be big deal when they show up. Think of them as one more kind of microfauna that has a place on the reef also.

Like I said, I only see kind I have couple of times a year. Stick around for couple of days, then disappear. May be good "water change due indicator..."

[amcarrig]

Here's some info in parasitic isopods. Might help you to figure out whether or not that's what you have/had:

Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

[omard]

Originally Posted by amcarrig

Here's some info in parasitic isopods. Might help you to figure out whether or not that's what you have/had:

Pills, Parasites, and Predators; Isopods in the Reef Aquarium by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

re: amcarrig's post




Pray you don't have or will ever have these:

"...Aegids are "bugs from hell" as far as the aquarist is concerned. They are like predatory Cirolanids, only more so. Large Aegid isopods in the North Eastern Pacific have been seen to wait on the bottom until an acceptable fish, such as a small salmon, swims overhead. The isopod then swims rapidly up and fastens on to the fish, and proceeds to eat its fins and tail. The bug then slices open the fish and eats all its blood, proceeding then to eat the lateral muscle bands and, when they are done, they discard the guts and skeleton..."






(freaks me out just thinking about this thing. Reminds me of something I saw in some horror movie once upon a time...)

[Bogie]

EWW. Did a 20% water change Sunday night, and they were gone on Monday afternoon.
All the water tests before the change were normal. Nothing that would affect the fish..

Nitrate/Nitrite/Ammonia/Phosphates all were 0 ppm.
pH = 8.3
SG = 1.025 (refractometer)
temp = 78

Cal = 360
dkH = 7-8 (I know I need to get these up a little, but then again I did these tests just before the water change.)
Didn't bother with Mag test, since dkH and Cal were low.
Going to re-test tonight and add bicarbonates to raise Alk.
Going to pick up some epsom salt too, in case Mg is dropping.