Tangs with shredded fins and scars

markster33139 · 12-14-2005, 06:44 AM

My tangs (Sailfin, Purple and Clown) as well as a Blueface Angel suddenly after 2 years started to develop some very difiguring qualities. There fins are getting ragged and shredded. They do not fight, and there appears to be several holes in the head area. I have heard of HLE, but I have no experience dealing with it. I read that sometimes stray electrical currents cause this so I bought a ground probe recently. However, if anyone has any other ideas please let me know. Also are the disfiguring holes permanent or will they regenerate. Like I said I have these fish with no problems for over 2 years and now this. Very frustrating.

amcarrig · 12-14-2005, 07:17 AM

If it's HLLE, it will not heal. The fish can live with this disease but the scars won't go away. What have you been feeding the tangs?

billpa · 12-16-2005, 09:47 AM

Unfortunately they will be scarred. Stray voltage has been thought to caused by HLLE but nutritional deficiency has also been linked to it. I am also curious what you are feeding them.

Also...the grounding probe...its a good device to have IF its connect to a GFI outlet. If it is not, please take it out of your tank and get yourself a GFI outlet to wire in place of the old outlet or get one of those GFI all in one cords at home depot or lowes.

billpa

markster33139 · 12-17-2005, 05:43 PM

I feed them New Life Spectrum Marine Fish Pellets twice a day, with dried Nori seaweed strips every evening. I also feed San Fransisco Bay brand Saltwater Multipack every wednesday and saturday.

Jay · 12-17-2005, 06:23 PM

Have you switched brands of salt? Have you changed anything from your usual schedual? If it were me I think I would toss out all their food and buy new fresh food. Mabey something you have is tainted with something. Any kids in your house that may have added a little pinesol or dish soap? Its happened to me before when I was doing FW tanks.

Just a thought in case you have exhausted other possible causes. I would run a lot of carbon for a while also.

Jay

Trickman2 · 12-17-2005, 07:12 PM

Sounds like a Diet Issue to me and here is how I would deal with it. Even if its not a diet issue this should help.

Feed two or three times daily in smaller portions.

1) Emerald Entree Cubes (3.5oz)(SF Bay) One Cube daily
2) Aquarium Products Gel-Tek Ampicillin-2 oz (Put a few drops on food let soak...Dry food works well for this) (Big als online carries it)
3) Kent Zoecon and Seachem Garlic Guard

Any other Questions don't hesitate to ask. This should help boost the immune system and help with healing.

goodguyreefer321 · 12-23-2005, 03:03 AM

I've had a sailfin tang and an Imperator angel both come back and heal completely from Lateral line disease. I personally believe it's nutritional. do you use liverock? The tang and angel i moved into a tank i setup with live rock. They lived in there for a few months and the slowly the ugly markings healed. i only fed them frozen brine and mysis. They seem to be picking off the rocks constantly though. Not sure exactly if the live rock helped but it seemed that way. If you don't have LR and you want to add it make sure it has been cured and your tank has no copper or other medications in it. I remember reading somewhere that LR might have some kind of immunity booster in it but my belief is that it just contains more natural foods to pick from like sponges and various algaes. anyways hope this helps.

Trickman2 · 12-23-2005, 07:34 AM

Thats a good idea and point GoodGuyreefer and I feel the advantage of live rock is that they have a constant scavenging food source somethng like they would have in the wild.