Battle marks or flukes on my Tomini Tang?

[MetaKnight101]

I had this Tomini tang for quite a while and suddenly today he has these markings and this was definitely not here this morning. I'm not sure whether these are battle marks from my Yellow Tang (I haven't seen much hostility toward them, they been together for almost two years already), or are they flukes?

 

[fishguy242]

bump,

 

[Hugh Mann]

Will start with saying you'll want a second opinion for sure, but looks like either flukes or ich.

Any other fish have these?
Is the Tomini showing signs of distress?

A freshwater dip can confirm the presence of flukes, just be sure to do it in a clean, dark container. They'll look like little grains of rice or sesame seeds.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

At first glance, I would say 100% Cryptocaryon, classic case, moderate infection level. However, it is a bit odd that the spots are mostly on the center flank of the fish, none on the head, and only a couple on the fins. Does the other side of the fish have roughly the same pattern of spots?

Jay

 

[uhgster1]

Does it like to swim between the rocks and coral frequently? I’ve personally witnessed my scopas swimming too fast and darting amongst the rocks, birds nest, and acros in my tank and ending up with marks just like those. Watch for a spell and see if it heals up before you start nuking it with meds.

 

[Spieg]

Looks more like Ich to me, but just a guess.

 

[najer]

Have you got a nem?

 

[MetaKnight101]

At first glance, I would say 100% Cryptocaryon, classic case, moderate infection level. However, it is a bit odd that the spots are mostly on the center flank of the fish, none on the head, and only a couple on the fins. Does the other side of the fish have roughly the same pattern of spots?

Jay

There's nothing on the other side I don't think its ich because I've dealt with ich before and the spots on him are flat and only appear on one side.

 

[MetaKnight101]

Have you got a nem?

Yes, I do have an anemone now that I think about it he does sleep under my anemone (fairly close to it enough that he might have touched it)

 

[MetaKnight101]

Does it like to swim between the rocks and coral frequently? I’ve personally witnessed my scopas swimming too fast and darting amongst the rocks, birds nest, and acros in my tank and ending up with marks just like those. Watch for a spell and see if it heals up before you start nuking it with meds.

Yeah, he definitely does like to dart around rocks a lot.

 

[maroun.c]

Looks more like scars from bumping into a rock if indeed its limited to one side qbd one area of the body.

 

[KingTideCorals]

In my honest opinion looks like ICH, if possibly Id try to get the fish seperated and into a hospital tank for further observation!

Good luck!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

There's nothing on the other side I don't think its ich because I've dealt with ich before and the spots on him are flat and only appear on one side.

I agree, that’s why I asked about the other side; ich would have a more random distribution. I’m thinking injury/scratches, something that happened to that side only.
Jay

 

[MetaKnight101]

The markings on my mini tang have started to fade away slowly so it appears to have been scratches made by rocks when he swims by them.