Blue Tang getting old?

[salty01]

I have a medium to large blue tang in 100 gallon aquarium. she's (Family thinks she's a girl, you know Dori )not looking as good as she used to I have had her for two about years and got her form a fellow reefer I think she's 5 years old total. appetites incredible, she gets along with all the other fish,she's probably 6 inches from nose to tail she loves to crawl in the tightest crevices although I gave her plenty of large cave space. It looks like she's shedding blotches of color falling off I don't know if she's rubbing herself on the rock or she's getting old or if she's got a disease I never see her rubbing herself on the rock. I've never changed the food I feed her well and tank parameters are pristine. I read something about carbon possibly doing this and I have cut down more that half on the carbon.
Can she ever go back to her normal color?

Food is
Day: new life spectrum Thera +A pellets
sheet of green seaweed(every other day)

Night: is Misys shrimp

Anything I can feed her or do for her is or any advice is much appreciated.

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sometimes I'm wondering if she's just too big for the tank but please help for I want her to be as happy and beautiful as she used to be.

 

[melypr1985]

That's a pretty bad case of HLLE. She's not old since she's less than half the size she will get when full grown. The 100 gallon tank is definitely too small for her at this size. More info: HLLE (Head & Lateral Line Erosion)

 

[aquamn1999]

whats your nitrate lvl

 

[salty01]

whats your nitrate lvl

Nitrates were high at one point at around 60 not long recently which I blame her for but I've now got them under control at 10 at the most ..

 

[salty01]

That's a pretty bad case of HLLE. She's not old since she's less than half the size she will get when full grown. The 100 gallon tank is definitely too small for her at this size. More info: HLLE (Head & Lateral Line Erosion)

Yeah looks just like that.!! I only use bulk reef supply premium carbon and I use half the dosage recommended. Don't think there is any stray voltage whatsoever

 

[melypr1985]

Yeah looks just like that.!! I only use bulk reef supply premium carbon and I use half the dosage recommended. Don't think there is any stray voltage whatsoever

Well then, stress and diet will be playing a big part here. I'm sorry, but it's probably a good time to find a new home for him.In the mean time, Nori every day.... all food soaked in vitamins like Selcon, Vitachem, ect.

 

[ebushrow]

Yeah looks just like that.!! I only use bulk reef supply premium carbon and I use half the dosage recommended. Don't think there is any stray voltage whatsoever

Well, carbon is one of the links people attribute to hlle....but it is not really well understood....as for foods you use, you have some good ones you use, but, tangs in the wild will have about 90% of their diet as seaweed....not that it is the cause, but maybe increase that to daily as well.

@Humblefish maybe can help here too .... I don't remember reading anything he has written about hlle, but he and @melypr1985 are vast wealths of knowledge to help

 

[ebushrow]

Well then, stress and diet will be playing a big part here. I'm sorry, but it's probably a good time to find a new home for him.In the mean time, Nori every day.... all food soaked in vitamins like Selcon, Vitachem, ect.

You keep beating me to it! Lol

 

[salty01]

You keep beating me to it! Lol

If I give her a good diet keep the tank parameters at a good level is it reversible? will Color grow back? or is it just preventing it from getting any worse? Kind a like my balding at 25!haha

 

[salty01]

Well then, stress and diet will be playing a big part here. I'm sorry, but it's probably a good time to find a new home for him.In the mean time, Nori every day.... all food soaked in vitamins like Selcon, Vitachem, ect.

Have been thinking of giving her to a friend of mine's fish store in Anaheim California think she'll love it there.. I will miss this fish

 

[melypr1985]

If I give her a good diet keep the tank parameters at a good level is it reversible? will Color grow back? or is it just preventing it from getting any worse? Kind a like my balding at 25!haha

HLLE that advanced probably can't be reversed. It can be healed, but there will be nasty scars afterward, and she might not ever be "pretty" again. Mild cases can be healed and even reversed to some extent with great care.

Have been thinking of giving her to a friend of mine's fish store in Anaheim California think she'll love it there.. I will miss this fish

I think I would go that route, but give full disclosure and pass on the nutrition info found in that link.

 

[ebushrow]

Since it is poorly understood, if you can correct the deficiencies then you could stop it/reverse it to some amount....the stress however may be too big of a mountain to climb....I'd follow Merediths suggestions and see what you can do.

 

[4FordFamily]

Well then, stress and diet will be playing a big part here. I'm sorry, but it's probably a good time to find a new home for him.In the mean time, Nori every day.... all food soaked in vitamins like Selcon, Vitachem, ect.

100% agree.

 

[salty01]

Why are all the other fish not affected is it just this breed of fish?

 

[melypr1985]

Why are all the other fish not affected is it just this breed of fish?

Tangs in general, but hippos seem to come down with it a lot. Technically, any fish can be effected by it, but there are a good portion of them that seem to never be.

 

[aquamn1999]

blue tangs are susceptible to high nitrates and it doesn't take long at all. A couple of days/ a week can be all it takes. To get up to 60 you had nitrates high for more than a week. I saved a small blue tang which has HILLE because of the high nitrate

 

[mkomonee]

Oojpo!uipk