Blue tang, one large white spot. Itching it on rocks

[konatown]

This morning I woke up and a nem got into a powerhead. Water is a little cloudy, I added a bunch of carbon, and everyone is acting generally ok. Not sure if this is related. Planning a water change too.



The lights came on and dory came out with this large white spot. It’s not raised, it’s more like a blemish or wound. I know they can scratch themselves up a bit, but this doesn’t look like a scratch that just happened, unless it’s infected. She immediately came out and started itching it on the rocks and went to my shrimp to get cleaned, which she never ever does lol. She has been otherwise very fat and happy and healthy.



I go through humbles website on various diseases often to familiarize myself with them, but just not sure what’s going on here.


edit.. removed blurry photos..see photos below

 

[blaxsun]

The cloudiness from the anemone is normal. I couldn't really tell from the images where the blemish is, sorry.

 

[konatown]

The cloudiness from the anemone is normal. I couldn't really tell from the images where the blemish is, sorry.

Thanks.. and Sorry the quality got degraded pretty bad. I tried hosting instead, and circled the spots

 

[blaxsun]

Ah, I see it now. My parrotfish had a similar mark the other day which I assume was a scrape from his spelunking adventures. Ditto for my midnight angel. Both spots cleared up within a few days, so barring any other advice I'd just keep an eye on it for the time being.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks.. and Sorry the quality got degraded pretty bad. I tried hosting instead, and circled the spots

Looks like a fluke and best determined by giving the fish a 5 minute freshwater dip in tap water the same temperature as display tank
Do this in a clean container and after 5 minutes, return fish to the display tank
Look on bottom of bucket and see if you see this thing or any object that looks like sesame seeds
Those will be flukes
The itching may be followed by head shaking, and elevated breathing rate
Not sure this is a scrape as mentioned as fish wouldn’t be itching a scrape to implant further damage

 

[konatown]

Ah, I see it now. My parrotfish had a similar mark the other day which I assume was a scrape from his spelunking adventures. Ditto for my midnight angel. Both spots cleared up within a few days, so barring any other advice I'd just keep an eye on it for the time being.

Thanks! Oddly enough, once the lights came on and she started getting her color back, the spot is 99% gone.

Maybe I panicked a bit due to the anemone incident I woke up to (mp10 fell off due to nem being inside, somehow my nem crawled out of its floating basket overnight) —- but also I do know that her lack of color was indicating the spot and she definitely was scratching like crazy and not being her normal self as soon as she woke up. I’ll keep an eye on this, and someone else also mentioned flukes, I’m suspicious that I may have them in the tank so I’ll be watching for that too.

 

[blaxsun]

The freshwater dip that @vetteguy53081 suggested is a good course of action.

 

[konatown]

Looks like a fluke and best determined by giving the fish a 5 minute freshwater dip in tap water the same temperature as display tank
Do this in a clean container and after 5 minutes, return fish to the display tank
Look on bottom of bucket and see if you see this thing or any object that looks like sesame seeds
Those will be flukes
The itching may be followed by head shaking, and elevated breathing rate
Not sure this is a scrape as mentioned as fish wouldn’t be itching a scrape to implant further damage

Thanks for that. I’m suspicious that I may have flukes. I see my fish scratching occasionally on the rocks and sand. Clown, hippo, and now my leopard wrasse was doing it this morning.

I have not had any signs of ich in a long time. I don’t know if I eradicated it accidentally, because I had to reset my tank a while back. But the dory lived a rough week in a brute can, and never showed one spot, which I was really surprised about.

I’ve done a couple of fw dips in the past and never have seen a fluke, but I still think it’s in there. I need to research more on how to medicate, but it’s looking like I can medicate for flukes in the display with prazi, and it’s safe for inverts and coral?

 

[vetteguy53081]

If no flukes present, and everyone scratching, may be protozoan and possibly early stage velvet

 

[konatown]

If no flukes present, and everyone scratching, may be protozoan and possibly early stage velvet

Thanks. Hoping it’s not that bad. The leopard wrasse is only about a month old but I’ve had everyone else for all year and they have been doing the scratching thing off and on for a little while. It comes and goes it seems. I’m going to try and catch a clown and dip it, they’ll probably be the easiest to catch.

Are you in 305? I see your reef club flair. I’m in 561. Hey neighbor!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks. Hoping it’s not that bad. The leopard wrasse is only about a month old but I’ve had everyone else for all year and they have been doing the scratching thing off and on for a little while. It comes and goes it seems. I’m going to try and catch a clown and dip it, they’ll probably be the easiest to catch.

Are you in 305? I see your reef club flair. I’m in 561. Hey neighbor!

305 soon

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks! Oddly enough, once the lights came on and she started getting her color back, the spot is 99% gone.

Maybe I panicked a bit due to the anemone incident I woke up to (mp10 fell off due to nem being inside, somehow my nem crawled out of its floating basket overnight) —- but also I do know that her lack of color was indicating the spot and she definitely was scratching like crazy and not being her normal self as soon as she woke up. I’ll keep an eye on this, and someone else also mentioned flukes, I’m suspicious that I may have them in the tank so I’ll be watching for that too.

If the anemone got chewed up, it is likely that tentacles with nematocysts got pumped out into the tank. If a good chunk of that hit the tang, that could cause a lesion like that......

Jay

 

[MnFish1]

How long has the lesion on the front of the head been present? Or that could be the lighting

 

[konatown]

If the anemone got chewed up, it is likely that tentacles with nematocysts got pumped out into the tank. If a good chunk of that hit the tang, that could cause a lesion like that......

Jay

Thanks Jay. It could be possible. I have a feeling I have an issue with flukes too, I’m going to dip one of my fish and see if any show up.

 

[konatown]

How long has the lesion on the front of the head been present? Or that could be the lighting

Other than the one circled she doesn’t have anything else going on visually. It might be lighting and also she just woke up and didn’t have her color yet lol

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Jay. It could be possible. I have a feeling I have an issue with flukes too, I’m going to dip one of my fish and see if any show up.

Or - just dose with Prazipro. Only one type of fluke (Neobenedenia) will be visible to the naked eye in a dip, other species require a microscope to see.

Jay