Blue Tang Suffering From HLLE.

[Chrisper518]

My Blue Tang has been suffering from HLLE for about a month. We hadn't noticed until May however, my tang sits in a 10-gallon tank with 3 other fish. The Temperature is 79-80 degrees with regular LED lighting. We've been giving them a different diet for almost a month now, but it seems to worsen. I'm not sure what else to do.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My Blue Tang has been suffering from HLLE for about a month. We hadn't noticed until May however, my tang sits in a 10-gallon tank with 3 other fish. The Temperature is 79-80 degrees with regular LED lighting. We've been giving them a different diet for almost a month now, but it seems to worsen. I'm not sure what else to do.

Not sure what diet you are offering , and a video or pics under white light intensity will offer best solution based on severity. If indeed HLLE, it is often caused by poor water quality, high use of carbon, poor water quality (elevated nitrate and ammonia) and inadequate/poor diet. It is not life threating in any way but offers secondary infection in some cases.
Maintaining GOOD water quality and diet are often the fixes and with severe cases, some healing.
Some foods to feed tang are :
LRS herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
TDO Pellets
small plankton
Hikari Marine cuisine
Ocean nutrition veggie diet
spirulina brine shrimp
mysis shrimp
Prime reef
Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract

Add selcon vitamins to foods occasionally

 

[kenchilada]

My Blue Tang has been suffering from HLLE for about a month. We hadn't noticed until May however, my tang sits in a 10-gallon tank with 3 other fish. The Temperature is 79-80 degrees with regular LED lighting. We've been giving them a different diet for almost a month now, but it seems to worsen. I'm not sure what else to do.

I hope the 10 gallon is a quarantine tank or just a temporary home. He will need a much larger tank eventually.

There's no definitive treatment for HLLE and there is a lot of speculation and anecdote surrounding it. Some advice you are likely to hear is to use only high-quality rinsed pellet carbon, feed a high-quality varied diet with vitamin supplementation, and (everyone's favorite cause for a problem they can't explain)... check for stray voltage.

My blue tang has mild HLLE also, which he developed during copper treatment in quarantine nearly 5 years ago. Nothing seems to make it totally disappear but it has never worsened.

 

[Dbichler]

3 other fish with a blue tang in a ten gallon. Even too small of a qt tank. Of course the tang is going to get hlle.

 

[Jekyl]

Agree with above that a 10g isn't anywhere near sufficient. Even with small fish a 10g is only good for 1 or 2.

 

[Chrisper518]

I hope the 10 gallon is a quarantine tank or just a temporary home. He will need a much larger tank eventually.

There's no definitive treatment for HLLE and there is a lot of speculation and anecdote surrounding it. Some advice you are likely to hear is to use only high-quality rinsed pellet carbon, feed a high-quality varied diet with vitamin supplementation, and (everyone's favorite cause for a problem they can't explain)... check for stray voltage.

My blue tang has mild HLLE also, which he developed during copper treatment in quarantine nearly 5 years ago. Nothing seems to make it totally disappear but it has never worsened.

Unfortunately, it's not, we're planning on getting a bigger tank in a couple of months but that's it right now. the diet has seem to do much as I mentioned but maybe I can try and change the carbon treatment.

 

[Chrisper518]

3 other fish with a blue tang in a ten gallon. Even too small of a qt tank. Of course the tang is going to get hlle.

ah dam, seems like my fears have been realized.

 

[Jekyl]

ah dam, seems like my fears have been realized.

What are you currently feeding? For reference it's usually recommended that a blue tang has a 6' 150g tank.

 

[Naekuh]

maybe I can try and change the carbon treatment.

Fine carbon power dust has been shown to be one of the reasons for HLLE.

Not going to go Tang Police on you, as i am sure others have already. But seeing how you did a Hippo in a 10g, im worried to know what the other 3 fishes are.

For example i would not even put juvi Anthias which only messure 3 inches at most, inside a 10g outside QT for at most a Month.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

My Blue Tang has been suffering from HLLE for about a month. We hadn't noticed until May however, my tang sits in a 10-gallon tank with 3 other fish. The Temperature is 79-80 degrees with regular LED lighting. We've been giving them a different diet for almost a month now, but it seems to worsen. I'm not sure what else to do.

That tank does seem pretty small for any tang longer than a few weeks (assuming the water quality is being managed well). Diet changes usually does not reverse this process. Can you post a picture of the fish?

I ran some research on this issue back in 2011, here is a write-up about that:

Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE)

This article discusses studies performed regarding head and lateral line erosion in captive fishes. Specifically, carbon use and nutrition as they relate to this syndrome.

www.reef2reef.com