Coral Beauty Issue

[PL718]

What is above the eyes of my Coral Beauty?

From what I’ve read, this may be due to water quality? Admittedly, I’ve gone from weekly water changes (5 gallon changes on a 40 gallon tank) but have now had 2-3 weeks between changes over the last 2 months.

The 2 Clowns and Royal Gramma seem perfectly fine. I had a Mexican Turbo snail that I found upside down a few times and eventually dead in the last 2 weeks.

The CB is eating without issue and seems to be acting normal.

The tank is almost 2 years old.

I appreciate any opinions you all can offer!

 

[vetteguy53081]

What is above the eyes of my Coral Beauty?

From what I’ve read, this may be due to water quality? Admittedly, I’ve gone from weekly water changes (5 gallon changes on a 40 gallon tank) but have now had 2-3 weeks between changes over the last 2 months.

The 2 Clowns and Royal Gramma seem perfectly fine. I had a Mexican Turbo snail that I found upside down a few times and eventually dead in the last 2 weeks.

The CB is eating without issue and seems to be acting normal.

The tank is almost 2 years old.

I appreciate any opinions you all can offer!

I cant expand pics but appears to be face/head erosion known as HLLE. Fish is eating which is good, but eating the proper foods and with good water quality is key. HLLE cause pits and flesh missing mainly in tangs, angels and some rabbitfish. 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 Fish frenzy
Formula 2 flake and frozen
TDO Pellets
small plankton
Hikari Marine cuisine
Ocean nutrition veggie diet
spirulina brine shrimp
mysis shrimp
Prime reef

Add selcon vitamins to foods occasionally

 

[PL718]

Thank you so much for the response!

After some reading, I will pick back up on the water changes and focus on the CB’s diet and add periodic Selcon as you recommended.

I use a Chemi-Pure Blue which is the only source of carbon in the tank. I think I will continue using it as I’ve used that for as long as I’ve had the CB and the suspected HLLE only occurred with my less frequent water changes. But I will look to remove it if no progress with the CB, though.

Thanks again!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you so much for the response!

After some reading, I will pick back up on the water changes and focus on the CB’s diet and add periodic Selcon as you recommended.

I use a Chemi-Pure Blue which is the only source of carbon in the tank. I think I will continue using it as I’ve used that for as long as I’ve had the CB and the suspected HLLE only occurred with my less frequent water changes. But I will look to remove it if no progress with the CB, though.

Thanks again!

Yes - that is HLLE. Selcon is often suggested, but that has never been proven to help. Water changes can help, as well as avoiding carbon. If you want to take a deep dive into the topic, here is an article I posted on it:

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