Dark stripe, beige patches on Kole Tang

[dtruitt]

Unfortunately, this was the best and only picture I could get.

This Kole Tang completed a CP treatment and FW dip before return to a fallow 90+ days DT. Shes been in the DT about a month now, and I haven't seen her eat. Shes been acting strangely, hiding during the day, swimming up and down one corner of the tank, and occasionally swimming sideways.

She has beige discolored patches that have come out recently, and most recently this dark stripe running down one side of her body. I suspect that she probably has a bacterial infection of some sort.

She has not been losing weight, and I suspect she has been nibbling at night / nibbling at algae in the tank where I can't see it.

What is the recommended course of action? No other fish are displaying these symptoms. Should I give her an anti bacterial bath? Will this likely clear up given time and stability?

I would have posted earlier, but these Kole tangs are notoriously fussy when transferred to a new tank and she is only now displaying any visible symptoms.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Blue light photos are almost impossible to use to diagnose issues as they change the color of the lesion...my old eyes just can't see any details (grin)

It is unlikely that this fish is feeding at night, as they are a diurnal species. It may be browsing when you aren't in the room, but it is also possible that it hasn't fed for a month. Fish can go a surprisingly long time without food and still not look really thin, but they utilize their liver for energy and that means they then suffer liver damage.

Are there other fish in the tank? How do they look?

Jay

 

[dtruitt]

Blue light photos are almost impossible to use to diagnose issues as they change the color of the lesion...my old eyes just can't see any details (grin)

It is unlikely that this fish is feeding at night, as they are a diurnal species. It may be browsing when you aren't in the room, but it is also possible that it hasn't fed for a month. Fish can go a surprisingly long time without food and still not look really thin, but they utilize their liver for energy and that means they then suffer liver damage.

Are there other fish in the tank? How do they look?

Jay

I am aware blue light photos aren't great for diagnostics. She is hard to get a picture of, so this was the best I could do.

Other fish look great. Everyone else is eating normally and has great coloration.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Well, other than moving it to a QT and dosing with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, there isn't really much I can suggest. This species is not typically a "problem feeder" - what was it feeding on while in quarantine? If it was feeding up until it was moved to the DT, and then stopped, maybe moving it back to the QT will start it up again?

Jay

 

[dtruitt]

Well, other than moving it to a QT and dosing with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, there isn't really much I can suggest. This species is not typically a "problem feeder" - what was it feeding on while in quarantine? If it was feeding up until it was moved to the DT, and then stopped, maybe moving it back to the QT will start it up again?

Jay

It was eating Nori and reef frenzy in quarantine. It stopped eating towards the end of CP treatment, but I assumed it to be a side effect of CP.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It was eating Nori and reef frenzy in quarantine. It stopped eating towards the end of CP treatment, but I assumed it to be a side effect of CP.

Typically no, CP won’t really affect appetite in tangs, and certainly not after they are removed from it....not sure what is causing it though.
Jay