Extreme HLLE reversible?

[FishguyJosh]

Wanted to get everyone's opinion on if this half moon angel's HLLE is reversible? I inherited him like this when I bought a large tank. He's a beautiful fish and otherwise healthy but would love to reverse the damage if at all possible. Any opinions on the source of what may have caused it? I've already determined no stray voltage in the tank.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I highly doubt it, the damage is too deep in the skin.
I have reversed minor damage but had a tang almost as bad as the angel. He did not get any worse but still had the scars, from HLLE.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wanted to get everyone's opinion on if this half moon angel's HLLE is reversible? I inherited him like this when I bought a large tank. He's a beautiful fish and otherwise healthy but would love to reverse the damage if at all possible. Any opinions on the source of what may have caused it? I've already determined no stray voltage in the tank.

Reversible, no but some healing and recovery, Yes.
The key will be to provide utmost water quality and DIET.
I will not and dont recommend a $24 test kit to monitor water quality for a $200 fish, use the best possible such as salifert or Hanna if youre not already
Assure ammonia and nitrate stay in safe range
Diet:
Hikari angel formula
LRS Herbivore diet
small krill
Kikari Marine Cuisine
Mysis shrimp
spirulin brine shrimp
Hikari Veggie diet

 

[FishguyJosh]

Reversible, no but some healing and recovery, Yes.
The key will be to provide utmost water quality and DIET.
I will not and dont recommend a $24 test kit to monitor water quality for a $200 fish, use the best possible such as salifert or Hanna if youre not already
Assure ammonia and nitrate stay in safe range
Diet:
Hikari angel formula
LRS Herbivore diet
small krill
Kikari Marine Cuisine
Mysis shrimp
spirulin brine shrimp
Hikari Veggie diet

Thank you for the diet recommendations, he is getting many of these already and I phased out any pellets/flakes. Also started recently soaking food in vitachem and selcon. As for water quality, obviously ammonia and nitrate need to be essentially zero but what is your opinion on an upper bound for nitrate? I've thought about adding a refugium as well to manage nitrates and phosphates but would that work for a FOWLR 180g tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for the diet recommendations, he is getting many of these already and I phased out any pellets/flakes. Also started recently soaking food in vitachem and selcon. As for water quality, obviously ammonia and nitrate need to be essentially zero but what is your opinion on an upper bound for nitrate? I've thought about adding a refugium as well to manage nitrates and phosphates but would that work for a FOWLR 180g tank?

Ammonia <.025 and Nitrate can be up to 10 especially if any coral present. If no coral. . 5 is safe range
While Fuge will work, adding chemipure blue will also work

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Wanted to get everyone's opinion on if this half moon angel's HLLE is reversible? I inherited him like this when I bought a large tank. He's a beautiful fish and otherwise healthy but would love to reverse the damage if at all possible. Any opinions on the source of what may have caused it? I've already determined no stray voltage in the tank.

Hi,

That is a VERY severe case. I'm surprised the fish hasn't developed a secondary bacterial infection from this deep of erosion. I've seen less severe cases that didn't resolve, so I would hazard to say this won't get better. The best you can hope for is to stop continued erosion.

Here is an article I wrote on HLLE:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/head-and-lateral-line-erosion-hlle.784/


Jay

 

[FishguyJosh]

Hi,

That is a VERY severe case. I'm surprised the fish hasn't developed a secondary bacterial infection from this deep of erosion. I've seen less severe cases that didn't resolve, so I would hazard to say this won't get better. The best you can hope for is to stop continued erosion.

Here is an article I wrote on HLLE:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/head-and-lateral-line-erosion-hlle.784/


Jay

Thanks Jay I will definitely give it a read.

 

[old salt reefer]

Also started recently soaking food in vitachem and selcon.

I second you doing this. Great step in the right direction.