HLLE or something else?

[tdyrkacz]

As the title states is this HLLE? I asked about this a while ago and was told it could be lack of nutrition as well as carbon. I have since cut down how much carbon i use and switched to the BRS premium ROX 0.8 carbon. I use much less then i used to and change it less frequently... about one cup every 2 weeks.

I feed a variety of frozen foods and pellet foods. I water parameters are good. It seems to be getting worse. Is this something in my system causing this or are some fish going to develop these issues no matter what based on how they were collected etc...

I bought this fish at a lfs. Lately when visiting many lfd in the area i have seen many tangs with whitish\pale colors on their bodies. Not sure why this is.

 

[melypr1985]

Yes that looks like HLLE. I believe nutrition and water quality is the biggest part of the cause of HLLE, though carbon has been thought to be a factor as well. Using a high quality carbon can reduce that part of the cause. At this point you'll want to continue feeding the high quality foods you can and add a vitamin supplement to your regimen to help out. Also keep your water quality the best you can. This isn't a contagious disease.... it's a condition. If your LFS is having an issue with it, then that shows some lack of water quality and nutrition on their part IMO.

 

[tdyrkacz]

Could you expand on the water quality part? My parameters are very good. All bad stuff undetectable with the test kits I have. I add garlic guard and lipid to the frozen foods. I feed nori in addition to the meaty and pellet foods.

I have seen similar looking fish in at least 3 fish stores within the last few months. Often they look much worse then the picture i attached. I'm wondering if this goes beyond how they're handled once they arrive in the store or home? I just don't know what else to try since it seems to be getting worse.

Can you also talk a little bit about vitamins? Can you recommend anything?

As a side note i have started dosing vitamin c a fer months ago as a form of carbon dosing. I saw signs of HLLE before that, but it has slowly been becoming more apparent. Thank you for your help.

 

[melypr1985]

Sure. Garlic is not a vitamin. It is meant to be an appetite stimulant and nothing more. It's not needed or meant to be given every day.
You can use things like Vita-chem or Selcon (there are others, but the names arn't coming to me). At the store I use several vitamin supplements, just to mix it up and because some will provide bits that others don't. You can do the same thing at home.... probably just pick two so your not dumping tons of money into vitamins.

Water quality is just that. You don't want tons of nitrates, or the dreaded trites or ammonia. You dont want the fish swimming around in their own poo and pee, lots of detritus all over ect.

These are both easy things to do and it will take time to see improvement. Your tang my never heal all the way over and could bare the scars for life. But you should be able to at least stop it from getting worse.

 

[tdyrkacz]

Thank you I will try adding vitamins to their diet. I don't think it is water quality in my case. I am religious about water changes and maintenance and no nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, phosphates that I can detect with any of my test kits.

Do you think I should stop running carbon completely?

 

[melypr1985]

Thank you I will try adding vitamins to their diet. I don't think it is water quality in my case. I am religious about water changes and maintenance and no nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, phosphates that I can detect with any of my test kits.

Do you think I should stop running carbon completely?

Unless you need it for something specific, then I dont see any reason not to stop running it. It can't hurt ya know?