HLLE?

[blizariondds]

Hi All,
I’ve had a blue tang for about a year. No stocking changes in last 6 mo other than a purple urchin. My parameters are:
7.4 nitrate (they’re usually closer to 10-12 but I’ve used a reducer)
.11 po4
9.4 kh
420 cal
1350 mag

I noticed what appears to be HLLE on top. Seems minor. I am ordering a grounding probe to check for voltage but I’m doubtful.
In the last week I’ve been soaking frozen cubes in Selcon and Nori every 1-2 days. I may have slacked on Nori for a few months but I can’t honestly remember what I did because there was no problem.
Any advice on this? Will it possibly recover? I hate to see the blemish and want to do anything I can to help.
Thanks!

 

[Sean Clark]

Have you been feeding anything else other than the frozen and nori like algae pellets?

 

[blizariondds]

The nori is sheets and the frozen cubes are bay brand mysis and brine shrimp

 

[HalfHand]

this is brand new to me but i gave it a google. unknown cause but possibly linked to running carbon, unless im mistaking what hlle stands for.

 

[blizariondds]

That’s what I saw as well but I don’t run carbon either

 

[theMeat]

Would introduce some fresh (unfrozen) food a couple of times a week. And would make sure you have ground probe paired with a gfci outlet. As well wouldn’t use carbon

 

[blizariondds]

What would you recommend as far as fresh food? I’ve never done that before

Would introduce some fresh (unfrozen) food a couple of times a week. And would make sure you have ground probe paired with a gfci outlet. As well wouldn’t use carbon

 

[theMeat]

What would you recommend as far as fresh food? I’ve never done that before

Gut is the most beneficial. Clam a good choice. Chop it up real small

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What would you recommend as far as fresh food? I’ve never done that before

Hepatus tangs develop a related syndrome to HLLE. I call it "epithelial thinning". They can also get classic HLLE from carbon, but this thinning issue shows up in the absence of carbon. It isn't related to incidental voltage, so a grounding probe won't help. It is probably diet-related, but I'm not sure.

In addition to a well-rounded diet, try feeding dried algae for aquarium fish (like the Two Fishies brand) as opposed to roasted Nori that people often use.

A lot of the captive raised YT are showing this issue also. I did a write up on it a few years ago:

Captive-Bred Yellow Tangs - showing HLLE? - CORAL Magazine

I've seen photographs of wild Black Tangs, taken with flash photography, where they show what looks like classic HLLE lesions, but which is simply due to the camera flash.

www.reef2rainforest.com

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

In many cases, HLLE in marine fishes are caused by a dietary issue with a deficiency in vitamin C or low levels of unsaturated fatty acids. Water quality is also a contributor as can be stray voltage. Providing Good water quality and diet are the first defense to reversing it. Provide foods such as :
-Spirulina brine shrimp
- LRS Herbivore diet
- mysis shrimp
- small plankton
- Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract
- Hikari Marine cuisine
- Formula 2 flake and frozen
- Hikari veggie marine

Add selcon vitamins to the foods 2-3X per week and on alternating days, garlic extract for stamina and immunity health

 

[blizariondds]

Thank you guys I’ll give it all a shot and see how it goes!

 

[blizariondds]

Just an update- I’ve tried two little fishies brand seaweed and selcon soaked Marine Cuisine. Not worse, but not better?

otherwise seems healthy and all other fish are fine. I haven’t tried a grounding probe admittedly but I can.

Sometimes I don’t see it when the blue lights are on- I have high white on just for the water change which I’m about to do.


thanks for the help!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Just an update- I’ve tried two little fishies brand seaweed and selcon soaked Marine Cuisine. Not worse, but not better?

otherwise seems healthy and all other fish are fine. I haven’t tried a grounding probe admittedly but I can.

Sometimes I don’t see it when the blue lights are on- I have high white on just for the water change which I’m about to do.


thanks for the help!

Resolution of this, if it happens, often takes months to see any improvement, hang in there!
Jay

 

[theMeat]

Resolution of this, if it happens, often takes months to see any improvement, hang in there!
Jay

Yup. And even if you stop it if the fish is older it leaves scaring which takes even longer to go away, if at all.

 

[blizariondds]

Thanks guys! Other than the minor cosmetic blemish, this shouldn’t have any long term effects?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks guys! Other than the minor cosmetic blemish, this shouldn’t have any long term effects?

Fish can live long term with severe HLLE, and the same would be expected if it s that “epithelial thing”.
Jay

 

[theMeat]

I got a purple tang from a fellow reefer. She was full grown, about 6 years old, with severe hlle. She was in poor shape otherwise too. She turned around within a month or so. The scaring has improved but still there. She’s been in my tank for about 7-8 years and is still happy and healthy.
Fwiw I feed a varied diet, don’t run carbon, and have a ground probe paired with a gfci. Not sure what the cause is with certainty, so o just cover all the possibilities

 

[blizariondds]

I got a purple tang from a fellow reefer. She was full grown, about 6 years old, with severe hlle. She was in poor shape otherwise too. She turned around within a month or so. The scaring has improved but still there. She’s been in my tank for about 7-8 years and is still happy and healthy.
Fwiw I feed a varied diet, don’t run carbon, and have a ground probe paired with a gfci. Not sure what the cause is with certainty, so o just cover all the possibilities

Could you recommend a specific grounding probe? Does that go in the sump I’m assuming? I’ve googled a lot but there’s so many and I really don’t know what I’m looking for.

thank you!!

 

[theMeat]

TAAM Professional Rid-Volt Titanium Aquarium Grounding Ground Probe with Suction Cup

You plug it into an outlet, and put the other end in the tank or sump. It doesn’t matter since water is a conductor and it’s all connected via water