I need help.

Jdale78 · Jun 20, 2019

Hello-
I just this Hippo Tang yesterday. Today I noticed he was rubbing on a rock and I see these spots on his side. I did a little research and see it could be a few things. What do you all think it is?
What do I do about it?

EmdeReef · Jun 20, 2019

Can you take a closeup pic of the spots?

Jdale78 · Jun 20, 2019

3 spots on one side. 1 on the other.

Jdale78 · Jun 20, 2019

EmdeReef said:
Can you take a closeup pic of the spots?

I posted a new pic.

Maacc · Jun 20, 2019

External parasite, start with a fresh water dip matched for temp and ph.

Jdale78 · Jun 20, 2019

Maacc said:
External parasite, start with a fresh water dip matched for temp and ph.

How do you do that?

Maacc · Jun 20, 2019

Get a bucket and fill at least half way with rodi water and put a heater in to match your tanks temperature. Then check your tank ph and use a buffer to get the bucket water to match. Put in an air stone for circulation and dip for 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the hippo if it shows rral distress put back into qt, try to keep the room dark

EmdeReef · Jun 20, 2019

Do you have an anemone in the tank? What other fish? Is the tank fully cycled?

Those look like injuries. Could be result of the tang scratching on rocks. The question is why the scratching.

Eating ok? Any smaller spots anywhere else on the body?

Jdale78 · Jun 20, 2019

EmdeReef said:
Do you have an anemone in the tank? What other fish? Is the tank fully cycled?

Those look like injuries. Could be result of the tang scratching on rocks. The question is why the scratching.

Eating ok? Any smaller spots anywhere else on the body?

I have no anemone. I have clowns, damsel, goby, CUC, starfish. Tank is fully cycled. He has been up in the rocks quite a bit. He's eating like a champ. The spots seem to be coming and going really fast. example- by the time I answered you another popped up and now seems to have faded. It's quite weird.

Jdale78 · Jun 20, 2019

Maacc said:
Get a bucket and fill at least half way with rodi water and put a heater in to match your tanks temperature. Then check your tank ph and use a buffer to get the bucket water to match. Put in an air stone for circulation and dip for 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the hippo if it shows rral distress put back into qt, try to keep the room dark

thank you for your info!

merereef · Jun 20, 2019

Jdale78 said:
I have no anemone. I have clowns, damsel, goby, CUC, starfish. Tank is fully cycled. He has been up in the rocks quite a bit. He's eating like a champ. The spots seem to be coming and going really fast. example- by the time I answered you another popped up and now seems to have faded. It's quite weird.

Is the fish eating and swimming around ok?

Jdale78 · Jun 20, 2019

merereef said:
Is the fish eating and swimming around ok?

yeah. Am I just paranoid ?

merereef · Jun 20, 2019

Feed it more garlic enriched foods and give it lots of nori... feed it frozen foods often like 4-5 times a day with garic if you can.. keep doing that and it should heal and go away. If it gets worse then do the treatment keep a close eye on it but feed alot

ZipAdeeZoa · Jun 20, 2019

If the spots appear to be moving around on the fish then it could be flukes, a mentioned a freshwater dip would either confirm that or rule it out. Heres how to do a freshwater dip https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/