Is this HLLE in our yellow tang

[nick654377]

So it just dawned on me. Our yellow tang is 3 weeks in our tank and I am noticing white behind her eye. Sorry for the not so great picture but she is fast! She just started taking Nori this week. She eats whatever is fed to the tank and picks off the rocks and glass as she should.

 

[MnFish1]

First - nice tank fish and corals.
Second - can you put an arrow (or a better close-up) of the area you're talking about?
Third - how big is the tank? Sometimes smaller ones (younger) have different coloration.

 

[nick654377]

It is a very active fish. so its a pain to get her picture.

The fish tank is a 65 gallon that we used to have discus in but my wife hated them so she wanted to try salt. We know a 65 is not sufficent for a yellow tang but by the time she gets another 2 inches we will have atleast a 120. Our plan is a 120 so we are not worried about the size. She is only about 3 inches so still young. She never once has been clamped. Let me see what I can do to get a better picture of her. If our puffer comes up she will follow him. Give me a second.

 

[nick654377]

First - nice tank fish and corals.
Second - can you put an arrow (or a better close-up) of the area you're talking about?
Third - how big is the tank? Sometimes smaller ones (younger) have different coloration.

Is this one better.

 

[MnFish1]

Is this one better.

Yes - now can you take an arrow - (On the picture) to the area you're concerned about?

 

[MnFish1]

PS - if you're talking about the thick white line - that is not HLLE. it is normal coloration - depending on age and time of day.

 

[nick654377]

The white right behind her eye.

 

[MnFish1]

The white right behind her eye.

Thanks - IMHO - thats not 'normal' - whether its HLLE or not is hard to say. IMHO - it could be - only because it can look so many ways. To me - the lateral line seems brighter than normal - which is why I wanted to know which part you were looking at. Sorry - a couple more questions:

1. Has it changed at all?
2. Are you using Carbon (activated) - if so what type?
3. What are you feeding?
4. @Jay Hemdal is the resident expert - will tag him as well.

 

[nick654377]

It has not changed at all. Been staying pretty constant. Again She is only in our possession for 3 weeks. We use a HOB Filter with Chemipure elite in there. We feed a wide range of food. She has some hair algae she picks at in the tank. I feed Nori strips every day to every other day. they get brine, Mysis, Marine cuisine, Krill. No pellet food. She is not stressed as no fins have ever been clamped and she is super active like i have mentioned earlier. She does nibble at the Nori strips as soon as I put them in then here and there thoughout the day.

 

[MnFish1]

It has not changed at all. Been staying pretty constant. Again She is only in our possession for 3 weeks. We use a HOB Filter with Chemipure elite in there. We feed a wide range of food. She has some hair algae she picks at in the tank. I feed Nori strips every day to every other day. they get brine, Mysis, Marine cuisine, Krill. No pellet food. She is not stressed as no fins have ever been clamped and she is super active like i have mentioned earlier. She does nibble at the Nori strips as soon as I put them in then here and there thoughout the day.

Sorry - Lets wait for what Jay says. IMHO - its a possibility - but not a certainty. But - he has written articles on HLLE. The key (since the fish had it when you got it) - is to avoid its spread (if its even there). Hopefully Jay will answer today

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It has not changed at all. Been staying pretty constant. Again She is only in our possession for 3 weeks. We use a HOB Filter with Chemipure elite in there. We feed a wide range of food. She has some hair algae she picks at in the tank. I feed Nori strips every day to every other day. they get brine, Mysis, Marine cuisine, Krill. No pellet food. She is not stressed as no fins have ever been clamped and she is super active like i have mentioned earlier. She does nibble at the Nori strips as soon as I put them in then here and there thoughout the day.

That isn't typical HLLE, yellow tangs show that differently. I term this "epithelial thinning". It shows up a LOT in captive raised yellow tangs, I don't know why.

Here is a link to an editorial I wrote about this when it first showed up:

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

Sorry - I don't have a "cure" to offer you for this. I thought fish would outgrow it, but that doesn't seem to be the case in every instance. Obviously, don't use carbon, keep the water quality good, and feed a good diet.


Jay

 

[nick654377]

That isn't typical HLLE, yellow tangs show that differently. I term this "epithelial thinning". It shows up a LOT in captive raised yellow tangs, I don't know why.

Here is a link to an editorial I wrote about this when it first showed up:

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

Sorry - I don't have a "cure" to offer you for this. I thought fish would outgrow it, but that doesn't seem to be the case in every instance. Obviously, don't use carbon, keep the water quality good, and feed a good diet.


Jay

Why does everyone say don’t use carbon? We are running chemipure elite in the hob filter.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Why does everyone say don’t use carbon? We are running chemipure elite in the hob filter.

Carbon has been implicated in both epithelial thinning and HLLE, the latter in two different studies, one of which I did back in 2011.

Here is a write-up I posted here a couple of years ago:

Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE)

This article discusses studies performed regarding head and lateral line erosion in captive fishes. Specifically, carbon use and nutrition as they relate to this syndrome.

www.reef2reef.com

Chemipure is not as bad as lignite carbon, pelleted carbon is also fairly safe.

Jay

 

[nick654377]

Carbon has been implicated in both epithelial thinning and HLLE, the latter in two different studies, one of which I did back in 2011.

Here is a write-up I posted here a couple of years ago:

Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE)

This article discusses studies performed regarding head and lateral line erosion in captive fishes. Specifically, carbon use and nutrition as they relate to this syndrome.

www.reef2reef.com

Chemipure is not as bad as lignite carbon, pelleted carbon is also fairly safe.

Jay

So I would be safe running chemipure. Only reason is we do not have a sump. We are using a hob filter and protein skimmer. Our next tank will have a sump with a fuge.

 

[Uncle99]

This yellow has 4 years of 24-7 carbon.
Run it if you need it, but we’ll rinsed.

 

[MnFish1]

I use carbon as well (chemipure elite). I rinse it well - and I use 2 bags for a 140 gallon water volume. So - the good news is - It is not clearly HLLE.

 

[nick654377]

Carbon has been implicated in both epithelial thinning and HLLE, the latter in two different studies, one of which I did back in 2011.

Here is a write-up I posted here a couple of years ago:

Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE)

This article discusses studies performed regarding head and lateral line erosion in captive fishes. Specifically, carbon use and nutrition as they relate to this syndrome.

www.reef2reef.com

Chemipure is not as bad as lignite carbon, pelleted carbon is also fairly safe.

Jay

So basically what I am getting from you is this is not that bad as I am thinking it is. It does not affect the fish at all. Just does not aesthetically pleasing. It isn’t a sever case and a good diet will keep this guy healthy. It isn’t contagious to other fish in the tank correct?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So basically what I am getting from you is this is not that bad as I am thinking it is. It does not affect the fish at all. Just does not aesthetically pleasing. It isn’t a sever case and a good diet will keep this guy healthy. It isn’t contagious to other fish in the tank correct?

Correct, it isn't contagious and it won't kill this fish, just a bit unsightly.

jay