Markings on Yellow Tang face

[Hentie]

Hi All,

In the attached picture I have seen for the first time these blue markings on his face.

He has the same colour blue line on his body which has always been there.

Are these markings a cause for concern?

 

[Hentie]

Some additional info:

Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate = 0.

350L tank

Tank is approx 5 months old

Had tang for about a month

 

[vetteguy53081]

Some additional info:

Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate = 0.

350L tank

Tank is approx 5 months old

Had tang for about a month

Pic is heavy in blue light to see anything
Disregard nitrite which is specific to freshwater and I assume you are using API test kit which can throw off different colors
What foods are you feeding and is tangs breathing normal or labored?

 

[Hentie]

With lights turned off, you can't see any markings

Feeding Nori and he eats brine shrimp when feeding clowns

Breathing looks normal

 

[Hentie]

Also, I did add one damsel and one fire fish yesterday.

Did have them in QT for 2 weeks. No signs off illness

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi All,

In the attached picture I have seen for the first time these blue markings on his face.

He has the same colour blue line on his body which has always been there.

Are these markings a cause for concern?

It looks like HLLE (Head and Lateral Line Erosion). Pictures under white lights will help confirm that.

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

 

[carpos]

yeah was just about to say looks like HLLE to me.
Feed well, varied diet, should recovery by itself.

getting plenty of nori?

aggressive use of carbon has been linked to HLLE too

 

[Hentie]

Hi Jay,

Under white light

 

[carpos]

yep looks like HLLE to me at least

 

[OrionN]

It is HLLE. Need to make sure he has good nutrition and do water change to keep good tank condition. Normally animal do not eat single type of food, so give your fish a good round variety of food, a good pellets or flake. I often feed Omega One and Otohime pellets along with a variety of foods and various Nori and other dry seaweeds. Variety is what will help for a good diet. Brine shrimp is not a good diet.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi Jay,

Under white light

The vertical white blotch along the fish’s side isn’t HLLE. And of course, the more horizontal blotch underlying that is normal coloration. There is mild HLLE around the fish’s eyes.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Beginning of HLLE, fully savable. Order some Selcon, vitamin supplement. Get the Variety SF Bay Frozen food cube pack. Shake the bottle, squeeze the dropper several times. Add seven drops to the cube, feed once a day, when it starts to clear, go to every other day. I now feed with Selcon every third or fourth day. BTW, keep the bottle of Selcon in the Refrigerator, to keep the Fat included, Fat Soluble Vitamin from spoiling.

 

[Hentie]

Thank you everyone