Tang flashing

[GillMeister]

I have a Lemonpeel Tang that's been flashing for the past week or more. It's not doing it all the time so I'm not extremely worried yet. I've not seen any obvious white spots but his skin has some very subtle blotchy spots. Nothing on the fins, and he seems active and healthy otherwise. No heavy breathing. All other fish in the tank are OK.

I dosed prazipro yesterday thinking it might be flukes. The blotchiness is still there and he's still flashing. I'm not ssure how long it takes for prazi to be effective. It's either going to take a while longer or it's not flukes.

Based on the image am I treating the wrong problem?

This is a SPS system, 240gallon, with about a dozen fish and 240 lbs of live rock.
Alk: 10.2
Calcium: 420
Mg: 1350
Temp: 79
Salinity: 34.8
Ammonia and nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 3ppm
Phosphate: .03ppm

 

[Doctorgori]

yeah that always bothers me too. Just adding sample: but I’ve seen that come and go before. Please take that as sample and not a remedy or suggestion.

 

[GillMeister]

yeah that always bothers me too. Just adding sample: but I’ve seen that come and go before. Please take that as sample and not a remedy or suggestion.

I think I might have missed part of your reply?

 

[GillMeister]

I now have 3 fish flashing. No evidence of parasites on any of them. It's possible it's a mild case of velvet so I've started dosing Polyplab Medic. Between that and Prazipro it should knock this out in a couple or three weeks.

Hopefully.

 

[Doctorgori]

I think I might have missed part of your reply?

probably just didn’t clarify: Generally if I see a single fish flashing I take notice too, it’s common but I’m watching..... but multiple scratching and multiple fish are doing it; there is a problem. IMO you did the right thing with the right meds; your diagnosis, treatment and mindset probably increased your odds but please get more input. bump

 

[vetteguy53081]

That red blotch is likely bacterial and use of PraziPro would do nothing for it. You will want to use Macaryn or as I did a few years ago, I placed a 1/2 capsule of kanacyn in about a cup of tank water and got it dissolved and then soaked the fishes food in that water for about 30 minutes and then fed them. Furacyn would also work. I couldn't just spot feed the tang, everyone ate the food.
Within 24 hours the red streaks started disappearing but you also want to keep an eye on the coral to assure they dont react to it.
BEFORE you attempt to do the antibiotics, check your PH. A pH below 8.0 can induce it. Often all that is needed to reverse this is a LARGE water change and proper diet with garlic extract and selcon vitamins added to food.

Diet:

Spirulina brine shrimp
LRS herbivore diet
Nori seaweed basted with garlic
mysis shrimp
small Plankton
Formula 2 flake and frozen

 

[GillMeister]

That red blotch is likely bacterial and use of PraziPro would do nothing for it. You will want to use Macaryn or as I did a few years ago, I placed a 1/2 capsule of kanacyn in about a cup of tank water and got it dissolved and then soaked the fishes food in that water for about 30 minutes and then fed them. Furacyn would also work. I couldn't just spot feed the tang, everyone ate the food.
Within 24 hours the red streaks started disappearing but you also want to keep an eye on the coral to assure they dont react to it.
BEFORE you attempt to do the antibiotics, check your PH. A pH below 8.0 can induce it. Often all that is needed to reverse this is a LARGE water change and proper diet with garlic extract and selcon vitamins added to food.

Diet:

Spirulina brine shrimp
LRS herbivore diet
Nori seaweed basted with garlic
mysis shrimp
small Plankton
Formula 2 flake and frozen

I don't see the red blotch when viewing the fish directly. I'm running Orpheks and sometimes the lighting array artificially adds color in images where it wouldn't otherwise exist.
My pH is typically about 8.0 +/- 0.1.

If the prazi and medic doesn't have any effect in the next week I'll have to do a water change anyway.

BTW, I saw one if your old posts and that's what got me to try Polyplabs Medic. Wish me luck.