What is this - large white area

[Bolek]

Over last days I have spotted a strange white area on some of my fish. Most visible on purple tang - one single large white something. Otherwise he is happy, eating, swimming normally. Clear skin, nothing else on it (white pecks you see on the photo are particles in water or my glass, not the fish).

And then there is something a bit similar(?) on both of my dragonets. They are well fed, healthy, just has some whitish areas. All other fish are perfectly ok.

I put 3 weeks ago a new fish into my tank (without full qt) so I guess it might be some parasite. But what is it? Definitelly does not look like ich. There are just a few of the spots and much larger, and more like whitish areas not spots.

What do you think it is?

 

[Bolek]

Oh, and now, just a few hours later he has another big white spot.

Strange. That quickly. Could it be that these are just some scratches from the rock? But he has never had any scratch and is not flashing or scratching just swimming calmly.

And also here is a better picture of the Mandarin.

Maybe it is nothing and I am just paranoid. But better ask than be sorry.
Thanks,

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I don't know myself, but let's see if we can get someone who might be able to help you out looking at the thread: #fishmedic

P.S. for any future posts like this, I'd suggest making them in the "Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis" forum here on R2R, as you'll probably have better luck finding helpful responses to fish issues like this one there.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh, and now, just a few hours later he has another big white spot.

Strange. That quickly. Could it be that these are just some scratches from the rock? But he has never had any scratch and is not flashing or scratching just swimming calmly.

And also here is a better picture of the Mandarin.

Maybe it is nothing and I am just paranoid. But better ask than be sorry.
Thanks,

Purple is showing area of damage or injury that has become bacterial and hard to tellon Mandarin due to heavy blue lighting but may also be bacterial. Pics best under white lighting.
While tang is very treatable, the mandarin goby is sensitive to various treatments. Safest will be Ruby Rally Pro but will take a little longer to clear it up and best done in separate quarantine tank.
What is age of your tank and what is current ammnia-nitrate-ph-salinity readings and what test kit are you using ?
During treatment, add oxygen via air stone

 

[MnFish1]

It looks like an injury which may be infected - have you seen any signes of bullying? I would treat both fish in a hospital tank - with a broad spectrum antibiotic. I have to say also - this looks 'odd' for a bacterial infection - as compared to mere injury. It's good that the fish has no symptoms per se - and I would also carefully watch for systemic spread - red streaking, etc in fins, etc. Ruby Rally Pro - as recommended by @vetteguy53081 certainly would be an option. As would (depending on what is available locally) - other broad-spectrum antibiotics.

 

[Bolek]

ISpeakForTheSeas thanks for response and navigation within the forum, will use it next time.​

Regading the questions:
- there have been no bullying at all
- i test regularly and there have been no changes (ph arround 8, salinity 35, nitrates 5, no amonia or nitrites)
- tank has a year

But what is suprising is, that the second white spot on the bottom of the Tang that appeared this afternoon is already gone. There is nothing on that place. I am confused. It appears that it was something that has got attached, and than deattached. Maybe the first white spot will do the same.

Is that possible. Are there parasites of this size that attach to Tang?

Before treating with Ruby Rally Pro would you do the freshwater dip so that if it is something attached it gets off?

Thanks

 

[Bolek]

And with the Mandarin - I have been observing it more and have just seen my sandsifting goby to attack it - literally biting with big mount open on the whole body. This is the first time I have seen anyone attacking the mandarin. Maybe that could have cause the insury(?)

 

[Bolek]

And here are better pictures

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

ISpeakForTheSeas thanks for response and navigation within the forum, will use it next time.​

Regading the questions:
- there have been no bullying at all
- i test regularly and there have been no changes (ph arround 8, salinity 35, nitrates 5, no amonia or nitrites)
- tank has a year

But what is suprising is, that the second white spot on the bottom of the Tang that appeared this afternoon is already gone. There is nothing on that place. I am confused. It appears that it was something that has got attached, and than deattached. Maybe the first white spot will do the same.

Is that possible. Are there parasites of this size that attach to Tang?

Before treating with Ruby Rally Pro would you do the freshwater dip so that if it is something attached it gets off?

Thanks

In looking at the photos, I don't see any evidence of a parasite. These seem to be scrapes with excess mucus production, or possibly secondary bacterial infections from a scrape.

The only "parasite" that comes and goes like that, leaving only a few marks on the fish is a type of micro predator isopod. They jump on the fish, take a bite and then jump off again. The most common way to get these into your tank is to use uncured live rock from the Gulf of Mexico.

Jay

 

[Bolek]

@Jay Hemdal thank you. Probably I was just a bit early stressed with the spot on the Tang. Good to know there are no parasites like this, and it will be just mucus around scratch or I have thought it might be just slime from coral that got stuck on the fish skin. Fish is happy, so will I be Thanks.

With the Mandarin, I hope the Goby will not attack it again.

 

[reeftankdude]

One of my fish had the same problem. I added garlic extract according to directions. Cleared up in a little more then a week. Kent, Coralife, and Seachem have a garlic product.