What's this on my Vlamingi?? HLLE or?

[Missy]

We've had our Vlamingi tang for a couple years now. He started off only a few inches long and smaller than our copperband but is now about foot long. He's now in a 360 gallon 8ft tank. He's had these spots just over his eyes for awhile now that I have no idea what they are. They haven't worsened. He has 1 spot over one eye and 2 over the other. I've never seen another Vlamingi with similar. Could this be HLLE? We have used carbon in the past but aren't currently. We feed rods, mysis, LRS and nori. We also have a yellow belly regal tang, yellow tang, tomini tang, foxface and a copperband. All of which are doing great and show no signs of HLLE. We've had everyone at least 4 years.
What do you think?
Thanks!

 

[Flippers4pups]

My first impression is HLLE. Let's see what others say.

#reefsquad, @Big G

 

[SuncrestReef]

It looks like HLLE to me. My Kole tang suffered from HLLE in October 2018, as seen in this photo while in quarantine:

I believe it was due to a cheap activated carbon filter in the HOB filter of my newly set up quarantine tank. I removed the carbon and fed him a healthy assortment of nori and high quality frozen foods.

About a year later I took this photo. He still has a few scars around the eye, but overall looks so much better and seems to have recovered nicely:

 

[Raege]

Do you add any vitamin supplements to your foods at all? Seen a recent similar pic that better educated folks sided with HLLE and recommended vitamins
Following to learn signs better good luck beautiful fish and very cool how long they gha day been with you.

 

[najer]

Welcome to R2R, can you feed it live macro and nori, I would also vitamin deficiency.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi, and welcome.

Great fish. Had my Vlamingi about 10 years along with a yellow and purple. Lost all 3 in a few days. Called him piggy. Hated losing hi,

He looks great, does look like hole in the head/hlle. One thing I can mention is ground probe, do you have one. I do not see any emergency, but if you want to beef up the diet a bit it can’t hurt. They need a lot of green along with meat. About 70/30. The rods, mysis, and LRS are great, If I may suggest a few additions. Selcon has given me noticeable results in all my tangs. 5-6 drops soaked into the Nori. Also, I like frozen or flake Formula 2, Hikari mega algae and spirulina brine are also good. I don’t see anything to worry about though as long as it is not progressing.

 

[GoVols]

One more thing to add:

If you run carbon, make sure that it's a high-grade carbon and do not let the carbon tumble, because tumbling carbon can break down into small fines, which could lead to HLLE in tangs, over the long haul.

Once the carbon fines are in the flesh, they will stay there for the duration.

 

[jeffrey750750]

Oh my, I thought my vlamingi just bumped it on a rock. I just changed my carbon to the rox. 8 from brs.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My 15" vlamingi clear. Hole in head is associated with worm or more likly vitamin deficiency. Mine will eat 4oz of frozen daily easily.
You should be feeding it at minimum:

LRS Herbivore diet
krill
plankton
mysis shrimp
Formula 2 frozen
Lg Flakes
lg PE Mysis pellets
Spirulina
Nori seaweed basted in Garlic

Add garlic and selcon vitamins to its food and Maintain good water quality

 

[jeffrey750750]

I was feeding two fishies seaweed every other day and lrs reef frenzy everyday. Looks like I better go shopping