Yellow Tang with Brown Blotches

[Jepprox]

Noticed some brown blotches developing on a yellow tang. Appears to be all over it. It is behaving and eating normal at the moment. Any idea what this is and how I might treat it? There are 6 other fish in the tank and do not have these symptoms. Those being a blue hippo, two anthias, bicolor blenny, watchman goby, and a mandarin. Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

How long have you had the tang?
Was it quarantined/treated with praziquantel?
This is pretty common in yellow tangs, sometimes called septicemia. There may be a correlation between this and some stress factor. Other people say it is a result of a bacterial infection.
Kay

 

[Jepprox]

How long have you had the tang?
Was it quarantined/treated with praziquantel?
This is pretty common in yellow tangs, sometimes called septicemia. There may be a correlation between this and some stress factor. Other people say it is a result of a bacterial infection.
Kay

Jay thanks for the response. I appreciate it! I have had the tang for 3 years now. In fact all of them have been in the same tank for about the same length of time with the exception of the hippo and the bicolor blenny. They were added a year and a half ago. I did do a temporary tank move the first week of July and removed all of the sand but put all the rock and corals back in the same day. It is in preparation for an upgrade. I do have metroplex handy. Should I add to the food for a couple of weeks or should I look at a different medication. I could set up a hospital tank if I can catch it.

-jeff

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

How long has the tang had this?
The timing isn’t 100% right to coincide with the tank change, but that sort of thing is one of the ways I’ve seen this be brought on.
No - metroplex is for protozoans and anaerobic bacteria, so that won’t help in this case.
Some of these cases resolve on their own, other people have used a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic in a treatment tank. I hesitate to suggest that since you would have to move the fish again, possibly making things worse.

 

[Jepprox]

How long has the tang had this?
The timing isn’t 100% right to coincide with the tank change, but that sort of thing is one of the ways I’ve seen this be brought on.
No - metroplex is for protozoans and anaerobic bacteria, so that won’t help in this case.
Some of these cases resolve on their own, other people have used a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic in a treatment tank. I hesitate to suggest that since you would have to move the fish again, possibly making things worse.

Tang has had it since Wednesday. The blotches seemed to subdue. They are still present but not as numerous and not as dark. It never lost its appetite and ate every feeding. I feed them twice a day. Pellets and flake in the morning and mysis in the evening. Fed them some seaweed on a clip and nothing went to waste. The tang appears to be doing ok. Will observe to see how things progress.

 

[Val1064]

I have something similar going on with my Quoyi parrotfish. Parrots get blotchy when they are stressed but this is something more with him. I hope you find your answer.

 

[Jepprox]

I have something similar going on with my Quoyi parrotfish. Parrots get blotchy when they are stressed but this is something more with him. I hope you find your answer.

Did not find my answer but color is coming back to normal. It doesn't miss feedings and behaving normal. Hoping it was some bacterial infection that has taken its course.