Yellow tank - abrasion

Jeanette · Sep 17, 2022

My yellow tang is normally swimming out front of the tank. Today I noticed that he was just hanging out in behind my aquascape for the most part, except to come out for food. Looking closer, I see an abrasion on his body. Any guesses what it could be, and if I can treat it? He is old (probably close to 15 yrs), but I still hate to loose him. Any suggestions?

vetteguy53081 · Sep 17, 2022

Jeanette said:
My yellow tang is normally swimming out front of the tank. Today I noticed that he was just hanging out in behind my aquascape for the most part, except to come out for food. Looking closer, I see an abrasion on his body. Any guesses what it could be, and if I can treat it? He is old (probably close to 15 yrs), but I still hate to loose him. Any suggestions?

This is heavy Head and lateral line erosion and bacterial infection. Based on age and condition, wish I could suggest what recovery will be like. Quarantine is obviously a must and a combination of Good water quality, Diet and treatment will need to be administered.
Treatment will be Seachem Neoplex and even Metroplex added to foods at 5000mg by weight
How is fishs' breathing (normal or labored) ?
What foods are you feeding ?

Jay Hemdal · Sep 17, 2022

Jeanette said:
My yellow tang is normally swimming out front of the tank. Today I noticed that he was just hanging out in behind my aquascape for the most part, except to come out for food. Looking closer, I see an abrasion on his body. Any guesses what it could be, and if I can treat it? He is old (probably close to 15 yrs), but I still hate to loose him. Any suggestions?

That looks like a bacterial infection to me. Any idea as to a possible injury that could have started this?
Can we get a full shot of the fish, or perhaps a short video?
Do you have a treatment tank available?
Jay

Jeanette · Sep 18, 2022

It has had HTTL for years. I've tried different things, but nothing helped. I know that the best thing would be to remove him to a QT, but that is impossible. He still moves quickly and simply dashes behind the aquascape. No signs of heavy breathing. I'm also afraid that the effort to catch/remove him would stress him out significantly, and that would result in his death.

No idea as to a possible injury.

I have a DIY food that our club makes. Nori every day, and also seaweed extreme or spirulina flakes.

Is there any treatment for bacterial infections that can be added safely to my display tank? My tank is SPS dominant, with a few LPS, zoas, and CUC.

If I am unable to remove the tang, what is the risk that my other fish might pick up the bacterial infection, if it is a bacterial infection?

Jeanette · Sep 18, 2022

Jay Hemdal · Sep 18, 2022

Jeanette said:

I don't know of any true antibiotic that can be used in a reef tank safely, at doses that won't cause other issues with the invertebrates and beneficial bacteria.

The lesions and the scalloped dorsal fin are how YT show HLLE. I used to tell people that HLLE lesions are mostly benign. This was based on a large number of fish that I worked with at a public aquarium that had lesions for over a decade and were still "healthy" in other respects. HOWEVER, more recently, I sent some fish out for histopathology that had HLLE, and they found bacterial infections in the lesions. It doesn't take much then I think, for an opportunistic bacterial infection to spread more widely on a fish with HLLE, and that is likely what is happening here.

In terms of this spreading to other fish? Unlikely, as the bacteria found in the lesions were common aquarium bacteria that healthy fish are exposed to all of the time....

Jay

Jeanette · Sep 18, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
I don't know of any true antibiotic that can be used in a reef tank safely, at doses that won't cause other issues with the invertebrates and beneficial bacteria.

The lesions and the scalloped dorsal fin are how YT show HLLE. I used to tell people that HLLE lesions are mostly benign. This was based on a large number of fish that I worked with at a public aquarium that had lesions for over a decade and were still "healthy" in other respects. HOWEVER, more recently, I sent some fish out for histopathology that had HLLE, and they found bacterial infections in the lesions. It doesn't take much then I think, for an opportunistic bacterial infection to spread more widely on a fish with HLLE, and that is likely what is happening here.

In terms of this spreading to other fish? Unlikely, as the bacteria found in the lesions were common aquarium bacteria that healthy fish are exposed to all of the time....

Jay

Thanks for the info. I'd really like to catch him to treat in my QT, but I'm not optimistic I will be successful in that endeavor.

Jeanette · Sep 25, 2022

An update: The yellow tang is still alive. I can't catch him to remove him to a QT tank. The abrasion on its back is looking much improved though. It still stays behind the rockwork quite a bit though. The HLLE still remains. I've started to soak the food in a few drops of Brightwell's AminOmega - which is supposed to help since other treatments for HLLE can't be done in the display tank. Maybe I'll have him a few more years yet!!

Jay Hemdal · Sep 25, 2022

Jeanette said:
An update: The yellow tang is still alive. I can't catch him to remove him to a QT tank. The abrasion on its back is looking much improved though. It still stays behind the rockwork quite a bit though. The HLLE still remains. I've started to soak the food in a few drops of Brightwell's AminOmega - which is supposed to help since other treatments for HLLE can't be done in the display tank. Maybe I'll have him a few more years yet!!

Just be aware that HLLE has never been scientifically tied to nutritional issues. Many fish diets are deficient in thiamin and vitamin E., so those are two that should be supplemented. Supplementing HUFA's isn't a bad idea, just don't expect it to reverse HLLE.

Jay

Jeanette · Sep 28, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
Just be aware that HLLE has never been scientifically tied to nutritional issues. Many fish diets are deficient in thiamin and vitamin E., so those are two that should be supplemented. Supplementing HUFA's isn't a bad idea, just don't expect it to reverse HLLE.

Jay

Thanks for the info!