Gem Tang has large white patch on underside HELP

Macey40060 · Jul 20, 2022

This is my first post here and I wanted to see if anyone can help diagnose this? I have attached pictures of the issue. I tried searching for something similar but could not come up with anything so I am posting here! All parameters are normal and specific gravity is kept at 1.026.
Any help is really appreciated!

ScubaFish802 · Jul 20, 2022

Welcome to R2R, some help should be along shortly #fishmedic

Sharkbait19 · Jul 20, 2022

Did it scrape itself on anything?
Is it still acting/eating normally?
Does it look like a raised patch or more like it’s the coloration itself?

Macey40060 · Jul 20, 2022

Sharkbait19 said:
Did it scrape itself on anything?
Is it still acting/eating normally?
Does it look like a raised patch or more like it’s the coloration itself?

It is eating and acting completely normal! I was wondering if it was a scrape as well. It is not raised it looks like it is just color because I can still see it’s specks.

CRath · Jul 20, 2022

Keep an eye on the spot and other areas of the tang. If its some sort of infection you'll want to catch it sooner than later. Since you can see the skin beneath it might just be some weirdness with the slime coat. If the fish starts to act act oddly or more signs of infection continue begin figuring out what disease (likely external) you may want to treat it for.

Macey40060 · Jul 20, 2022

CRath said:
Keep an eye on the spot and other areas of the tang. If its some sort of infection you'll want to catch it sooner than later. Often times tangs do scrape themselves flying around your tank and can get cut up. If the fish starts to act act oddly or more signs of infection continue begin figuring out what disease (likely external) you may want to treat it for.

Thank you! I will definitely keep an eye and make sure it doesn’t spread or get worse. I just noticed it today so it is something that must have happened today.

MnFish1 · Jul 20, 2022

Can you please click the link on my signature - and answer the questions - so that we can help you better?

BTW - the pictures do not reveal anything diagnostic - a picture under white light would be better - a beautiful fish for sure!!

MnFish1 · Jul 20, 2022

Until then - it looks like an injury - whether that injury will progress - and what caused it - no one knows

Macey40060 · Jul 20, 2022

MnFish1 said:
Can you please click the link on my signature - and answer the questions - so that we can help you better?

BTW - the pictures do not reveal anything diagnostic - a picture under white light would be better - a beautiful fish for sure!!

I can’t see any link to click but I have attached pictures under the white light! Hope they help

vetteguy53081 · Jul 20, 2022

Its a bacterial issue either associated with water quality or diet . Best recourse is to place in quarantine and treat with both Seachem Neoplex for blemish and seachem Metroplex mixed with foods to assure nothing occuring internally.
Other suspect issue would be flukes with fish scratching for relief.

MnFish1 · Jul 21, 2022

Macey40060 said:
I can’t see any link to click but I have attached pictures under the white light! Hope they help

Thanks - the link is: HOW TO ASK FOR DISEASE DIAGNOSIS HELP LINK

I'm assuming that the lesion is EDIT - NOT - on both sides, and is not worsening (I mean getting larger -or changing to a more red color). it looks like a mucosal injury with or without infection - IMHO - its impossible to tell. Since it's a valuable fish - and the risk of an antibiotic treatment is low - I would do that in a hospital tank as suggested. If you start noticing other symptoms - then time to consider other diseases, etc - including viral, etc. Thanks for posting the pictures!!!!

Jay Hemdal · Jul 21, 2022

It looks like a bacterial infection to me as well. See how the lesion has a different color/texture along the edges? That implies something growing on the skin.
How long have you had this fish?
How long has it had this spot?

Jay

Macey40060 · Jul 21, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
It looks like a bacterial infection to me as well. See how the lesion has a different color/texture along the edges? That implies something growing on the skin.
How long have you had this fish?
How long has it had this spot?

Jay

I have had it for about two months. It is not growing or changing colors I just checked!

Jay Hemdal · Jul 21, 2022

Macey40060 said:
I have had it for about two months. It is not growing or changing colors I just checked!

If the lesion is stable and not spreading or getting deeper, I would just wait. Moving this fish to a treatment tank is going to be risky and stressful.

Jay