ID on possible kole tang affliction?

[SoSublime]

Hello.

Was wondering if I could get some help with this.

Was put through quarantine and cupramine. Approx 4 weeks.

In display, he has developed these spots on his side (one side only) and head, and seems to be irritated by them.

From what I've seen it looks similar to stress markings and what has been dubbed "Tang fingerprint disease". However they appear as if they may possibly be 3 dimensional and not just coloration, but he is very skiddish and I cant usually get close enough to look.

He is also eating.

Any ideas? Could it possibly be coral springs? He likes to hang out over my elegance.

 

[Punchanello]

I have a kole tang that showed something similar when I got it to the DT. I'd put money on this being irritation, infection or injury from other tangs slashing at it. That's what it was with mine.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

@HotRocks @4FordFamily any ideas?

It does look like an irritation from the pic. My pbt brushed ever so gently against a haddoni and had a spot that looks almost like what your pic shows.

 

[SoSublime]

For what it's worth hes still stressed. So problem is surely exacerbated. Also the second I added him to my DT, he immediately went behind my elegance coral and was being brushed by the tentacles

It's surely not ich, velevt, or brook. Looks nothing like any of them (plus the cupramine treatment)

I was debating on a dip for flukes because I did not do a prazi treatment, I do have paragard. I'm just hesitant because I dont want to potentially irritate him more incase they are stings and dipping causes more stress.

I'm thinking possibly irritation/sting (he does hang under one of my rocks and runs there quickly), flukes (slight chance), or bacterial infection.

he also hangs around my elegance and hammer and waits in a specific spot almost as if he wants to be cleaned, and then flashes that side exclusively against the glass. No flashing against rocks however.
I do know elegance corals have a pretty nasty sting and hes around it so often I just dont know if they are strong enough to actually cause anything like this.

He swims around, eats nori and some algae in the tank.

I'm puzzled.

In short, he has discoloration on his head and right side around his pectoral fins. Flashing exclusively on his right side. Eating. Swimming fine. No obvious heavy breathing. Otherwise seems like a perfectly healthy fish enjoying the tank and moving around, absolutely no lethargy.

I'm going to set the QT up and get water in it and have it running incase I need to pull him and do an antibiotic/prazi treatment.
For now I'm gonna get some selcon and soak the nori and all foods in it to help his immune system. I'm also adding a drop of garlic temporarily to help incase it's a stress induced infection or to help prevent infection incase it is some sort of abrasion/sting.

 

[SoSublime]

Could it possible be lymphocystis? I noticed just now he has a white growth at the edge of he tail fin. Not like ich. Very similar to what lymphocystis looks like.

 

[4FordFamily]

Looks like a sting to me. If it worsens you can worry about antibiotics but I’m guessing he will hire fine.

 

[SoSublime]

Appreciate it.

In the mean time I'll be getting the hospital tank up and waiting incase it gets worse or becomes infected so I can pull and immediately treat. For now, hes enjoying his space and eating so I'll try not to concern myself too much.

I also moved my elegance away from the area he likes to frequent. I know they can sting hard enough to welt us, I'd imagine they can welt a fish, especially considering the spots on his head, side, and under his fin look like an altered color with small welts.

I'll keep it updated with his condition.

 

[SoSublime]

Went and got some safety stop incase it turned into a bacterial infection.

Second I put him into Part A, the spots instantly bubbled up (with air bubbles similar to hydrogen peroxide). Its a couple spots on his tail and dorsal fin, and his face/gill area mostly, he calmed down extremely within a minute or two as compared to the display.

Maybe it was flukes and the Part A provided some much desired relief? It's the most calm I have seen him since I got home.

Talked with my LFS I got him at, and he showed me one of his tangs (a flame fin) that had almost identical markings in the tank I got him from. He said he believes the spots are flukes and the other guy there said it may have been from copper treatment.

Either way, dip seems to have calmed him down for now.

 

[SoSublime]

Figured I would provide an update.

Spots dont look 3 dimensional any more. Still present, but doesnt look like its spreading so I'm starting to rule out any infections, and leaning more and more heavily on irritation/injury.

He is still skiddish, but slowly becoming more confident and eating nori better, also got some selcon and garlic to help his appetite while stressed and to help with nutrition.

Took a trip to a LFS and got some Paragard, Kanaplex, Metroplex, Focus, and Furian-2. just to have on hand to go nuclear if needed