Orange Shoulder Tang White Spots

[Bniceb]

Our orange shoulder tang has white spots on both sides of its face. It is new, within the last few days. We have had him for 18 months. We added all of our tangs at the same time. No new fish or critter addition to the tank. However, we have been carbon dosing vodka for the past 2+ months and we have also used Phosphate-E over the past month.

Over the past month, we have noticed the Orange Shoulder Tang changing it's color from its yellow to light gray.

Any help is appreciated in advance.

Tank is 170 gallons plus sump.
We do use ozone.
Alkalinity 8.5 (it ranges between 8.5 and 8.8 throughout the day)
Calcium 480
Magnesium 1426
Ph ranges from 8.14 to 8.3

 

[vetteguy53081]

Our orange shoulder tang has white spots on both sides of its face. It is new, within the last few days. We have had him for 18 months. We added all of our tangs at the same time. No new fish or critter addition to the tank. However, we have been carbon dosing vodka for the past 2+ months and we have also used Phosphate-E over the past month.

Over the past month, we have noticed the Orange Shoulder Tang changing it's color from its yellow to light gray.

Any help is appreciated in advance.

Tank is 170 gallons plus sump.
We do use ozone.
Alkalinity 8.5 (it ranges between 8.5 and 8.8 throughout the day)
Calcium 480
Magnesium 1426
Ph ranges from 8.14 to 8.3

These pics are quite red and blue. Please repost under bright white intensity - no blue. Preliminarily looks to be mucus plugs but need to be more clearly viewed

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Our orange shoulder tang has white spots on both sides of its face. It is new, within the last few days. We have had him for 18 months. We added all of our tangs at the same time. No new fish or critter addition to the tank. However, we have been carbon dosing vodka for the past 2+ months and we have also used Phosphate-E over the past month.

Over the past month, we have noticed the Orange Shoulder Tang changing it's color from its yellow to light gray.

Any help is appreciated in advance.

Tank is 170 gallons plus sump.
We do use ozone.
Alkalinity 8.5 (it ranges between 8.5 and 8.8 throughout the day)
Calcium 480
Magnesium 1426
Ph ranges from 8.14 to 8.3

That's the start of Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE). The main cause of this is the use of activated carbon (lignite more so than pelleted carbon). I don't often see HLLE in this species. The naso tang in the background won't likely develop it. What other tangs do you have?

Here is an article I wrote about this:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/head-and-lateral-line-erosion-hlle.784/

 

[Bniceb]

○ Blonde Naso tang
○ Scopus tang
○ Lavender tang
○ Tomini tang (Flamefin)
○ Chocolate Mimic tang XL
○ Orange shoulder tang

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

○ Blonde Naso tang
○ Scopus tang
○ Lavender tang
○ Tomini tang (Flamefin)
○ Chocolate Mimic tang XL
○ Orange shoulder tang

Those tangs are all fairly low risk for developing HLLE. That said, you've already seen it in one of these species, so it may crop up in others. Scopas tangs develop different symptoms - instead of pale areas around the head and down the lateral line, scopas more typically show this is an odd fin erosion issue, where their dorsal and anal fins begin to look sort of "scalloped". I've seen HLLE in Ctenocheatus tangs, but its rare. The Lavender tang can develop it a bit more easily.

 

[Bniceb]

Those tangs are all fairly low risk for developing HLLE. That said, you've already seen it in one of these species, so it may crop up in others. Scopas tangs develop different symptoms - instead of pale areas around the head and down the lateral line, scopas more typically show this is an odd fin erosion issue, where their dorsal and anal fins begin to look sort of "scalloped". I've seen HLLE in Ctenocheatus tangs, but its rare. The Lavender tang can develop it a bit more easily.

Thank you! I started to soak all the mysis shrimp in Red Sea AB+ amino acids. We feed nori daily along with the algae grown in our algae scrubber. We definitely over feed our fish. Do you have any recommendations that may help?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you! I started to soak all the mysis shrimp in Red Sea AB+ amino acids. We feed nori daily along with the algae grown in our algae scrubber. We definitely over feed our fish. Do you have any recommendations that may help?

Just don't use carbon on the tank and feed the fish the best diet that you can.

 

[Bniceb]

Just don't use carbon on the tank and feed the fish the best diet that you can.

Why not carbon? What does that do to affect the fish/disease? We do not use it but we do run ozone.

 

[Miami Reef]

Why not carbon? What does that do to affect the fish/disease? We do not use it but we do run ozone.

Some studies suggest carbon, especially the dusty lignite ones, can cause or exacerbate HLLE.

BRS ROX 0.8 carbon does not carry this risk.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Why not carbon? What does that do to affect the fish/disease? We do not use it but we do run ozone.

Carbon use has been shown to cause HLLE. Even past carbon use can cause the issue to develop. Carbon is the only cause for this that has been proven. There is a related issue called epithelial thinning that may have other causes (diet, heavy metals, plus others?). Your fish looks to have true HLLE, but unless it develops further, I can't say 100%. HLLE causes relatively deep eroded pits in small areas that coalesce into larger spots. Epithelial thinning causes larger areas of superficial lightening of the skin.

 

[Bniceb]

Carbon use has been shown to cause HLLE. Even past carbon use can cause the issue to develop. Carbon is the only cause for this that has been proven. There is a related issue called epithelial thinning that may have other causes (diet, heavy metals, plus others?). Your fish looks to have true HLLE, but unless it develops further, I can't say 100%. HLLE causes relatively deep eroded pits in small areas that coalesce into larger spots. Epithelial thinning causes larger areas of superficial lightening of the skin.

We have used Chemi-pure in the past which does have carbon mixed in. I do appreciate the information, thank you.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

We have used Chemi-pure in the past which does have carbon mixed in. I do appreciate the information, thank you.

I've not had much/any issue with chemipure as it comes pre-rinsed.