Purple tang looks sick

[LeadHead83]

I was by friend to go check his water with my Hanna as he had disagreement with shop he gets his water from

while I was there noticed new tang he had recently purchased but didn’t look right

I’m not 100% sure on what problem is

he was told by the shop it’s just old age but I’m not convinced the shop is not one I trust had issue with his water and live stock told my mate to stay well clear but he won’t

I’ve looked at the Tang don’t think it flukes think it malnourished due to not getting mixed diet

Anyone seen markings like this on a tang before it’s not effect any of the other fish just this one tang

 

[Jekyl]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Jekyl]

Not sure what the issue is, but never go to that shop again.

 

[DrZoidburg]

That could be tang fingerprint disease.

 

[DrZoidburg]

If allowed a 2nd guess mycobacteria. Does it look like the marks are raised or go into the fish any?

 

[HB AL]

Looks like severe HALLD, just a guess.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I’ll throw a guess in the mix.
Bacteria infection

 

[LeadHead83]

If allowed a 2nd guess mycobacteria. Does it look like the marks are raised or go into the fish any?

No the marks are not raised look almost like colour pigment has just gone I didn’t get a side profile shot but looking at his gut area he looks very underweight you can almost make it out in picture above

wondering if it has mix of issue be surprised if it’s not got internal parasite looking at how thin belly was

I would thought if it was common problem others would of seen it

and it’s definitely not old age

don’t know what to do was thinking of dosing him with some metro based food and get on some nori and start getting him feeding more mysis see if can get any improvement

but he has massive phosphate issue 1.87ppm and the tank has major turf algae problem and tang hardly touches it.

alk was little low 7.3dkh
Magnesium was 1410
Calcium was 293
salinity was 37ppt little high
Ph 7.9/8.0

he only has few corals so we brought alk up to 8.1 dkh with redsea alk

waited hour and dose calcium up to 300

he’s doing two more dose of alk today to Bing it up to 9.3dkh

and calcium for next the 3 days till it’s 440ppm

I’ve given him some phosphate x to try get phosphate down and going back next week to retest water and see if can start sorting this tang out

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I was by friend to go check his water with my Hanna as he had disagreement with shop he gets his water from

while I was there noticed new tang he had recently purchased but didn’t look right

I’m not 100% sure on what problem is

he was told by the shop it’s just old age but I’m not convinced the shop is not one I trust had issue with his water and live stock told my mate to stay well clear but he won’t

I’ve looked at the Tang don’t think it flukes think it malnourished due to not getting mixed diet

Anyone seen markings like this on a tang before it’s not effect any of the other fish just this one tang

I've not seen anything exactly like that, but it is pretty clear, from the circular growth pattern, there is something organic going on here (like bacteria growing on petri dishes). I'd say bacterial or fungal. External fungal infections are very rare in marine fish. It isn't flukes (unless it has them incidental to these lesions). It isn't "old age", but it could be a chronic condition. It also isn't HLLE.

Jay

 

[Tamberav]

I wouldn’t care about phosphate, sounds like his tank already has algae anyways. I would be feeding this fish nori with selcon and LRS and quality foods.

I would also probably QT the Tang and start with a methylene blue bath followed by antibiotic treatment.

It’s possible it can get better on its own if it’s eating and you feed it well but it looks pretty bad. I hope he didn’t pay full price. That is like going to buy a new TV and buying on with a big crack across the screen.

 

[DrZoidburg]

I've not seen anything exactly like that, but it is pretty clear, from the circular growth pattern, there is something organic going on here (like bacteria growing on petri dishes). I'd say bacterial or fungal

The ring growths made me second guess it a bit. It does resemble mycelium. Which made me think fungus after. Almost resembles Fish TB but a little different looking. If in case this is mycobacteria you should take caution handling this fish. Make sure to wash hands good, and avoid getting stuff in any open cuts. It could transfer to you. @LeadHead83