Tang with Bacterial Infection

[John Minnix]

Hello,

I believe my yellow Tang has a bacterial infection. Red blotches on both sides of body. It seems to be swimming and eating normally, other than making more visits that usual to the cleaner shrimp. I've had the Tang for over a year.

Is there anything I can do to help it get well in the DT? I have so much rock with coral on it. I don't think I can catch it successfully unless it gets really sick at which point it might be too late. Hoping to get it something to boost its system that won't nuke the rest of my tank.

Thanks,

John

 

[Auto-pilot]

Is it flashing and or scratching against things in your tank? Is it breathing hard??

 

[John Minnix]

Is it flashing and or scratching against things in your tank? Is it breathing hard??

It doesn't appear to be flashing or scratching. I believe it is breathing normally, but I can't really recall how it was breathing before. Just observing it, the breathing doesn't stick out as an issue to me.

 

[Auto-pilot]

Hmm could be a fungal or maybe a bacterial infection. Watch him and do your best to make sure hes eating well. It will most liky clear up on its own. If he keeps going down hill you will have to take him out to treat him(can be really hard).

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Any new additions to your tank? Going to the cleaner shrimp station is definitely a sign he has something he wants removed.

 

[John Minnix]

Any new additions to your tank? Going to the cleaner shrimp station is definitely a sign he has something he wants removed.

I added a tail spot blenny after a month in the QT about two months ago. I added a mandarin goby after a week in the QT last weekend, but the tang already had the red spots when I added it.

Any advice on what I should do?

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

I added a tail spot blenny after a month in the QT about two months ago. I added a mandarin goby after a week in the QT last weekend, but the tang already had the red spots when I added it.

Any advice on what I should do?

Honestly if it were me I would do a FW dip to check for flukes. I am suspect of the timing with the addition of the mandarin.

 

[John Minnix]

Honestly if it were me I would do a FW dip to check for flukes. I am suspect of the timing with the addition of the mandarin.

Thanks. Are mandarins known for carrying flukes? I'm sure the tang had the red spots before I added the mandarin, but its possible the tang also has flukes. Thanks for your advice.

 

[4FordFamily]

Did you do a water change shortly before witnessing these changes? Yellow tangs show red blotches with osmotic shock quite easily.

 

[John Minnix]

Did you do a water change shortly before witnessing these changes? Yellow tangs show red blotches with osmotic shock quite easily.

Yes, I did actually. I changed 15 gallons out of 168 gallons though. I don't think it would have changed the salinity much. How long to the osmotic changes last?

 

[4FordFamily]

Yes, I did actually. I changed 15 gallons out of 168 gallons though. I don't think it would have changed the salinity much. How long to the osmotic changes last?

It can take up to a week for them to recover from this if it is the culprit.

 

[Gree23849]

Same problem... Looks similar. Had him in a QT for over 3 weeks, since it looks very much external, I did slight copper treatment (I've heard its bad to overdue copper if they don't NEED copper) I also almost always soak food in garlic. Tried to feed seaweed for veggies. After 3 weeks in QT it got worse. Put him in the 250 gallon about a week AFTER a 50% water change in 250 gal and checked all parameters. I put him in there because I thought it was getting worse from stress in the 30 gal QT. it looks like it has gone away in some parts (forehead) but spreading in others (side). Is this bacterial?should I also soak food in selcon (what is selcon and how does it act)? He is eating and swimming really joyfully in

250 gal. Acted very depressed in QT. Also, I have a decent setup with a low amount of fish... So overcrowding is not an issue.

 

[John Minnix]

It might be due to changes in salinity. My ATO broke and I was having to refill fresh water by hand for a week or so. Larger quantities of fresh at once. I didn't think it would matter as I was only putting in a few gallons of fresh at a time in a tank with 160 gallons of total water volume. Shortly after, my Tang had similar issues. A few days after I got the ATO fixed, they went away. A few months later, my ATO ran out of water so I poured in a few gallons of fresh, as I was running low. The Tang had the same issue again. After doing some reading, I found out they are very sensative to even slight changes in salinity. Something to consider.

 

[Master of Cloak]

Id fw dip if you haven't already. My pbt had similar marks and it was from flukes.