What is on this baby hippo tang?

Frogspon · Feb 16, 2021

Any suggestions on what the blemish between his two black markings are? The fish is only 1 inch.

He is scratching on rocks. Is this just an abrasion? Probably a symptom of something worse though if he's scratching.

Treatable in QT or should I steer clear?

Thanks

Frogspon · Feb 16, 2021

He is eating normally.

vetteguy53081 · Feb 16, 2021

May have scratched. Is any tank mates harassing it?
I’m concerned about potential for infection. Melafix or maracyn 2 comes to mind for aid in healing.
Salinity?
Ph?
Ammonia level?

@Jay Hemdal

Frogspon · Feb 16, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
May have scratched. Is any tank mates harassing it?
I’m concerned about potential for infection. Melafix or maracyn 2 comes to mind for aid in healing.
Salinity?
Ph?
Ammonia level?

@Jay Hemdal

Can't remember what the tank mates were but he was up around the filter away from everyone. He's since been moved to his own tank for observation.

Salinity is 1.023
PH: 8.1
Ammonia is 0.

He's been held for a few weeks currently in .6 of Cupramine.

Since he's eating good, would feeding with Kanaplex/focus be comparable to dosing Melafix? I don't want to pull him out of copper treatment prematurely if I don't have to.

Jay Hemdal · Feb 16, 2021

Is the lesion on the left side only, or is there some on the right as well?

Did the lesion show up in one day, or build gradually over a few days?

Tiny hepatus tangs are tricky - they have such a high surface to volume ratio that they can crash with very little warning.

Jay

Frogspon · Feb 16, 2021

Jay Hemdal said:
Is the lesion on the left side only, or is there some on the right as well?

Did the lesion show up in one day, or build gradually over a few days?

Tiny hepatus tangs are tricky - they have such a high surface to volume ratio that they can crash with very little warning.

Jay

When I saw him on Friday he was swimming around the whole tank and I didn't notice the lesion. I saw him again on Sunday and I very obviously noticed he had it, and was swimming by the filter.

The only lesion like that appears to be on the left side, but he does have some areas with pale blue/white colors. It doesn't show up in the picture too well but you can see above his eye is another spot in his black stripe that is grayish pink. Not sure if all of that is just his baby colors though.