Spots on Tang?

[gmarchetti]

Our little Blue Tang just developed 2 spots on his dorsal fin. One is fairly large- oval and somewhat see through. The second spot is farther back and much smaller. Any idea of what this could be and if it is dangerous to him? I don't believe it is either black or white Ich. The fin is not rotted completley through so I don't think it is fin rot. We've had him for awhile now and I just learned he needs to also be fed seaweed. Could a deficiency be causing this?

Salt: .024
Temp: 76 degrees
55 gallon tank
1 Clown
1 Mandarin
2 Anemone
Several Mushrooms
Polyps
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Brittle Star
1 Sand Star
Several snails and hermits
2 large corals
1 small Blue Tang

 

[ronj]

can you get a pic??? did the larger spot start out small and then grow???

 

[leebca]

Not likely a nutritional issue, but there are deterioration of fins that are caused by nutritional deficiencies.

What have you added to the aquarium lately? Do you use a quarantine system? Might something have been introduced to the tank during the past 6 weeks?

The tang has a poor mucous defense mechanism and is quite often the target of parasites, well before other fishes even show stress or attack. If these are them, they will generally slowly multiply.

 

[gmarchetti]

I will try to download a picture of him tonight. Yes- we introduced a Peppermint Shrimp about the same time he developed the spot (s). The Peppermint died, but that is not unusual- we can't seem to keep them in our tank (another issue altogether) No, we have no quarantine system. The spots have not multiplied or gotton bigger. They are "see through" as if the pigment on his fin has been rubbed off. My husband offered that maybe he has been stressed lately. We live in an area that looses its power frequently (9 times in the last 2 months) for at least 10-12 hours at a time. We now have a generator, but still, if the power goes out while we are at work the tank goes without heat, filtration and light until we can come home and start the generator. The first time it happened our tank temperature dropped 14 degrees (hence getting the generator!). Could stress be a factor? As far as other information.
Phosphates= 0-.03
PH= 8.0
Amonia= 10
Nitrates= 10
Nitrites= Undetectable
Calcium= 400 ppm
Alkalinity= KH Value in dKH= 8.6, Alkalinity in meq/L=3.09

We use a ViaAqua Multi-skimmer and 2 surface ripplers

Thanks for your help.
Gina

 

[gmarchetti]

Oh, and to answer Butterfly fish- spots just appeared overnight. No growing, just one minute not there the next minute there.

 

[leebca]

Picture would be good, Gina, especially a clear photo of the spot(s) you're talking about.

Ammonia = 10? Are you sure of this reading? When you take the ammonia reading again (I would like you to repeat it, carefully) make sure your test kit hasn't expired, and tell me the last time you had a power outage.

If the ammonia is really that high, a few of your marine lifeforms are probably in trouble. :eek2:

 

[gmarchetti]

The ammonia always registers at the bottom of the scale. It never changes. I use a fairly newly purchased fasTest kit. I think a more accurate number would be ".10. Now that I re-read the directions I realize I forgot the "." The last time we had an outage was Thursday, Dec. 14th-15th for about 2 days. We used the generator to power the tank pretty early on.

 

[gmarchetti]

Here is a picture of my Tang's spots- the one right on top of the dorsal is pretty obvious. The smaller one is more faint and towards the tail on the dorsal. Again, they are kind-of "see through"- not a hole though, they just appeared overnight and they don't seem to be getting any bigger or multiplying.

Gina

Maybe this picture is better?:http://www.reeffrontiers.com/photos_members/showphoto.php?photo=5816&cat=505&size=big

 

[leebca]

Gina,

Good. You had me worried about that ammonia number. :doubt:

From what I can see, the fish seems in good health and color, overall. The mix of polyped sea life in the aquarium may be the source of the aberration. The tang could have run into one of the polyps and hurt from the encounter. Maybe the fish has its 'home' near a polyp or two?

I would review the diet the fish is getting; make sure it is obtaining all the nutrients it needs; and watch the fish closely for any signs of change.

Your tank is not being helped by the power outages. I wish you had a way to address that. Could it not be arranged for the generator to self-start from a switch that senses when the power goes down? I'm not an electrician so I could be totally wrong!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Doesn't look like a parasite or even damage. Tangs get discoloration from moodyness too. Spots might be simply a fish annoyed with the current events. Better food, fresh water, and a steady routine should bring it's colors back to normal. Patience and care cures all (or most.)

 

[ronj]

mine have never gotten spots like that and they have been stressed plenty...i would do a few good water changes and see what happens

 

[Herefishyfishy]

mine have never gotten spots like that and they have been stressed plenty...i would do a few good water changes and see what happens

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20801&highlight=pissed+tang

 

[gmarchetti]

Thanks! Sounds like all very good advice and maybe nothing to panic over? He does seem very healthy otherwise- no change in behavior and he still eats his fair share. I added some Formula Two to his diet which was recommended by our Pet Store guy for Tangs. He does not hang around the Polyps at all due to the fact our kind-of agressive Maroon Clown hangs out with his anemone at that end of the tank. He does wedge himself into the rocks near some mushrooms. I will do some extra water changes- I usually do 20% every other week, but maybe for awhile I will do 10% every week. As for the generator- I don't think it is possible for it to switch on automatically. My husband has to go down and flip the main breaker and then flip most of the individual breakers off to avoid overloading the generator, and then start the generator with a pull start. Sounds like a lot to make automatic. It would be nice thou! We are in the Seattle area- or rather across the Sound from Seattle. You have probably heard on the news about the big wind storm- hence the power being out- some people are still without power! I feel lucky we did get ours back in two days.

Thanks again!!!
Gina

 

[ronj]

i guess i should have clarified......my blue tangs have never gotten spots like that....actually, the only stress spots i have ever seen on a blue tang were dark blue blotches, but never spots that color...i have several blues and have never seen any stress spots that looked like that..those spots are on the dorsal fins..i have never seen stress spots appear on a fin before

 

[gmarchetti]

The spots aren't actually "colored" they are transparent- as if the color of his fin was rubbed off.

Gina