POWDER BLUE 911..Please Help!

**salt-rookie** · 12-15-2007, 12:50 PM

OK...I have had this Powder Blue Tang three months...NEVER a spot of ich. Eats like a pig. I was without power for 51.5 hours last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Monday morning I realized that my water temp had dropped to like 70 degrees. I gradually pulled it up to 76 and when my power came back on, the tank returned to the normal temp of 79 degrees. NOTHING else has happened or changed.

Last night I noticed that his colors were light and very splotchy....here's a picture (Please click on it and it will get larger so you can see this in more detail). A couple of times he darted through the tank as though he might be itching or uncomfortable. Lights went out at 10:00 last night and I hoped the dark might help.

Lights on at 10:00 AM this morning, and the areas that were splotchy are now colored back up and appear to be whelps on his flesh. I got a picture of this also. I cannot find any information on this, and I'm wondering if anyone has any CLUE as to what this could be, is it treatable? Any info would be GREAT!

Another note, this is a fish that is usually very active and swims the entire tank all day. He now hovers under one coral and did not eat this morning. PLEASE Click and Look...then tell me what to do!!!

Thanks,
Phil

**CarmieJo** · 12-15-2007, 01:20 PM

Obviously, this seems to be a stress response and something is tickling at the edges of my mind about seeing a fish that looked like this but I can't get past that. I'd go to Disease, Health and Wellness - by Kelly Jedlicki and post it in her forum.

**salt-rookie** · 12-15-2007, 01:25 PM

Thanks, Carmie....do you have a link????

**CarmieJo** · 12-15-2007, 01:34 PM

Just click on the blue words, the forum turns links into titles.

**salt-rookie** · 12-15-2007, 02:23 PM

Thanks! I didn't realize that you were referring to Marine Depot's forums. It is already posted there!

***lReef lKeeper*** · 12-15-2007, 02:38 PM

i will ask Kelly about this and reply later. i will be at her house around 3:30 today for our clubs Christmas party.

**CarmieJo** · 12-15-2007, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by lReef lKeeper

i will ask Kelly about this and reply later. i will be at her house around 3:30 today for our clubs Christmas party.

You can't beat that service!

**fat walrus** · 12-15-2007, 07:42 PM

That Tang is really thin, has the beginning of lateral line, and appears to be carrying fish lice.

***lReef lKeeper*** · 12-15-2007, 08:55 PM

i agree with Wally, but as i stated before Kelly will be looking closely and giving her opinion too. probably tonight on the MD forums.

**CarmieJo** · 12-16-2007, 12:44 AM

How can you tell that it is carrying fish lice?

***lReef lKeeper*** · 12-16-2007, 01:33 AM

there is no record of your post on Kelly's forum. i would suggest that you post it to Camies provided link. Kelly is a VERY smart fish only person and her advice would be followed by the best of the best in this hobby. she also has a few very helpful moderators that check her forum for her that would also help you with the fish.

she checked her forum 3 times for a powder blue tang problem but there are no results in the past 2 days. if it is there i would bump it up so she can see it. it could have slipped through the cracks because she is VERY busy.
if it is just on the marine depot forums she will not personally answer it, but she will if it is in her forum.

**salt-rookie** · 12-16-2007, 02:02 PM

It is actually in Frank Marini's forum.....Could she check there?

Here is today's update. By the way, the fish is NOT thin, nor does it look like fish lice to me.

I posted yesterday...here is what the pictures look like for 48 hours.

48 hours ago....

24 hours ago...

Now.....WHAT IS THIS?

Any help is GREATLY appreciated! He eats, he's swimming fine, but hovers in one area under a table coral. Fins are erect, eyes are clear. I'm just stumped! Please add any thoughts.

Thanks,
Phil

**CarmieJo** · 12-16-2007, 05:18 PM

Is the skin sloughing off where it is so pale?

***lReef lKeeper*** · 12-16-2007, 06:10 PM

that looks to me like Marine Head and Lateral Line Erosion or MHLLE here is a sweet article on it. you need to figure out what is causing it and correct it fast or it could scar or even kill the fish.

Steven Pro wrote this article a while back and everyone that i know uses it as reference to MHLLE causes and cures. i hope it helps you.

Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion: A Description of the Syndrome and a Review of its Speculated Causes by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

***lReef lKeeper*** · 12-16-2007, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by salt-rookie

It is actually in Frank Marini's forum.....Could she check there?
Phil

she does not have access to his forum so you will also need to post it in hers or have him move it to hers.

**salt-rookie** · 12-17-2007, 01:37 AM

Its in her forum now! Thanks!

***lReef lKeeper*** · 12-17-2007, 09:57 AM

she has replied in her forum. she sent me a PM on our club site to let you know.

**salt-rookie** · 12-17-2007, 01:46 PM

He's still swimming and eating. Flesh appears to be shedding.

**fat walrus** · 12-20-2007, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by CarmieJo

How can you tell that it is carrying fish lice?

There is one on the right eye lower down, and several on top of the head right at the dorsal fin. There are two on the left side on the straddling the lateral line about midway. the is one low down at the anterior end of the anal fin. The bumyness that you see on the left side are the parasites underneath.

**fat walrus** · 12-20-2007, 01:46 AM

The fish definately has lateral line but is suffering from the fish lice also. Laterel line erosion generally does not happen that fast and usually happen on both sides at the same time. The flesh is being eaten and the film is a secondary bacterial infection. I have seen it many times. If you can catch the fish, freshwater bath for about 10-15 minutes.