Ouch! White Cheek Tang has an accident!

untamed · #1 01-01-2009, 12:22 AM

This poor fella is having a very tough week. For about 10 days, he's displaying some kind of infection. If you think you know what the white spots are, let me know... He's the only fish in the tank that has these. My achilles has always had ich...or what I believed to be ich...very fine white spots....but this is different...larger white tufts.

Since he began to get "sick", I've been watching his feeding habits and it seems that he has a challenging time getting near the algae. The achilles tang does not allow him to get any algae. I'm thinking that he may be missing an important part of his diet as a result.

Anyway....so he's got these white spots and don't seem to be bothering him too much. Then today, he's either had a run-in with somebody or some piece of coral. Look at this terrible wound...Doesn't seem to be bothering him too much right now, but this sure looks nasty and open to infection.

I'll update as things progress. I think I have reason to be concerned with this guy.

fishoholic · #2 01-01-2009, 12:30 AM

Not sure about the spots but that's a nasty cut on his side

The cut should heal with time, my yellow tang has a similar cut right now that has been healing up over the past few days.

BTW I thought that type of tang was a brown powder tang?
http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/tangs/powderbrowntang/

untamed · #3 01-01-2009, 12:43 AM

Common names...yes. This fish is often called a powder brown...or gold rimmed...or white cheek...or in this case, Buster.

A. japonicus is correct.

Glad to hear that an injury like this is survivable. They are amazing some times.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #4 01-01-2009, 12:49 AM

Jeez thats deep. Poor guy. Hopefully he can get some food to help him heal. The only thing that comes to mind for white tufts growing on the fish is Lymphocystis but it doesn't really look like that from that picture. "Cauliflower disease" does not have a cure but usually clears up on its own with good water conditions. I know your tank has great parameters too, so i have my doubts that is what it is but you may want to do a quick search on google and try to rule it out. I had a puffer who got it a few times even in a healthy tank and it went away each time. Never really figured out why he would get it though.

Good luck!

naesco · #5 01-01-2009, 01:01 AM

It appears that your powder brown tang has been attacked by the scapel of another tang.\
Immediately remove the fish and place it in a QT. IMO that size of injury will not heal in the main tank as fungal and bacterial disease will doom your beautiful fish. Move quickly as a weakened tang will be victemized by the others.

Feed it garlic extreme soaked food. Garlic has antifungal properties.

Medicate carefully as per directions with Saltwater Maroxy by Mardel Laboratories. It is for true fungus and an anti-bacterial agent
Medicate carefully with a neomycin based anti-bacterial medication. IME the rest are useless product.

Aquattro · #6 01-01-2009, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naesco

It appears that your powder brown tang has been attacked by the scapel of another tang.

Absolutely. I'd follow Naesco's advice and treat separately. Keep in mind, this could happen again.

seanoman · #7 01-01-2009, 01:59 AM

could possibly be flukes. If you could get him out it may be worth a try to do a fresh water dip. We had a regal tang that had flukes and we dipped it, it worked great, you could actually see the flukes falling off of it. If it's fungal, then it's going to be more difficult to treat. Good Luck!!

naesco · #8 01-01-2009, 02:48 AM

Did the powder brown tang have ich as well?
The reason I ask that a weakened fish will develope fungal growth at the site the ich once were. If that is the case I would suggest you do a water change on the main tank as well.

untamed · #9 01-01-2009, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naesco

Did the powder brown tang have ich as well?
The reason I ask that a weakened fish will develope fungal growth at the site the ich once were. If that is the case I would suggest you do a water change on the main tank as well.

That's interesting. These white tufts seem fungal to me. While he sometimes had a few "ich marks", he didn't generally show much sign of ich. Nothing like the achilles anyway.

Water change won't do much.

To the others that suggested I catch/medicate. Yes, that would be nice...not much hope in catching him at this point though. If he takes a turn for the worse and looses a step or two, I might be able to get him. Of course, by then it is usually too late.

naesco · #10 01-01-2009, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by untamed

That's interesting. These white tufts seem fungal to me. While he sometimes had a few "ich marks", he didn't generally show much sign of ich. Nothing like the achilles anyway.

Water change won't do much.

To the others that suggested I catch/medicate. Yes, that would be nice...not much hope in catching him at this point though. If he takes a turn for the worse and looses a step or two, I might be able to get him. Of course, by then it is usually too late.

I know it is tough to get her out but give it a try. You might get lucky.
Use two people with two large nets to corner her or if she hides in the rock cover one exit with the net and force her into it. Night time works better. If you can keep the other tangs away from that end of the tank, try enticing her with a sheet of garlic soaked nori than net her.

It is likely she will develope a nasty bacterial infection and if there in an opportunity it may spread to your other fish and that is the other reason you want her out. The achilles and other tangs will recognize she is failing and kill her.