Vampire tang with freckles??

[LucyLockett]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and quite new to keeping marine fish.

We have a lovely Vampire Tang who has developed brown patches over both sides of his body. They don't have defined borders and are not raised so I was thinking perhaps it is due to poor water quality?

They first started to appear after we came back from holiday and our bannerfish had died after getting trapped between 2 rocks. We tested the water and had high everything pretty much! We did daily water changes after removing the poor bannerfish (such a shame to lose him, such a beautiful fish) and the parameters seemed to get back to normal. Then the tang got these brown patches. They were small at first but have gotten progressively larger. None of our other fish have them (2 false clowns, 3 pseudochromis, flame hawkfish and a cleaner wrasse. Also have 6 hermit crabs and a cleaner shrimp. 100 gallon tank) and they are all behaving normally. The tang is eating well and swimming ok.

Today we got up and the brown patches have grown and now he looks like he probably has ich too. I'm worried that he'll die, he's my favourite fish. I have tried to catch him but he is way too fast! And we were told the brown patches could be a stress response so I didn't want to stress him any further by chasing him around the tank.

Please help! I don't know what to do with him

Kate1181511815

[Guest101]

Its hard to tell by the picture, are they raised spots or do they look like they are under the skin? could you try to get a clearer picture please use a flash if you can.

ps Welcome to the forum

[LucyLockett]

11816
Thanks for your reply.

To me the marks don't look raised at all, which is why I wondered if trauma or skin damage from the spike after the dead fish? I have tried to take another picture, its not great, he just won't keep still and tends to hide when you go up to the tank. It does show how they have gotten bigger though

[Tangman]

They look like stress has caused them and with your other fish dieing, fish dont get trapped or pulled into a pump or anything like that as they are cute and strong enough to get out. It sounds like you have a problem with the water some where you say you have tested it i would take a sample to your LFS for them to test as a second opinion. You now say the Tang has spots and you think he has ich he has most likely got these through the stress and you chasing him trying to catch him. My advice would be get your water tested by LFS then do about 25% water change with RO water and good quality salt, dont use salted water from LFS as they could have a problem and if you do it yourself you can eliminate some of the problems. Keep the stress down in the tank dont have your hands in messing about with moving rocks etc or trying to catch him. Give him some good food ie algae sheets and algae flake food as there are herbivore and algae is there diet. Twiggy

[LucyLockett]

Thank you for your replies. I've been worried sick about him, I feel so bad that its something I've done, especially with the other fish dying. They looked so healthy before we went away so we were gutted to find the bannerfish dead. We were recently given a coral 'garden' by a (well-meaning) friend and I wonder if this could have been anything to do with? We had never intended to keep corals so weren't really prepared for its arrival and didn't choose it ourselves. Perhaps we should find it a new home?

So, I just want to double check what I should be doing; water change, second opinion on water quality, good diet? We feed him nori and new era flakes. Someone recommended soaking in garlic, would you? And should we treat him with any medications? We haven't as yet because we couldn't get him out of the tank.

Oh and finally! Do you think he'll stay like that forever? :s

Sorry for the millions of questions, I'm prone to worrying. Perhaps this isn't the ideal hobby for me?! LOL

[Tangman]

Hi the coral wont have caused this as you can put as many as you want in the tank they have no affect on fish.Just feed nori and New Era herbivre flakes dont use garlic as it can harm the fish's liver etc i would not tret them with any meds just leave them quiet and feed little bits 4 or 5 times a day, and dont try and catch him as he will get more stressed. He should go back to normal when he has settled down and it is a worrying time as they are like your babies and it is a stressful hobby when fish are poorly, keep us informed how they go on just keep your hands out of the tank and let them get on with it. Twiggy

[andylowe04]

As Eric has said, just leave everything alone bar water changes, keep the nori clip full (I fill mine every time it is empty, even got the wife doing it now after 2 years of nagging!).

Can you post a set of params? Do recall something when reading up on HLLE about brown spots being caused by high nitrates stress...

[LucyLockett]

Hi again,

Most of his brown patches are going/gone but now he looks like he is peeling. Is this just normal after stress like he's getting rid of the damaged skin?

Kate

[cl0wn]

can you post some more pics, please?