Grinder0909 January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 Have had this blue hippo tang for about a year now, and when I purchased from LFS his colors were great, flawless no issues whatsoever. Brought him into my tank with a gramma, 2 percs, a file fish and yellow tang. He was doing fine, and then I noticed the color around his face started to go white, almost like an abrasion or he was rubbing it off. Well I figured it was stress related and didn’t worry about it too much, figuring it would come back. Well it's been a year and he still is white around his face, hasn't gotten worse but hasn't gotten any better at all. I notice he is still very shy when I approach within 2 feet of the tank, only comes out if I stand back from tank. Also notice he likes to wedge himself between two rocks when he sleeps or hides, I have a feeling this is what is keeping the color from returning to his face. Anyone else have a hippo that does this? I have heard of adding garlic to his food? Any opinions of why this is happening? And it is definitely not ich, or else he has had ich for a year and hasn't died from it, and none of my other fish have gotten it! I have a 75 gallon, he is only 1.5" in legth so the 75 should be ok until he gets a little bigger then I plan on upgrading. All my levels are solid, and he is the only fish in the tank having any issues at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 what do you feed him, how much do you feed, how often etc.. expand on solid levels, mainly nitrate (what test kits do you use) whats your water change schedule etc i think the general consensus is stress marks often brought on by borderline water parameters (nitrate levels) and or not enough greens/varied diet more info and pics always helps. there are some real knowledgable people on here and the more they know the better they can diagnose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 I've never had this happen, but here are a few links with similar mentions: http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6/do-you-have-a-blue-hippo-tang-91846.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/30052-blue-tang-white-face.html Hope this helps, or that you get to the bottom of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfish01 January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 If hes that shy and wedges himself into nooks and crannies sounds like(im no expert on tangs) that hes being bullied by someone in the tank and the places on his head may be the fish equivelent of calluses??? That we be my guess,someone in the tank is giving him grief,especially if this occured after you bought him,not at the lfs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 I've never had this happen, but here are a few links with similar mentions: Tom, those links are the same! importantly, what are you feeding? My hippo wedges himself as well when it sleeps, and is also very shy, but is coaxed out with other fish, ie currently it loves my yellow tang, before it was the melanurus, before it was the chromis. Mine has definitely colored up since I've owned it. It's colors became brighter after I QT'd it, and got it feeding on live black worms. I soak all my food in Selcon, and I feed a mixed diet of live, fresh, frozen, and pellets. I also constantly offer nori (do you offer this for your tangs?) when I have time, I soak the nori in selcon as well. I found that with slowly approaching the tank and feeding, I was able to get it more comfortable, it's still the shyest of all my fish.. until food is involved. You will find some people who disagree with your thoughts about the size of your hippo vs. the size of your tank, and I wouldn't overlook that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 Tom, those links are the same Fixed. Must have failed to copy the other link. Both seemed to suspect nutrition first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grinder0909 January 15, 2014 Author Share January 15, 2014 Orgami > I actually saw this thread and looks maybe similar to my tangs symptoms, but I can only speculate. Der Abt > I feed twice a day usually in the morning and when I get home, somtimes only once a day if I leave before the lights come one. The food is New Life Spectrum Community Fish Formula, sinking 1mm pellets. Also sometimes some brine. I feed 4 small pinches, each pinch small enough for the fish to eat quickly, then do another and so forth...\ My nitrates are always between 10-20ppm; I do not remember the name of the test kit I use, when I get home from work I can post. I can't get them lower without doing a 90% change, my HOB skimmer blows, I just bought a Recir External Reef Octopus RPS 3000 skimmer, have yet to install it, as I need to redo all my plumbing. I do 30 gallon water changes every 2-3 weeks, make my water with an RO/DI filter and Reef Cyrstals. I have hair algae problems because of the nitrates. Will post pics when I get home from work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 Hippo's like to wedge themselves between rocks to sleep. Mine still does it and is by far the biggest fish in the tank and is certainly not being bullied by anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 Sounds like.. -water quality is poor -food quality is lacking in variety -Amount fed is not enough -filtration is severly lacking -probably have high phosphates to go with your nitrates (although 10-20ppm nitrates isn't really that bad at all) Do you see aggression between the yellow and blue tangs.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateCamReef January 15, 2014 Share January 15, 2014 Hippo's like to wedge themselves between rocks to sleep. Mine still does it and is by far the biggest fish in the tank and is certainly not being bullied by anyone else. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 January 16, 2014 Share January 16, 2014 My little hippo still hides when I approach. Usually in a corner where I can TOTALLY see him, but I don't let him know. And I think all hippos wedge themselves in corners or crevices to sleep, totally normal behavior. Could it be HLLE? A pic would be really helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k January 16, 2014 Share January 16, 2014 I think it's HLLE. It's typical with Hippos. Better water quality and more varied diet will help. If using carbon, be sure to rinse well before using and don't use huge amounts. I have a 12" Hippo in a 500g tank who always manages to wedge himself into a crack in the rock to sleep or hide. It's a normal Hippo reaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 January 16, 2014 Share January 16, 2014 Yup HLLE. Mines pretty tame lol and also got HLLE when I moved tank from previous owner (stress plus poor water quality) I had a big nitrate and phosphate problem I don't use carbon although I do know it is a contributor. Feed a variety of different foods. Mine gets fresh spinach, live/frozen brine, mysis shrimp, different nori, different flake, live black worms. I soak my frozen in vitamins then drain in strainer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami January 16, 2014 Share January 16, 2014 I overlooked the description that it looked like an abrasion. It could very well be HLLE. Do you have pictures? Sent from my phone running CM 11.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 January 16, 2014 Share January 16, 2014 Also tangs are suppose to have a lot of space. Mine is in a 125 and I feel that it's still too small for him so I'm guilty. In the wild they swim for miles a day looking for food. Mine also lost color like you are explaining but also pitting around eyes. The color came back but pitting remains. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b January 16, 2014 Share January 16, 2014 Carbon tumblers will definitely cause HLLE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b January 16, 2014 Share January 16, 2014 HLLE is extreamly common in tangs. There are numerous theories the latest being the use of carbon, but I don't buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltLife January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 Carbon tumblers will definitely cause HLLE Whats the reasoning behind this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 Whats the reasoning behind this? http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/activated-carbon-hlle-smoking-gun-found HLLE linked to carbon fines in the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 HLLE is extreamly common in tangs. There are numerous theories the latest being the use of carbon, but I don't buy it. What are the other theory's? I thought a study was done on the carbon fines and this disease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 Its not hard to see how carbon tumblers would release a lot of carbon dust into the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 Anybody is free to download and read the peer-reviewed technical article here for your own evaluation. The use of soft, lignite carbon is implicated. Hard, pelleted carbon seemed to present less of a problem. The Role of Activated Lignite Carbon in the Development of Head and Lateral Line Erosion in the Ocean SurgeonNorth American Journal of Aquaculture16 November 2011AbstractHead and lateral line erosion (HLLE) is an acute or chronic, often progressive problem affecting captive fishes. Its etiology is enigmatic. This study examined the relationship between the use of activated carbon as a filtrant and the development of HLLE lesions in ocean surgeons Acanthurus bahianus. Three identical, 454-L marine aquarium systems were established. Thirty-five ocean surgeons were distributed among the three aquarium systems. Activated lignite carbon was added to one system, and pelleted carbon was added to the second system. The fish in the third system were not exposed to any carbon. All 12 fish that were exposed to lignite carbon developed severe HLLE within 3 months. The 12 fish that were exposed to pelleted carbon did not develop gross symptoms, but microscopic lesions were discovered upon histological examination. The 11 control fish did not develop any visible or microscopic lesions. Based on these results, the use of activated lignite carbon in marine aquariums that house HLLE-susceptible species is discouraged. Comment: Note that this study does not absolve other possible sources of HLLE but does note that there's a distinct correlation, possibly causative (and not necessarily unique), between lignite carbon and the disease, and hypothesizes that microscopic carbon fines may be to blame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 (edited) What are the other theories There are quite a few other theories and, like carbon fines they were all at one time proven to be the cause of HLLE. I am sure next week they will find that Rap music, global warming or the increased incidence of UFO sightings over Arkansas will be the cause. I don't buy the carbon deal because those studies don't go on long enough. I have had many hippo tangs over many years as they usually live at least ten years in my tank. I don't use carbon but after a number of years virtually all of my hippo tangs developed HLLE. My 20 year old fireclown has just a little of it near his eye but it has never gotten any worse. Some older said causes were stray electricity which promoted ground probes. Then ground probes were said to be the cause. To small a tank, not enough greens, paracites, viruses, bacteria or all of them in combination cause HLLE. We do know that it is caused by captivity as it does not appear in the sea. I think it may be carbon "in" conjunction with other captivity factors such as stray voltage, but no one really knows although many people think they do. Those are the same people that know all about ich and hair algae and we know all the tanks that have problems with those things no matter what they do. So it is safe to say, we don't know as much as we think we know and we really know even less. Edited January 17, 2014 by paul b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mling January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 My Sailfin also has HLLE. A varied diet seems to have halted the spread of HLLE. It is just around his head. It has been months since the HLLE marks stopped getting worse. It has also grown larger so it is not as obvious, however, it is still there. Is there anything that can be done to cure HLLE ? i.e. make the marks go away ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunWyrm January 17, 2014 Share January 17, 2014 (edited) My purple tang has healed almost completely after 2 years, so it's definitely possible. Edited January 17, 2014 by SunWyrm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now