Regal Tang - HLLE

[stagedperformance]

My poor regal tang started developing hlle about 3 months ago and his fins became frayed. Although it never seemed to bother him it just kept getting worse and worse. Over the past month it is getting better but soooo slow. I have been very worried but his color is good exept for the affected areas and all this time he has been eating good and swimming normal! (some times he rubs against the rock) Any help in getting rid of this unsightly disease would be helpfull.

Thanks

Steve

[cloak]

What are you feeding it?
Tangs need lots of veggies and then some. The more variety the better. It could be do to malnutrition but I think I remember something about stray voltage in the water and heavy carbon use being a possibility also....
Somebody else on the board can probabley elaborate a little on these.

Good luck.

[stagedperformance]

I usually feed him Ocean Nutrition Formula Two, and fresh caulerpa when I get some from the store. He also likes to eat the Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef frozen food and live brine shimp I feed the other fish. I do have a ground probe in the tank to get rid of any electric in the water.

[stagedperformance]

I do use carbon though in my filter and have been thinking of getting rid of it. Do I need carbon in the filtration for my tank?

[cloak]

IMO, no. I don't run any carbon on any of my tanks. Carbon use is a highly debated subject. Some don't touch the stuff while others swear by it. You might want to do a search on the board on carbon use and HLLE. Could be some helpfull tips there.
As long as all your perameters are in check and the tang is eating, I don't know what to say. Sorry I don't have a definitive answer for you but I think there is a great deal of mystery that surrounds this ailment also.

One more thing, Do you have high nitrates? Just remembered something about prolonged exposure to high amounts of nitrates having some kind of possible affects also....

[smiller]

I didn't know HLLE affected fins. I have only seen the grooves in the head and along the lateral line.

I bought a Red Sea Sailfin 6 1/2 months ago with a bad case of HLLE. This is what I did per searches and advice on this board:

1. Feed Seaweed Selects daily soaked with Zoe Marine.

2. Feed carrot strips daily.

3. Feed brine soaked with Zoe or Selcon daily.

4. Feed these things as often as the fish will eat.

I could see the healing begin within a week or so. Finally after around 14-16 weeks there was no sign of even the slightest scar. I continue to feed Seaweed Selects daily soaked at least every other day with Zoe Marine, Zoecon or Selcon. A steady diet of greens is very important to tangs and angels.

[biomanjcs72]

Most folks run Carbon only occasionally to remove coloration in the water caused by Algae, organics, etc. IMO, I'd say get rid of the carbon, except for an occasional run to sweep impurities out. I know when I used to Keep FW discus, they'd HLLE in a heartbeat with carbon on my system.

As long as your water parameters are good, your diet sounds good, that's the only thing left I can think of. HTH.. JMHO

[JohnL]

[moved]

[billsreef]

I tend to go more with the dietary deficiency school of thought as the cause of HLLE as it is possible to reverse with diet.

I've found fresh carrot shavings work very well to heal HLLE due the high vitamin A and C content. Originally got this idea several years ago from an article in Sea Scope and have healed several tangs with advanced HLLE using the carrot shavings. It is also benificial to feed these tangs a varied diet that it heavy in vegatable matter, fresh or dried seaweeds. Also soaking dry foods in Selcon seems to help alot.

[FMarini]

Hi:
Actually i was under the impression that HLLE is a nutrient deficiency...the problem is, its unclear which ones.
In my experience its seen most commonly on herbivores (tangs, angels, etc), so i usually associate it w/ them lacking some form of vitamins or micronutrient found in sea algaes which is (are) missing from its diet in the home aquarium.

I'm w/ Bill of feeding fresh veggies to these animals as its will often time stop(or halt) the progression of this problem.
Carrots and any vit A containing veggies would be a good start. If you can somehow supplement the nori your feeding w/ a vitamin supplment (like soaking the nori in Vitachem or Zoe) it might be a good start.
I have to say thou i have read(and heard) of many different supposed causes of HLLE, ranging from stray electricity, poor nutirents, and other diseases. But I HAVE never seen proof that it was directly a result of anything.
The advice of the other posters is a good start
Good luck
frank

[Terry B]

I believe that HLLE is caused by a suppressed immune system. Bacteria can cause HLLE, internal worms, chronically stressed fish, poor diet, exposure to copper or other toxin.
I do think it is very often a dietary problem. A poor diet does cause stress on fish because many normal body functions and processes do not work properly. Over all, I believe anything that reduces immune function constributes to HLLE.
Terry B