sick blue tang?

[gguertin]

I just got a blue tank 2 weeks ago and have him in a qt tank there is only 1 rock and water from my main tank, it is a 20 gallon qt. He has nibbled at food but never really ate a ton? but he did eat now he is laying on his side like this under the rock? looked good till the last day or two? please help.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55048mini-CIMG0066.JPG

[gguertin]

Just went back in there and he is moving around now. I got back from st louis for vacation and came home and saw this, soo. But here is a pic of one side that looks a little messed up now that he is swimming.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55048mini-CIMG0073.JPG

anyone know what this is??

[gguertin]

anyone? anything I can do? He is moving around now but still has that stuff on the his side? what does he need?

[gguertin]

ok so no one has said anything and I am kinda worried about the fish? Dont know how long he will last like this, atleast he is swimming around now though so that is good. I think he may have MHLLE but have no idea and from what I have read all you really can do is make sure they are getting vitamins. so what should I get? I was thinking garlic but I am fairly new to this and dont know what to get? All I have been giving my fish is flake food?

[Steven Pro]

A couple of things come to mind. First off, take a deep breath and relax. You have made four posts inside of about 9 hours on this fish. If your fish was going to die, there is probably nothing you could have done about it anyhow.

Secondly, the more you post on your own topic, the more it looks like someone is helping you based on the total number of responses.

As to your fish, it is not uncommon for blue regal tangs, especially small ones, to hide a lot. They are a very nervous fish anyhow. Your second photo does seem to show some lumpiness, but I can't make out too much.

I would like to see some water quality parameters; pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, temperature, salinity, etc. Please post actual numbers. And, see if you can't get a better picture of your fish or at least a detailed description of the way it looks.

[gguertin]

It looks like some white stuff on his eye and around it but it doesnt look like ich? It is only on one side though too. It also is pale and not swimming well. I will check the water when I get home but I dont know how exact my water parameter test kit will be it just matches colors to the cards? I will try and post that later.
I think he needs to eat and is stressed, I was told to try garlic what do I get for this?

[psy_chick]

Heres a link about fish disease:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=&aid=443

and another about treatment:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?acatid=411&aid=762

Tangs are prone to ich due to small scales, thats always my first suspicion-especially if they rub on the rocks.

[stelow]

Do you have an established tank with live rock and no other fish? If you do then your fish would probably benefit from the food it could obtain in such a tank. Also feeding some frozen mysis shrimp may be a help in your fish's diet. Sounds like you may be right about the HLLE (hole in the head disease), your fish is probably starving to the point of near death.