Sick Paracanthus Hepatis

[jdunk]

Been fighting HLLE in my tank for about a month. Woke up this morning and my Hippo Tang has an open red soar around his eye. Could this be caused by HLLE? Cannot medicate because of the corals and inverts. Tomato clown is now harassing this fish pretty good. Fish is eating and other wise appears normal. Cleaner shrimp is working on him. Any help appreciated.

Specs:

55 gl
2 tangs,1 tomato clown, 1 damsel
Several soft & hard coral varietied
Sal. - 1.023
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 20 ppm
Phosphate - 0
Temp. - 78
Calc - 300
PH - 8.2

Been adding vit. c to try and help with the HLLE

[Lev F.]

When I got my Kole Tang, He had HLLE because he was kept in a very small tank. When I put him in my 65 the problem cleared in 2 weeks, without any meds. I did feed him food soaked in garlic. How big is your hippo tang? not trying to be the tang police here, but from what I've read they require a large tank, 180+. And two tangs in a 55 is a recipie (sp) for disaster. Are you planning to upgrade?

[Gary Majchrzak]

Do your other fishes show signs of HILLE? What do you feed your fishes ?
How are you adding vitamin C?
Drop the nitrate level.
Bring specific gravity slowly up to NSW values.
Stress and poor diet are believed to contribute to HILLE.
Too small of a glass box can stress a Hippo Tang.
More info on the subject:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/sp/index.php

[jdunk]

Won't be upgrading anytime soon. Other tang shows signs as well in the fins just not w/the red lesion. I currently feed OSI flake and sea veggies 2x/day. Have been adding vit.c drops to food every other day for about 2 weeks now. What is the NSW value for specific gravity?

Jim

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6444661#post6444661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdunk
What is the NSW value for specific gravity?
Jim
1.026 at 77 dgrees F is an accepted average.
You might want to read this:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2002/chemistry.htm

I would work to reduce nitrates immediately. Are you running a skimmer?

[jdunk]

Yes, I run an ASM G-1 but always have had and continue to have problems w/nitrates. I do not use a spray bar at all but was thinking of adding one. Could this help with Nitrates? It could be the bio-load, it could be circulation. Constant battle. Any help with that would be appreciated as well.

Jim

[Gary Majchrzak]

You are probably wondering where I'm going with this specific gravity thing. How does it tie in with elevated nitrates and HILLE?

Tangs are often stressed by high nitrates (as well as being kept in small aquariums) and won't eat properly.
Protein skimmers work more efficiently at NSW values than at lower SG's. (If you raise the SG of your aquarium water, watch out for your skimmer becoming more active.)
As a result of running a reef aquarium at NSW levels, a properly operating skimmer can help reduce nitrates by exporting waste products more efficiently.
Employing the use of LR, a DSB and/or a lit refugium with macroalgae can also help reduce nitrates.
This isn't a silver bullet cure, but it can help with the prevention of HILLE, IME.
Also check for any significant levels of stray voltage in your aquarium.

[jdunk]

I am currently designing a refuge to work w/my setup and understand the nitrate issue. That specific gravity is higher than I have heard in the past, but what I have heard has come from LFS people. What is your opinion of adding Vit. C drops? What is IME as you referenced that in the last post? I will check the stray voltage issue as well. Am I correct that a grounding probe will take care of stray voltage?

[Gary Majchrzak]

IME= in my experience

I have experience with Paracanthurus in reef and fish only systems.
A ground probe might or might not help in your aquarium. I use a ground probe in all of my systems "just in case", but it won't negate the effects of a faulty powerhead that's leaking stray current (for example). IME a faulty powerhead that's leaking current can stress sensitive fishes like Tangs, Angelfishes and Butterflyfishes- sometimes to the point of an early death.
I have no reason to believe the vitamin C drops are hurting anything, but I don't know if they're helping much, either.
Vitamin A is usually cited as being deficient and a possible cause for HILLE. (See thread link below).
Pre-soaking foods with Selco/Selcon is a much better option.
FWIW, I also occasionally feed my Tangs and Rabbitfishes frozen broccoli florets and frozen orange sections. I've cured a number of fishes exhibiting HILLE by providing good environmental conditions and providing a well balanced diet for them.
Some people have a problem with feeding their fishes foods of terrestrial origin, but most of the Tangs and Angelfishes I've encountered don't share the sentiments of human beings.

related thread:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=113013&highlight=lateral+line

[jdunk]

I have heard of the broccoli, but the oranges are new to me. The Vit. C drops are my attempt at balancing the diet of these fish. I am unfamiliar with the Selco product. What is it? I know I need to be more consistent with my environmental conditions as well. It's just those damn nitrates.....

[Gary Majchrzak]

link to Selcon below. Again- not a "silver bullet cure", but diet is very important in preventing HILLE.

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_additives_american_marine.asp?ast=&key=