Regal Tang with HLLE?

[jonrath]

I have a small blue regal (hippo) tang.  I have had it for about 3 months and it is about 2 inches.  I am starting to get concerned that it may have HLLE.  It has a few spots/discoloration in front of its eye toward the mouth, it initally looked looked like it may be a continuation of the black dorsal stripe but I it isn;t really black it is more of a brownish colour and seems to be getting more prominent/worse.  I feed with spiruluna brine,  fromula 2 pellets, mysis, and cyclopeeze.  My parameters are all good Ammonia, nitrates, nirites 0, ph 8.2, sg 1.024.  Ca 480, Kh 14.  Ph was around 0.2 but I have been using phosban in a canister and it is now 0.  I am also using marineland diamond activated carbon 24/7 in the canister. 

DO you thing it looks like HLLE?  Is so, is the diet inadequate? COuld it be the Carbon?

Thanks for the advice, the pictures are just with my phone so hopefully you can get a good enough view.  If you think better pictures would help let me know and I will try and get some. Thanks

[NjOyRiD]

I read in coral magazine this week that carbon or I should say "dust" from carbon is creating that disease

[redbelly]

How much Nori do you feed your tang?

[jonrath]

I haven't been able to get him to eat it.    I have a yellow tang (still in QT because I just bought it 2 weeks ago) that devours the nori which I elastic band to a rock. But, if I put nori in the display tank it just sits there for hours until i take it out, none of the fish seem interested.    The cleaner shrimp occasionally pick at it.  I have been taking it out after an hour or so because I don;t want it to decompose in the tank.   Should I leave it in longer? If it just decomposes in the take will it cause any issues?

[JetJumper]

Have you tried soaking it in Garlic?

I just recently had 2 regals that I got not eat as well.  This is the one fish I WANT but for some reason I cannot get them to live!!! I think I give up now.

[jonrath]

haven't tired the garlic.  He eats the pellets and the frozen food really well, just not the nori.   I will try garlic and see what happens. 

[Bob P]

Don't fret if he ignores the nori.
Good quality pellets usually contain spirulina,
vitamins etc. That's most of the diet mine gets.
Occasional bloodworms etc.
Healthy as can be. However, first few months were brutal,
every kind of skin infection going.
Massive power outage back in April and so on.
Put the nori on a suction cup clip and leave it overnight.
I do this with grape caulurpa from my sump once in a while.
They are quite easily spooked by new stuff. Does yours run for cover
when you get close?

[jonrath]

Yes, he is usually out swimming and happy but as soon as I get within a foot of the tank he ducks into a hiding spot

[Bob P]

Had a closer look at mine this evening.
It's about 4 inches now, but same as yours when I
got it. Mine has a definite line of "freckles"from the eye
towards the mouth as you describe. I think it's just
a maturing thing, like some fish change colors as they
mature. I'm not worried.
Oh, and probably scared of the nori..
Cheers

[jonrath]

thanks for the advice/info. hope you are right and it just his colouring as he matures.  I have removed the carbon from my filter just in case and will obviously keep an eye on it. fingers crossed, they are such nice looking fish.

[redbelly]

Are you using grocery store nori or something like two little fishies?

What color nori are you using too?

Have you tried the wakame?

[Severum]

Maybe try romaine lettuce? Not all that healthy but might get a feeding response.
My tangs destroy in a matter of minutes.

[Greatwhite]

I got some Two Little Fishies sea veggie sheets from Fish Tail a while back.  EVERYONE in my tank loves it!  And it makes me want to go for sushi every time I open the bag.