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FAQs on the Powder Blue Tang Trauma  

FAQs on Powder Blue Tang Disease: PBT Disease 1, PBT Disease 2,
FAQs on Powder Blue Tang Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Nutritional, Social, Pathogen (plus see Tangs/Rabbitfishes & Crypt), Genetic, Treatments

Related Articles: Powder Blue Tangs, Acanthurus Tangs

Related FAQs: Powder Blue Tangs 1, Powder Blue Tangs 2, Powder Blue Tang Identification, PBT Behavior, PBT Compatibility, PBT Selection, PBT Systems, PBT Feeding, PBT Reproduction, Acanthurus Tangs 1Acanthurus Tangs 2, Acanthurus Tangs 3, Acanthurus ID, Acanthurus Behavior, Acanthurus Compatibility, Acanthurus Selection, Acanthurus Systems, Acanthurus Feeding, Acanthurus Disease, Acanthurus Reproduction,

Soft-bodied... can see finger marks from human handling on many new specimens. Graceful, but do swim into hard objects.

Surgeonfishes: Tangs for  Marine
 Aquariums

Diversity, Selection & Care

New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

PBT with growth/injury  2/22/13
Dear Bob all other crew members,
<Alex>
I have a problem with a Powder Blue Tang (A. leucosternon). When the fish arrived it had what appeared to be a scratch along part of its lateral line (see image #1). I did not pay it much thought since such minor injuries heal pretty quick in most fish. That was on the 8th.
A few days after that the wound got larger and looked "fleshy" with whitish protrusions. I thought that this might have been due to an overeager cleaning shrimp and that it would heal.
But the injury/growth/parasite infection keeps getting worse with the current state shown in images #2 and #3. I hope you can see that it has spread enormously along the lateral line, even up to the posterior end of the scalpel. My phone's camera isn't that good and the fish kept swimming away… But in person the look of the growth is fleshy and pinkish (not "fuzzy" as it might seem on the pictures) with small longish white protrusions among it. Could this be a simple reaction/inflammation due to the sensitivity of the lateral line organ or is this something parasitic? No other fish shows any symptoms (yet).
The PBT does not show any discomfort at all, I strangely haven't seen it flashing even once, and it is very active and curious (i.e. normal Acanthurid behavior). It is housed in a 400g reef tank with zero measurable phosphates/nitrogen compounds, 34-35ppt salinity, 78°F temperature, Ca, Mg, alkalinity, pH all in the optimal range, so I think environmental conditions are not the main culprit.
<Mmm, no. A physical injury is>
Do you have an idea what this might be and what can be done/if it will heal itself?
<Am hopeful re the last... only time going by will reveal>
Thanks in advance!
Cheers, Alex
<And you, Bob Fenner>


Re: PBT with growth/injury  2/22/13
Thank you for your reply, Bob!
Then I'll wait and see. (Definitely preferable to trying to catch the tang…)
Alex
<Ah yes... best not to try and do anything here. BobF>

Fish Disease... A. leucosternon 12/14/08 Dear Crew, After researching carefully, I am unable to identify the presenting condition of this Powder Blue Tang. The symptom onset was eight weeks ago and very sudden. The fish has been in an aquarium for three years. The fish is quarantined and remains bright, alert, active and feeding. <Good> I've attached some hi-res photos to offer you a closer look. <I see these> If you have an interest or experience to share in this matter, I'd be grateful. Regards, Greg Danos Owner / Operator Urban Aquarium, Inc. Anaheim, CA 92806 www.urbanaquarium.com <Mmm, well... considering that the fish presents as damaged only on the one side, the length of time in captivity, its apparent good health otherwise... I would guess (with some confidence) that this is an issue that started with some sort of physical injury... that has developed as a secondary, likely bacterial issue... How to proceed? On a few fronts. I would move this fish back to a main display that has rock et al. to pick on at its leisure, and try bolstering what it does eat with vitamins and HUFA supplementation (e.g. Selcon), and use a cleaner (my choice, a Lysmata species shrimp) to keep the wound clean, AND avail yourself of the benefits of "mud" filtration in the system, have palatable macro-algae present (perhaps a Gracilaria sp.)... and if available, lace the foods with the antibiotic Chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin) should your veterinarian be willing to prescribe this to you for this use. I have seen similar wounds "heal" with time (months) going by. Bob Fenner>

Re: Fish Disease... A. leucosternon 12/14/08 Bob, <Hook 'em Danos!> Thank you kindly. I will implement your recommendations pronto. Your Fan and "Student" for 10 years, Sincerely, Greg Danos <Ahh! Glad to assist your efforts. BobF>

Powder Blue Tang Disease Id 2/24/08 Hello. Was hoping someone could help me identify what is wrong with the Powder Blue Tang I recently acquired. I got him, put him in quarantine (37 gal. tank, wanted it big enough for when I get big fish), and thought it was just some scrapes on his side but a friend that was over said it was body rot. <...?> He is eating well (algae and omnivore flakes, seaweed sheets, mix of frozen enriched brine/Mysis soaked with extra vitamins) and is not trying to scrape on anything (there is some pieces of live rock in the tank from my 2 yr established tank that has a couple strands of live feather algae for him on it). He is picking at the algae and the rock like normal. Please take a look at the pic attached and let me know what it is and what is the best way to treat if anything needs to be done. It was suggested I try garlic, would that be good to add as well? Any help is appreciated! Thanks! Nicole <These markings are due to injury (handling... fingers really) during capture, transport et al. stress... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/powdbluetg.htm  and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Surgeonfishes: Tangs for  Marine
 Aquariums

Diversity, Selection & Care

New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner
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