Sailfin Woes

Mike565 · May 7, 2024

2 days ago I noticed white striations on my sailfin tang. He was also breathing rapidly (1st picture) and staying close to the rockwork. Yesterday his striations covered most of his body (other pictures). Have you ever seen anything like this? i threw in a Poly Filter in case there was something foreign in the water. Today his color seems to be returning but he is still staying close to the rockwork. The Poly Filter has not picked up any coloration.

Any ideas what might be causing this? I have had this tang for about 18 months. The rest of the tank mates are acting and looking normally.

The tank is a 1700gal FOWLR tank. His tankmate are:

1 – adult French angel (12”)
1 – adult (10”) and 2 juveniles (5”) lookdowns
1 – adult Imperator angel (8”)
1 – Naso Tang (8”)
1 – Regal Tang (4”)
1 – Clown tang (5”) a bit of a bully
1 – Foxface (6”)
1 – Clown Trigger (6”)
1 – Niger Trigger (6”)
1 – Cowfish (8”)
1 – Spiny Box Puffer (8”)
1 – Dog Faced Puffer (6”)
1 – Yellow Tang (4”)
2 – Pakistani Butterfly Fish (4” and 3”)
1 – Saddleback Butterfly (4”)
1 – Raccoon Butterfly (4”)
1 – Double Saddleback Butterfly (4”)
1 – Percula Clowns (2” & 1.5”)
12 – Yellow tail blue damsels

Tank Parameters:
Salinity 35 ppt
PH 8.0
Alkalinity 11 dkh
Temp 78F
Nitrates ~ 85 ppm
Phosphates ~ .3

I am carbon dosing (vodka / vinegar combo). I have been doing this for a year, currently at 9ml/hr.
I am dosing 2 ml / day of PhosBan-L solution (diluted per instructions). I am phasing this out in favor of the carbon dosing.

Debramb · May 7, 2024

Mike565 said:
2 days ago I noticed white striations on my sailfin tang. He was also breathing rapidly (1st picture) and staying close to the rockwork. Yesterday his striations covered most of his body (other pictures). Have you ever seen anything like this? i threw in a Poly Filter in case there was something foreign in the water. Today his color seems to be returning but he is still staying close to the rockwork. The Poly Filter has not picked up any coloration.

Any ideas what might be causing this? I have had this tang for about 18 months. The rest of the tank mates are acting and looking normally.

The tank is a 1700gal FOWLR tank. His tankmate are:

1 – adult French angel (12”)

1 – adult (10”) and 2 juveniles (5”) lookdowns

1 – adult Imperator angel (8”)

1 – Naso Tang (8”)

1 – Regal Tang (4”)

1 – Clown tang (5”) a bit of a bully

1 – Foxface (6”)

1 – Clown Trigger (6”)

1 – Niger Trigger (6”)

1 – Cowfish (8”)

1 – Spiny Box Puffer (8”)

1 – Dog Faced Puffer (6”)

1 – Yellow Tang (4”)

2 – Pakistani Butterfly Fish (4” and 3”)

1 – Saddleback Butterfly (4”)

1 – Raccoon Butterfly (4”)

1 – Double Saddleback Butterfly (4”)

1 – Percula Clowns (2” & 1.5”)

12 – Yellow tail blue damsels

Tank Parameters:
Salinity 35 ppt
PH 8.0
Alkalinity 11 dkh
Temp 78F
Nitrates ~ 85 ppm
Phosphates ~ .3

I am carbon dosing (vodka / vinegar combo). I have been doing this for a year, currently at 9ml/hr.
I am dosing 2 ml / day of PhosBan-L solution (diluted per instructions). I am phasing this out in favor of the carbon dosing.

Oh My! Your tank sounds beautiful, the fish experts here are awesome, Iv never ever seen that on my current 12+ yr old. Best of luck, following to see what they say
Debra

vetteguy53081 · May 7, 2024

Mike565 said:
2 days ago I noticed white striations on my sailfin tang. He was also breathing rapidly (1st picture) and staying close to the rockwork. Yesterday his striations covered most of his body (other pictures). Have you ever seen anything like this? i threw in a Poly Filter in case there was something foreign in the water. Today his color seems to be returning but he is still staying close to the rockwork. The Poly Filter has not picked up any coloration.

Any ideas what might be causing this? I have had this tang for about 18 months. The rest of the tank mates are acting and looking normally.

The tank is a 1700gal FOWLR tank. His tankmate are:

1 – adult French angel (12”)

1 – adult (10”) and 2 juveniles (5”) lookdowns

1 – adult Imperator angel (8”)

1 – Naso Tang (8”)

1 – Regal Tang (4”)

1 – Clown tang (5”) a bit of a bully

1 – Foxface (6”)

1 – Clown Trigger (6”)

1 – Niger Trigger (6”)

1 – Cowfish (8”)

1 – Spiny Box Puffer (8”)

1 – Dog Faced Puffer (6”)

1 – Yellow Tang (4”)

2 – Pakistani Butterfly Fish (4” and 3”)

1 – Saddleback Butterfly (4”)

1 – Raccoon Butterfly (4”)

1 – Double Saddleback Butterfly (4”)

1 – Percula Clowns (2” & 1.5”)

12 – Yellow tail blue damsels

Tank Parameters:
Salinity 35 ppt
PH 8.0
Alkalinity 11 dkh
Temp 78F
Nitrates ~ 85 ppm
Phosphates ~ .3

I am carbon dosing (vodka / vinegar combo). I have been doing this for a year, currently at 9ml/hr.
I am dosing 2 ml / day of PhosBan-L solution (diluted per instructions). I am phasing this out in favor of the carbon dosing.

This may be a result of flukes
Any notice of itching and scratching as well as heavy breathing and even loss of appetite?

Jay Hemdal · May 7, 2024

Mike565 said:
2 days ago I noticed white striations on my sailfin tang. He was also breathing rapidly (1st picture) and staying close to the rockwork. Yesterday his striations covered most of his body (other pictures). Have you ever seen anything like this? i threw in a Poly Filter in case there was something foreign in the water. Today his color seems to be returning but he is still staying close to the rockwork. The Poly Filter has not picked up any coloration.

Any ideas what might be causing this? I have had this tang for about 18 months. The rest of the tank mates are acting and looking normally.

The tank is a 1700gal FOWLR tank. His tankmate are:

1 – adult French angel (12”)

1 – adult (10”) and 2 juveniles (5”) lookdowns

1 – adult Imperator angel (8”)

1 – Naso Tang (8”)

1 – Regal Tang (4”)

1 – Clown tang (5”) a bit of a bully

1 – Foxface (6”)

1 – Clown Trigger (6”)

1 – Niger Trigger (6”)

1 – Cowfish (8”)

1 – Spiny Box Puffer (8”)

1 – Dog Faced Puffer (6”)

1 – Yellow Tang (4”)

2 – Pakistani Butterfly Fish (4” and 3”)

1 – Saddleback Butterfly (4”)

1 – Raccoon Butterfly (4”)

1 – Double Saddleback Butterfly (4”)

1 – Percula Clowns (2” & 1.5”)

12 – Yellow tail blue damsels

Tank Parameters:
Salinity 35 ppt
PH 8.0
Alkalinity 11 dkh
Temp 78F
Nitrates ~ 85 ppm
Phosphates ~ .3

I am carbon dosing (vodka / vinegar combo). I have been doing this for a year, currently at 9ml/hr.
I am dosing 2 ml / day of PhosBan-L solution (diluted per instructions). I am phasing this out in favor of the carbon dosing.

Visually, this looks like mechanical damage and possible bacterial infection. However, whenever I hear of breathing issues with tangs along with dosing lanthanum chloride, I immediately get concerned. The skin discoloration isn't typical of LaCl toxicity, and the other tangs not being affected may point away from that, but it could be a contributing factor.

How did you dose it, into a mechanical filter or directly into the sump? Does the tank have supplemental aeration? How are you phasing it out?