Bizzare white streaks/marks on Atlantic Blue Tang, pics incl

[slojmn1]

I have a very healthy, fat, and happy Atlantic Blue Tang in my 120g reef. He has had these strange white marks show up randomly on his body over the past 4 days. They show up then completely disappear within 12-20 hours. Then he gets another one, or none at all for a day. There appears to be no raised or apparent bumps. The flesh/scales look totally normal but devoid of color. These are not the best of shots but it gives you an idea. In the second shot the marks around his fins are just some coralline algae on the glass. The two marks in question are the white marks around the gill area. These are totally gone today with a small mark now on his belly. His behavior is unchanged, his breathing, swimming, eating habits are all unchanged. I am just curious as to what may be happening. He has definately been changing to his adult colors over the past 4 months. It is almost as if someone threw bleach on him, only the color returns in the spots quickly.

 

[naesco]

I have an Atlantic blue tang; a beautiful fish for a 200gal+ tank.
He is just showing the typical colouring when he is peeved. Don't worry about it at all unless you have him in a small tank in which case he is trying to tell you something.

 

[davelin315]

The white spots on him could be the sign of an infection or parasite of some kind. Look closely at it and see if it is just discoloration, or if there is a fungus or something there. Look and also see if it is on the other side, if it's not, then something is bothering your fish, although it will probably go away on its own with good water quality and food.

 

[Circa]

Hey nice fish, very cool looking.

Umm there is a good chance it could be ich, this is very commen when a fish is newly introduced in a tank.

 

[naesco]

Sorry I replied to the vertical lines on the fish that come and go. In addition Atlantic blue tangs turn almost as purple as a purple tang than almost a light grey colour.
All of the above is normal.
I agree with Davelin on the other marks. IF they are on both sides and come and go it is just discolouration.
If it is a fine dustlike patch (ich) or a fuzzy patch (fungus) you do have a problem.

 

[slojmn1]

the marks definately come and go and show no fuzziness, spots, raised area, or bumps. I swear it is like a bit of white discoloration and then it disappears.
naesco, the tang was gettign a bit peeved with me for tryign to take pictures. At first he was real interested as food might be coming his way, then he got mad. He does all sorts of color changes with mood. I don't know what to think with the discoloration as it is randonm and is going away very quickly.
Circa, this is definately not ich, I know what that looks like. This fish has been in this tank for about 8 months and has never had any problems with ich. I am knocking on wood at the moment. Any other suggestions as to this bizzare marking. At first I thought something was messing with him in the night, but the marks are disappearing quickly and show no wound markings or broken flesh.

 

[naesco]

Just to make you feel better I chased my blue around the tank and he looks just like your first picture.
I have also seen uneven colouring on him but did not want to dismiss a problem until you checked again.
Don't worry one little bit. You have a nice healthy atlantic blue tang that is pissed off.

 

[FishMinder]

My Purple Tang (named Big Ray for his Baltimore Ravens like tank defensive skills) will exhibit very similar discoloration after an hour or so once the lights go out. He is the tank "leader" and my guess is its mood or co2 level related.

p.s. any suggestions on how to get a "52" painted on him

 

[Mouse]

Fishminder, i know a tattooist that might be able to help

 

[lionfish1]

relax not to worry, I have a orange back tang and he gets white spots once in a while when he is peeved or hungry, and he also shows his stripes once in a while, it's normal I think with tangs, mine is in a 46gal and he is 3" long and very thick (he or she eats like a pig), cya.

 

[jamesw]

LOL! You guys crack me up! You've obviously never done a night dive in the carribean.

Those vertical bars (which you show in the first picture) are part of the night-time coloration of the atlantic blue tang. So not to worry.

Fish DO change color with their moods, their location on the reef, the sun level for the day, etc.

HTH
James Wiseman

 

[slojmn1]

The vertical lines on my tang are not the marks in question, but thank you for all of the info regarding them. The two very white markings in the gill area in these pictures is what I am talking about. Of course these marks were gone within 15 hours and another one popped up on his belly yesterday. The lights are out at this time so I cannot check to see if the belly white mark is gone. I guess it is nothing major as he seems as normal as ever.

 

[bowser]

This looks like "fish pox", it's a viral infection that is very common in coldwater ponds, somewhat common in tropical tanks, and fairly rare in the marine aquarium.
It is a smooth, milky growth that comes and goes without treatment. There is no known cure for this although raising the temperature of the tank will sometimes eliminate the problem on a temporary basis.
The good news is, it is not contagious, and even heavy growths will not harm the fish. Very rarely will a fish die from this.
HTH

 

[jamesw]

Or it could just be scratches from where the fish has "flashed" on the rocks. Fish do this a lot as an agressive behavior.

Cheers
James

 

[TWT5011]

Hello to all... I have a Kole Tang which shows the same exact markings... white spots show up from time to time on its body. The morning time is when I see them. They are gone by the afternoon. My fish displays only one or two dots at the most from what I can tell. They are never raised are fuzzy, etc. I agree, it looks as if drops of bleach fell on the fish.

 

[slojmn1]

Thanks for all of the info. I am glad to hear that of the few things people think it is probably not that harmful. Flashing against rocks is an interesting notion. My tang does occasionally flash around a bit fast.

 

[lionfish1]

my orangeback tang gets those white spots when it is not feeling well or in a bad mood, so I play it some soothing music (joke) and it feels better, actually I feed it some brine shrimp and it's happy as a clam, and his stripes go from front to back looks cool, cya.

 

[Super Len]

It's perfectly normal. Most laterally compressed fishes can alter pigmentation and pattern in response to mood, health, mating, time of day or season. Butterflies are the best example of this: they display markedly differnt coloration from day to night. Not to worry. Your specimen looks perfectly healthy.

NM. James already addressed all these points.

[ November 01, 2001: Message edited by: Leonard v2.01 ]</p>