Powder brown tang scratching itself

[MysticBlue]

Hey guys so my powder brown tang that’s been scratching itself a lot which has caused it to basically skin itself. I tried getting a good picture but no luck he’s really going at it and I’m wondering what I need to do to stop it. He doesn’t have any other symptoms and is eating great.

 

[Graemesreef]

They do that, try adding some garlic to his diet. Its good for them.

 

[MysticBlue]

Why is he rubbing? Is there a way to stop him?

 

[Graemesreef]

I would say its probably your tank is to clean and you salinity is higher then he was used to.

 

[Idech]

@Jay Hemdal or @vetteguy53081 might have an idea.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey guys so my powder brown tang that’s been scratching itself a lot which has caused it to basically skin itself. I tried getting a good picture but no luck he’s really going at it and I’m wondering what I need to do to stop it. He doesn’t have any other symptoms and is eating great.View attachment 3022901View attachment 3022906

Generally with no notable signs of parasites and the fact that its scratching suggests flukes. With flukes other symptoms you may notice is rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, loss of appetite, shaking its head, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color.
Often, you can offer a freshwater dip for 5 mins in tap water the same temperature as display tank. This will dislodge flukes if any and offer temporary relief. Assure the container used is Clean and after returning fish to tank, look on bottom of container for what looks like fish scales or sesame seeds. Those will be fluke worms. You may need a flashlight to best see them.
You can do prazi as a precaution assuming its flukes. To be safe , dose at 80% of recommended and allow it to do its thing for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite

 

[Graemesreef]

@Jay Hemdal or @vetteguy53081 might have an idea.

If you wanted 2 opinions from 2 guys you should have said that from the start. Don't waste our time.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hey guys so my powder brown tang that’s been scratching itself a lot which has caused it to basically skin itself. I tried getting a good picture but no luck he’s really going at it and I’m wondering what I need to do to stop it. He doesn’t have any other symptoms and is eating great.View attachment 3022901View attachment 3022906

Scratching to the point of skin damage is usually a sign of skin flukes and is not normal. You can treat that with prazipro in you display tank - two treatments, 8 days apart with good aeration. You need to stop collecting skimmate - but keep running the skimmer, and remove carbon during the treatment.
Jay

 

[nereefpat]

I would do 2 rounds of prazi

 

[MysticBlue]

If you wanted 2 opinions from 2 guys you should have said that from the start. Don't waste our time.

I appreciate advice from everyone!!!!! The way I see it the more people comment the more help I get.

 

[MysticBlue]

Generally with no notable signs of parasites and the fact that its scratching suggests flukes. With flukes other symptoms you may notice is rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, loss of appetite, shaking its head, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color.
Often, you can offer a freshwater dip for 5 mins in tap water the same temperature as display tank. This will dislodge flukes if any and offer temporary relief. Assure the container used is Clean and after returning fish to tank, look on bottom of container for what looks like fish scales or sesame seeds. Those will be fluke worms. You may need a flashlight to best see them.
You can do prazi as a precaution assuming its flukes. To be safe , dose at 80% of recommended and allow it to do its thing for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite

On the fresh water dip do I just put the fish in tab water with chlorine and all? Or do I use rodi water and acclimate him slowly?

 

[MysticBlue]

Scratching to the point of skin damage is usually a sign of skin flukes and is not normal. You can treat that with prazipro in you display tank - two treatments, 8 days apart with good aeration. You need to stop collecting skimmate - but keep running the skimmer, and remove carbon during the treatment.
Jay

It won’t hurt any of my corals or inverts?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

It won’t hurt any of my corals or inverts?

Nope - just dose it accurately and add good aeration and the inverts will be fine.
Jay

 

[Tony616]

If you wanted 2 opinions from 2 guys you should have said that from the start. Don't waste our time.

nonsense, no such thing as scratching because water is too clean

 

[vetteguy53081]

On the fresh water dip do I just put the fish in tab water with chlorine and all? Or do I use rodi water and acclimate him slowly?

Just tap water

 

[vetteguy53081]

It won’t hurt any of my corals or inverts?

No- if you want to play it safe, dose at 85% of recommended

 

[nereefpat]

On the fresh water dip do I just put the fish in tab water with chlorine and all? Or do I use rodi water and acclimate him slowly?

Right. Tapwater with the temperature matched. If it's chlorinated, this would actually be a good use of Prime or similar.

An airstone isn't a terrible idea either, if you have one.

 

[MysticBlue]

Well I did the freshwater dip I got three flukes off. Not as many as I wanted I think he still has two but it’s a good start until that medicine gets here. It was 5 minutes in the bath and I didn’t want to wait any longer.

 

[anthonymckay]

If you wanted 2 opinions from 2 guys you should have said that from the start. Don't waste our time.

What a strange reaction... that wasn't even OP you were responding to?