Yellow Tang showing signs of Rust Color?

[kamloops_reefer]

Just looking for some advice/ an opinion. My yellow tang has "rust" color spot on his tail and the rust color "rubbed" on his side.. ive checked my water and everything is great hes still eating and looks healthy otherwise..help! (Please excuse my dirty sand bed, it always looks worse in photos!)

[Craigdillman]

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/disease.html

Check this out, ? Bacterial infection?

[kamloops_reefer]

I almost wonder if we are being paranoid - it seems as if he has been this way for awhile, and perhaps its just how yellow tangs are? its almost as if it was a color change.

Will do a water change and see if this helps.

[kamloops_reefer]

here is a picture I found in the internet for a high def comparison. its almost as if there is a red / orange hue on the body towards the tail.

[jordanc_17]

Not like I'm an expert or anything, but if it looks like the picture, it looks just like mine and what I thought was completely healthy.

Did you change anything with lighting that might make it look different? Some fish do also change color depending on diet, and other factors. My yellow tang looks nearly white while sleeping.

[michika]

Yellow tangs, in my experience, do exhibit a variation with more orange-yellow and butter-yellow, and that is on top of their ability to change colours while sleeping.

I have two yellow tangs that act and look slightly different from the others; they become darker when stressed or sleeping while my other yellows become pale with white spot which seems to center on their lateral line.

Feeding krill can bring out the reds and oranges in your fish and further accentuate complementary colours. It might not be a sign of illness, but one of good health and prosperity. Id still check out the link above and or the references here on Canreef just to make sure though.

**edit**

Sorry I couldnt see your initial photo at first. Yeah, there is something going on with your yellow tang. Check out the link here in the thread. You should probably get your tang into QT.

[straightrazorguy]

I had a yellow tang that developed that red blotchy look too. The redness was towards the tail. Apparently it's a bacterial infection that isn't uncommon in YTs; I gave him food medicated with antibiotics and in 2 days it was gone.

[kamloops_reefer]

I've never dealt with medications - have any suggestions on what you might have used?

[straightrazorguy]

I used KanaPlex by Seachem. I picked it up at J&L. I just mixed it with his food. The tang still ate like a pig, so it was easy to get it in him....

[The Guy]

I run a sterilizer to try and help to control the bad things that contribute to bacterial infections, some people don't believe in them but I do, comes down to personal choice I guess. All my fish are totally healthy so I believe.