emperor angel with face marks

[MATRIXINC]

My emperor angel has had spots around his face for a long time. They seem to be getting worse as in more of them and bigger. He also seems to be getting less active. I took the attached picture to 2 "experts" and got two answers. One said the fish had a vitamin deficiency and that I should supplement his food with a vitaimin soak. The other said it looked like I had some electrical current running in the tank, possibily from a power head or heater and that I should buy a device that "grounds" the tank water. Any help would be appreciated. see photo member gallery/matrixinc.
Jim Winkler
110 Gal tank, 2 inch CC bottom
Lots of rock some live
Sump plus
Fluval 440 filled with Ammonia absorber, charcoal, bio-media
Dual Bak Pak protein skimmer with bio media
Two power heads not sure of the size
Lots of air bubbles
I 4-5 inch yellow tang, 2 blue dams, 2 zebra dams, one shrimp, one domino, one Emperor Angel, big star fish.
Lights are new and 65 watt x 4 power compacts 50/50

[sharks]

What are your water parameters?
PH, Nitrates?
What do you feed?
What additives do you use?
And how much and how often do you do water changes?
It’s HLLE or Head and lateral line erosion.
Usually due to poor diet and/or poor water conditions.
And yes it can be from stray voltage in a tank.
Give us a little more info so we can help better.
It can be healed but that takes time.
S

[MATRIXINC]

my pH is 8.2-8.4, Water temp is 81-82, RO water only, feed frozen brine shrimp, Formula 2 with Garlic, Marine Flake food, Green Algae daily. Water test clean for nitrate, nitrites amonia.
I do water changes every other week and change about 15% of the total water. I use a pH buffer.
I am wondering if you were able to see the photo I posted...I don't know if I did it correctly.

[RanRoc]

I agree with sharks post. Either cause is to be suspected. In the end, the most important thing to do is to help it feel better, most likely by addressing either of the two or both cuases. It can be saved.
-RY

[RanRoc]

I would lose the brine shrimp and find foods with more sponge in the ingredients.
-RY

[sharks]

I copied this from one of my other posts…
For determining the voltage issue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK first let me say this…
I am no electrician!

Here is how to determine the problematic plug.
Get a voltmeter.
Set it to the lowest setting
Put one prong into the water.
The other probe to a grounded wall outlet. (The round hole!)
Use a wall outlet not a power strip.

You will see the meter jump.
Now unplug every thing one at a time checking each time.
When the problematic pug is off there will be no more voltage reading through the meter.
HIH
S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It sounds like you are doing fine on the water changes and the chemistry issue.
Is there live rock in there?
I feed my 220 FO tank allot of Veggie food.
Mainly 100% Pro-V-Veggie from Prosalt
I feed the 220 many different food and I try to mix it up.
When you run out of Brine try Mysis, bloodworm, zooplankton, Angel formula has marine sponge in it.
Sponge is a major part of their diet in the wild.
I have a few customers that have done well healing HLLE by feeding organic broccoli and shredded carrot.
If you go that route be ready to clean the pre-filters. A little messy but they swear by it.

It probably wouldn’t hurt to use Selcon or Zoe (vitamins to soak food in)
Do you premix the new saltwater?
Do you run carbon? If so how often?
S

[Xanareef]

I've heard of positive results with broccoli as well.

Alexis

[BoomerD]

Broccoli the angel might eat, but would be lacking in many nutrients it needs. Couldn't huurt, but might not be as much help as you'd hope...It does sound like you feed well, only thing might to try some of the angel formula frozen foods as well, and adding some Selcon to the diet daily also...
I've seen this many times in fish, and as pointed out, it's usually either a nutritional defiency, very poor water conditions, or stray electrical current in the tank. A good ground probe will help this, but you SHOULD try to find the source of any "leakage" asap...It could be unhealthy for you as well!

[MATRIXINC]

This issue of stray electricity is very controversial. Some very bright people say it is bunk others swear by it...what is a fish lover to think?
Regarding the broccli...how does on go about preparing and feeding broccoli to fish?
I do have some live rock.Ove rthe last month I have lost 3-4 different critters. A hermit crab, an anomie, two monarchs. All seemed Ok but died.

[Xanareef]

For broccoli, it isn't meant to be fed as the staple, but more as a supplement.

The one time I read about an aquarium using broccoli for HLLE improvement, they tied it to a string and hung it in the tank.

If you make your own food, you can probably blend it into the mix.

HTH,

Alexis

[cheeks69]

He needs vitamin supplements that are high in beta-carotene, to help prevent lateral line disease. So nutrition is definitely of utmost importance like it's been mentioned already and soak it in selcon or other vitamin supplement.

I have read before that when using vegetables better to freeze them before putting them in the tank, Don't have any personal experience. HTH