powder brown tang

[abink52065]

I just got a powder brown tang that I got two days ago. He/she looks healthy besides the fact he/she just stays in one spot and doesn't want to eat all that much! I'm really worried!!!! What should I do?

 

[kdpuffer]

Did you quarantine the tang? Quarantine is a very important step in adding livestock and IMO is essential especially when it comes to tangs. Tangs are very sensitive if you already didn't know that and are very prone to catching ich. With your tang just lounging it sounds like he is stressed which opens up the window for infection if he isn't already.

 

[abink52065]

I woke up to him just laying on a rock still breathing. I took my cleaning magnet and got him up and moving he's doing better he's trying to stay alive. He's moving around the tank more then he did the first couple of days but oh crap now he's laying down again what should I do!!!!! I don't want him to die!!!

 

[kdpuffer]

As I said he should be in quarantine. If that's not an option then I would keep the lights off for a day or two and keep a close eye on him. Unfortunately without having a quarantine if he does go downhill the options are limited. It's a BAD idea to do treatments in the main tank. Being in the dark will settle the tank down and allow him to explore with minimal bullying from other tank mates. What else is in the tank? What are your water parameters? How big is the tank and how big is the fish?

 

[Jake337]

I've heard that this is normal behavior for any tang that has just been added to a new home.

 

[kdpuffer]

It is normal for any fish in my experience. This is also when the fish are most likely to catch something because they are weak due to stress and that's where quarantine comes into play. If new additions are quarantined when they get sick (which often happens with tangs) you can properly treat the illness. Most afflictions that occur cannot be properly treated in a main tank as the treatments are generally toxic to anything other than the fish. Even after being quarantined a fish will be stressed when added to the main tank but if proper quarantine is done on your tank inhabitants before being added then there won't be anything harmful in the tank to effect the fish. Also if you have a quarantine setup then if someone does fall ill you have a place to remove them to in order to treat the issue. As I said a fish being stressed is normal but with proper quarantine procedures the fish will get comfortable and swim away from it as opposed to the chance of getting ill and taking the porcelain roller coaster to the giant reef tank in the sky.

 

[crister13]

I do think laying on its side is normal. Sounds like its dying. I've never had a fish do that. Especially if it's doing in after the first day or two. Powder tangs are very difficult fish to keep. I wish you and your tang luck.