Yellow tang with white underbody

[ph34r3d]

I am a beginner to saltwater. I added a yellow tang to my tank about 3-4 days ago. The tang was bright yellow all over. Now last night I took notice that the tang is forming a white underbody? I did some water tests with salinity which is at 1.023 and a ph test which is about 8.0-8.5( according to the chart) any ideas as to why the tang would turn white like that? I also have base rock which is white maybe it's adapting to it's surroundings?? any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[Fluff]

If he's displaying this after lights out, it's normal. Alot of fish show faded colors at night. If he's doing it during the lighted hours, he could be stress. In that case we would need a bit more info on your setup. Size tank? Tank mates? How about other tests? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrates?

 

[ph34r3d]

he did this during light hours.. but this morning when I woke up he was just fine when I turned the lights on? the tank is 75 gal. tank mates are 1 blue damsel, 2 striped damsels, 2 yellow damsels, 1 bi color angel and 1 chocolate chip star fish, with some live rock. I didn't get the nitrate, nitrite or amonnia levels yet, I will do that when I get home tonight... but he swims just fine?

 

[Fluff]

If he's fine today, then he could have just been a bit stressed from being moved around.

 

[ph34r3d]

he seems to be turning white like every day??? then in the morning he is fine? the nitrites and the nitrates are all fine.. and the ammonia is 0 or below... any other idea's??? also, is there a way to help reduce the amount of brown algea in the tank?

 

[Fluff]

Is it possible to post a picture? What else is in the tank with him?
For the diatoms, do you have enough snails? Hermit crabs will help with that as well.

 

[ph34r3d]

a picture of the tang??? or the algea?? I don't have any snails?? how many should I add in a 75 gallon tank? also this tank is 3-4 months along... would that make a difference???

 

[Fluff]

Yes, a picture of the tang.
You should get some snails. I would get 20 of either astrea, margarita or turbo snails or a mix. I'd also get about 15-20 nassarius for your sand bed. I'm sure that will help alot. If after some time they don't seem to make any progress, add a few more.

 

[ph34r3d]

I can try to get a picture of the tang today when I go home.. should I add all those snails at once?? or just like 4-5 at a time? what is a good price for the snails?

 

[Fluff]

They can be added all at once. Price depends on your area. I get mine for 1-2 bucks a piece.

 

[ph34r3d]

do they reproduce alot like freshwater snails?

 

[Fluff]

No, no worries there.

 

[ph34r3d]

now for some reason my bi color angel seems to be on the verge of dying?? he is swimming weird.. and kinda floating.. then swimming??

 

[Fluff]

Sounds like water quality issues. Have you tested your water for ammonia and nitrites recently?

 

[ph34r3d]

I tested them last night.. everything "was" fine... I will go test them again and then be back in 20 min(because the ammonia test takes 20 min) and let you know the reading

 

[ph34r3d]

The levels are:

PH: 8.0-8.5
Nitrite: not quite 0.3mg/L
Nitrate: between 5-10 mg/L(closer to 5)
Ammonia: Approx 0

 

[BillyZ]

hmmm i'm a little concerned that you see any nitrite levels at all. Nitrite is one of the more toxic left overs from waste. You mentioned your tank is 3-4 months old. Tell us a little about your cycle. How long it took, how you cycled it and what the readings were (as you best remember).

Also, tell us how you acclimated these new fish to the tank.

((I'm going to move this to the SW Sick-Fish forum to get a little more exposure for you))

 

[BillyZ]

Also, something that "never hurts" is a partial water change. get some RO water ready to mix as new salt water and do a 5 or 10 gallon water change (you said a 75 gallon tank right?). This could help aleaviate whatever is in the water chemistry that causing them stress. (when was your last water change?)

 

[ph34r3d]

The nitrites I am seeing may even be none.. it's just the reading of the test.. it's not 100% clear.. ya know??? and as far as cycling the tank.. it took me about 2 months or so to cycle the tank with 5 damsels. I had the water tested once a month by the pet shop who assisted me with setting everything up. I just did a water change about 1 week or so of approx 10 gal. the reading through out the cycle we perfect.. as a matter of fact the pet shop said it's the best he has seen in a while with cycleing because my ph was perfect and my ammonia didn't even rise like he had expected. and after I changed the water the levels were still in good order nothing spiked or anything like that.. the salinty has always been around 0.22-.024 never changing at all... any other information you would please let me know. Thanks in advance

 

[BillyZ]

I had the water tested once a month by the pet shop who assisted me with setting everything up. I just did a water change about 1 week or so of approx 10 gal. the reading through out the cycle we perfect..

I'm not sure if I'm reading that right, but are you saying you did a 10 gallon water change once a week while cycling? Or that you just did a 10 gallon water change about a week ago?


if you did that large of a water change every week during your cycle, you might not have really gottan enough bacteria to form, and you're getting a cycle again now with the new fish. Have you taken the damsels out after the cycle? Was the tank fallow (no fish) for a whiel between the damsels and the new fish?

just still gathering info...