Blue tang might be dying?

[Cocokatie72]

I'm new to the aquarium world and our 72 gallon tank has been set up since August. We have a damsel, a clown tang (who is going to be removed once we catch him), a yellow tang, a cream angel, and a pearl scale butteryfly. We also got a cleaner shrimp and a handful of snails. We have had the blue tang for just over 2 weeks, and he appeared to be doing well. He was eating the frozen brine shrimp and the pellets, and he was wedging himself into rocks to rest. We were told this was normal behavouir for blue tangs. This morning when I found him he was hiding at the bottom against a rock, and he didn't come up to eat. I left for about an hour and when I came back he was at the top of the tank with the tip of his head sticking out of the water. He was against the back, and breathing very heavily. He didn't move from this position, and I had to leave so I couldn't monitor him. From my knowledge he was getting along with all the other fish, and he looked healthy until today. I don't have the water levels with me, but from what I can remember the ph was 8.2, the ammonia was 0. I cannot remember the nitrate or nitrite levels but I wasn't concerned about them, so I believe they were average. Does anyone know what is wrong?

 

[David S]

there shouldn't be any nitrite in the tank not average!!Take some water readings,QT the tang asap, if you cant qt it doing a very large water change would help,

 

[melosu58]

I agree need some water test results. Also I dont see any greens in your tang`s diet. They are herbivores and need lots of dried seaweed or macro algea to help boost their immune system.