Question about my tang. PLEASE HELP!!

[jazztalker]

My tang that I've had for like 3 weeks now, has decided to wedge himself under a "shelf" in my LR and pretty much stop moving. None of his fins nor his tail are moving. All he's doing is breathing. He will also go to another spot in my LR and sit there nose pointed up and against the LR, doing the same thing. Is he ok? A few times I've had to look closely to make sure he was still alive.

 

[jazztalker]

Now he's barely even breathing. I think he's dying, is there anything I can do?

 

[Fluff]

Sorry to say, it sounds like he's expiring. Any other fish in there with him? What are your water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, salinity, temps? How old is the tank?

 

[ogden10]

what type of tang is it? How are the colors? Are there any signs of parasites (ich or ect?)

It may be to late now but there is always hope.

 

[jazztalker]

There are 2 yellow-tail damsels and a algae blenny in there. Temp is 78, salinity is 1.023 (I think it was). The tank is about 4 months old. 75 gal FOWLR. 50 lbs of LR.

Its a convict tang. When he's under the rock, his stripes get really light, but when I move the rock to get him swimming, his colors go back to normal. I've been posting a few times on here about spots I've noticed on him, but nobody really seems to know what it is. There are a few spots on him. I don't know how to describe them, other than to say they look like smudges. Any thoughts?

 

[Fluff]

Any way you can QT the fish? Sounds bacterial but I can't be certain. Or perhaps marine velvet. If velvet, I would move him to a hospital tank and begin a copper treatment on him. Here is an article on velvet. If it's bacterial, perhaps a few days in melafix may help. :? None of your other fish show signs of stress or infection?

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=46

 

[jazztalker]

Hmm... sounds like that marine velvet might be what he has. I can't be positive though from reading the article. I don't have a QT tank. None of my other fish show any problems at all, just my tang. I think he's pretty close to dead right now, so I'm not sure there is anything I can do at this point, other than hope something happens to turn him around. Its such a shame, he seemed so happy not that long ago

 

[Fluff]

I'm sorry.

 

[jazztalker]

Thanks. I'm really surprised this is happening, and I feel so helpless not really being able to do anything. This is a very discouraging thing to have happen so early in my "aquarium career" if you will.... Makes me start to think I should have gotten a puppy instead...

 

[Fluff]

It's a very young tank. You never did say what your parameters were. My first thought was ammonia poisoning. Your other fish aren't showing signs of stress though?
Don't get discouraged. It happens to all of us.
*small reprimand*-I would incourage you to purchase even a small set up (ten gallon) to QT any fish in the future. This isn't all that expensive and can save you a ton of headaches. It would also give you a place to treat fish if needed.

 

[jazztalker]

Yeah, I know I should get a QT. I don't know my water parameters other than the temp and salinity. My LFS told me that all I needed to do was take in a water sample every once in awhile and they would test it for me. I did it like 2 weeks ago, around when I did a water change, and they told me everything was just fine. I really haven't done anything to the tank since then, so I don't know how anything would have really changed. Thanks for the advice!

 

[ogden10]

My sincere sympathy
I still remeber the first fish I lost. I felt terrible taking, like I just took it home and killed it.

Remember though, this hobby is all about patience. I have had a few times where I felt like tossing in the towel and putting an iguna in my tank. Bear with it, you will see as time goes on things make more sense, and you will not loose fish. Even the greatest aquarist will suffer loss from time to time. At least you care, and tried to help.

I would spring for a small QT tank. You can get a full setup for like 50.00 and it may save your fish next time.

 

[ogden10]

also sometimes fish are just sick when you get them...think about all the trama they go through before they get to your tank. In reality I am surprised that any of them live at all. :?

 

[Phyl]

What are you feeding the tang? They need a diet with lots of veggies (nori, Formula 2, etc) and being grazing fish they like to eat a LOT... As for the test kits, you should get test kits of your own. Sometimes things change, even though we haven't added anything to the tank. You never know unless you're able to test things yourself.

Whenever anything looks off in the tank the first thing I do is a battery of tests looking for a problem. Good luck.

 

[StripesTheEel]

Im sorry about the tang.. I've lost (in my 2 years of marine) about 6 or so fish and one eel.. the fish we're probably due to my inexperience and ignorance of certain specie needs and the eel was unknown. Getting your own test kits as phyl suggested is worth the money. I check my water every week and when something looks funky, even if it is a little more algae growth than normal..

good luck and sorry again