Spotted Blue Tang breathing hard

[angnak]

First of I would like to say that I have been reading this internet site for a couple of days and have learned so much from the articles and all the post out here. This is my first SW tank. I love the site. Thanks for everything.

Anyway, I have had this Blue Spotted for about a month now and at first I just thought it was stress from introducing him/her to a new tank, but it is still breathing fast. Not really hard just fast and not too fast just fast enough to concern me. He is very healthy and loves to eat. No other fish in my tank is doing this and all the levels in the tank are normal. 0,0,0,... Nitrates are at in between 0 and 12.5 (time for my water change anyway) Does anyone know why?

 

[steve-s]

Not familiar with the term "spotted" blue tang. You can check >>here<< for a better ID.

If you could give a few more details about the tank.

Tank size, filtration/GPH, other inhabitants, ph as well as any other info that may help.

Any visual signs of skin/eye ailments, surface gulping, staying in front of powerheads and such.

Cheers
Steve

 

[angnak]

This is what the fish looks like. The LFS called it the blue Spotted Naso:

http://www.startribune.com/images/71/40390.html

80 gallons bow front, one hundred pnds of LR, Powder Blue, Mimic (sp?) Tang, Coral Beauty, Baggai (sp?) and Pajama Cardinal, 2 black Perculas male and female, Pineapple Trigger (LFS's name, they said it was called a yellow faced or belly trigger), 3 cleaner shrimp, 2 serpent stars, 1 sand sifter, 3 patches of button polyps (1 large, 2 small), Gold Pearl Coral, 2 long tentacle anemones, 1 Star Polyp, quite a few snails different variety, a few hermits different variety, 1 Sally Light-foot Crab

PH is 8.0 salinity is 1.023. I have a Tidepool Bio Wheel Sump. Not sure the gph on this pump (I trust the LFS who sold it to me to be efficient enough), but I have three Maxi-Jet PHs 2 at 230 gph and 1 at 295 gph, SeaLife skimmer with a 660 gph pump. I also use Carbon in the filtration.

The fish shows no problems, has no physical evidence of being sick, does not hang around any power heads or anything out of the norm.

 

[angnak]

Also, 2x actinic 65 wt and 2x 10,000 65 wt

 

[steve-s]

This is what the fish looks like. The LFS called it the blue Spotted Naso:

http://www.startribune.com/images/71/40390.html

80 gallons bow front, one hundred pnds of LR, Powder Blue, Mimic (sp?) Tang, Coral Beauty, Baggai (sp?) and Pajama Cardinal, 2 black Perculas male and female, Pineapple Trigger (LFS's name, they said it was called a yellow faced or belly trigger),

My bad, I completely forgot about naso's. Could actually be named a"blue Spotted" but it looks like it's a naso brevirostris of sorts.

But the main problem I see here is overstocking and most likely agggression. 9 fish including the new naso is far to many for an 80 gal. Most of those being large growing as well as having 3 tangs in the tank is IME, not a good mix of fish. Even in an FOWLR setting, this many fish is ill advised.

I would urge you to reduce the fish stock as soon as you are able. Starting with 2 of the 3 tangs. Not sure on the trigger as I am unfamiliar with the common name unless you mean the crosshatch trigger.

Cheers
Steve

 

[angnak]

Tangs are still very small (juveniles). There is some aggresion but no "biting", just running them off (done by the powder blue). I sit and watch for hours sometimes and have only noticed a couple of times. So I don't think this may be it. Everybody has found their place. Even the Spotted.

I found out what the trigger is. It is a blue trigger, but is still a juvenile. Number 6 on this site.

http://members.tripod.com/africandiving/html/triggerfish1.html#titan

The trigger is smaller than my perculas. He as only shown agression towards my shrimp. Ate my little baby cleaner.

I am in the process of getting a 215 gln tank. It's just that I couldn't help myself and got the fish a little early.