Kole Yellow Eye pale and looks to be shedding

Lee1977 · Apr 10, 2014

I have a 75g that is about 4 months old. Just recently, my flame angel died. Checked my params and everything was good. Removed him and did a 15g water change. Other tank mates are a star, 2 percula clowns and a coral beauty. The flame was laying on a rock yesterday and then last night, he was swimming around again. This morning I saw him dead on the bottom. When I checked my PH, it didn't even register between 7.6-8.4.

I added balance and got it up to around 7.8-8.0. Nitrates were at 0.

I have a sump filtration system with bioballs and a few foam filters. I use RO/DI water for top off and changes.

So far, I have lost a blue spotted puffer and a wrasse. May not be related, but I am at a loss to what is going on.

The tang looks very pale and he almost looks to be peeling. I feed them green algae, pellets and occasionally brine shrimp.

I did add a few zoanthids to the tank this week. They are the only corals. Not sure if they released some palyotoxin that could be killing the fish or if ick is present.

I can't get a pic of the tang because he keeps hiding.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

mcarroll · Apr 10, 2014

Lee1977 said:
I have a 75g that is about 4 months old. Just recently, my flame angel died. Checked my params and everything was good. Removed him and did a 15g water change. Other tank mates are a star, 2 percula clowns and a coral beauty. The flame was laying on a rock yesterday and then last night, he was swimming around again. This morning I saw him dead on the bottom. When I checked my PH, it didn't even register between 7.6-8.4.

I added balance and got it up to around 7.8-8.0. Nitrates were at 0.

I have a sump filtration system with bioballs and a few foam filters. I use RO/DI water for top off and changes.

So far, I have lost a blue spotted puffer and a wrasse. May not be related, but I am at a loss to what is going on.

The tang looks very pale and he almost looks to be peeling. I feed them green algae, pellets and occasionally brine shrimp.

I did add a few zoanthids to the tank this week. They are the only corals. Not sure if they released some palyotoxin that could be killing the fish or if ick is present.

Almost certainly stress related. Kole's are often-solitary detritavores, so for a tang they are one of the best-suited for a home-reef.

STRESS
I don't know how big everyone in the tank was, but that sounds like an awful lot of very stout personalities AND fish in a tiny 4ft tank....one set of contributors to overall stress levels in your fish, on top of everything they went through before getting into your tank.

If there is any disease at works (only rarely visible signs), of course that's a major stress, but usually the final one in a long series...BUT....Kole's do have some tendencies to display stress outwardly like this (if I'm guessing right at your description of his look) well in advance of death and seemingly without any presence of disease. He just needs a GOOD CHANGE OF ENVIRONMENT.

By my count he still has 2 clowns and an angel fish - all of which can be wicked-deadly tank-mates. If you haven't had much time for viewing the tank (including off-hours) it might be good to watch them extra-close for a while.

I would not add any more fish to this tank...and be prepared to remove any bullies you might discover!

Keep up with the Noori feedings, but if he's not eating 100% of it, don'y leave any piece in the tank longer than a day...or less...they get pretty funky when they go! Replace it with a fresh piece at LEAST every day.

Brine shrimp is the dietary equivalent of potato chips to your fish.

Consider adding some flake food of a different brand to his diet....New Life Spectrum is my favorite, but almost any of the major brands are pretty darned good these days.

Also consider a different high-quality frozen food....cyclopeeze is fine if he likes it and, along with the other fish, as long as it all gets eaten. If they seem to prefer larger bites, try other frozen marine plankton.

I would strictly avoid buying froze food in cubes that are made with gelatin binders.....generally they are hard for the fish to eat without a mesh feeder made for holding the cubes still, plus who wants to add gelatin to their reef?

BTW
If "balance" is a two-part additive for boosting calcium and alkalinity, you need to be dosing them both based on their own respective test results - never based on pH. I would test those parameters asap...at the LFS if needed.

Foam (sponge) filters are notoriously efficient... Why I say "notorious" is that they require VERY frequent cleanings to avoid them becoming a detrius sink and continuous source of dissolved nutrients. If that's a pain in the butt, or otherwise not going to happen, consider removing them at the very least. Possibly replace them with something easier to maintain in your scenario, if you see the need.

I hope this helps!

-Matt

Bad Company · Apr 10, 2014

Big changes in pH (even back to "good") in a short time can be very sressful for tank inhabitants! You may want to add some sort of buffer so that you don't have swings.

Lee1977 · Apr 10, 2014

Thank you both for your responses.

Matt-

He is currently the largest inhabitant in the tank. I watch the tank alot and the only fish that was bullying another was the coral beauty towards the flame. Hence, the flame is now deceased. The tang swims around freely without disturbing his mates and vice versa. I haven't done the nori clip just the flakes.

The brine shrimp were purchased for the puffer, who is also deceased. I rarely put those in, if at all.

I wish I could get a pic of him, but it looks like his skin is literally peeling off in places. His overall color is very pale. He doesn't seem lethargic or sick for that matter.

It just has me concerned. I have another 26g reef setup with clowns, yellow tang, chromis and damsel. It has been running for 2 years and it is flawless. I just want my big tank to do the same.

In your opinion, what are the best fish to have in a tank like mine that get along and are all fairly hearty?

Thanks,

Lee

Lee1977 · Apr 10, 2014

Oh, the balance I was referring to was the one-step Aqua Vitro Balance. I have a two-step calcium / carbonate hardness buffer as well. Haven't done that seeing as how my params didn't call for it.