Blind / Neurologic Clown Tang

Steph72 · Oct 3, 2020

Soooo I was in my lfs today and they had a clown tang that arrived with what looked like neuro deficiencies due to poor shipping. The vendor didn’t put enough water in the bags and the staff of the store were very disheartened like myself. They were kind enough to let me take this poor guy home and I’m really hoping to help give him a chance. Has anyone had any luck recovering a fish with neurological damage from shipping? He’s beautiful and looks healthy otherwise but obviously can’t see. I have him acclimating with air stones on to help him oxygenate. Here’s a video I took in the store. Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions and certainly prayers are welcome.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 3, 2020

Three things that will place the fish in the right direction are :

Oxygen
Water Quality
Diet

Increase or at least assure there is adequate oxygen or simply add an airstone/pump combo in addition to water quality is essential. Assure your ammonia/nitrate/ph levels are NOT out of norm.
Foods you will want to feed are :
LRS Herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
Spirulina Brine shrimp
Mysis shrimp
As the fish assumes better health, you can feed nori seaweed basted with garlic extract.
Also add selcon Vitamins to its food.
FOR THE FIRST 72 HOURS, REDUCE WHITE AND OFFER BLUE LIGHTING TO KEEP FISH RELAXED AND LIVE BRINE SHRIMP IF YOU CAN FIND SOME.

Karen00 · Oct 3, 2020

I have nothing to offer except prayers but I agree with vetteguy's suggestions are a good course of action! What a sad story but good on you for taking him and so nice the store let you have him for free! Let's hope it's just temporary. I'm following along. At least he will have a good life with you for as long as that is!!

Steph72 · Oct 3, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Three things that will place the fish in the right direction are :

Oxygen
Water Quality
Diet

Increase or at least assure there is adequate oxygen or simply add an airstone/pump combo in addition to water quality is essential. Assure your ammonia/nitrate/ph levels are NOT out of norm.
Foods you will want to feed are :
LRS Herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
Spirulina Brine shrimp
Mysis shrimp
As the fish assumes better health, you can feed nori seaweed basted with garlic extract.
Also add selcon Vitamins to its food.
FOR THE FIRST 72 HOURS, REDUCE WHITE AND OFFER BLUE LIGHTING TO KEEP FISH RELAXED AND LIVE BRINE SHRIMP IF YOU CAN FIND SOME.

Thanks so much for your help, I’ll definitely try to track down some live brine shrimp for him. I have the other foods that you mentioned and Selcon. That stuff is great! I rehabbed a half starved baby Atlantic blue tang with it and he’s a little fatty now. I’m running a really good air stone on full blast, and he’s going into a 30 gallon QT tank that I use for coral. I’m getting ready to test parameters now to make sure it’s good to go. Poor guy...it just breaks my heart that he’s going through this.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 3, 2020

Steph72 said:
Thanks so much for your help, I’ll definitely try to track down some live brine shrimp for him. I have the other foods that you mentioned and Selcon. That stuff is great! I rehabbed a half starved baby Atlantic blue tang with it and he’s a little fatty now. I’m running a really good air stone on full blast, and he’s going into a 30 gallon QT tank that I use for coral. I’m getting ready to test parameters now to make sure it’s good to go. Poor guy...it just breaks my heart that he’s going through this.

Great to hear you are prepared and I have confidence this will turn out for the good

Memisis · Oct 3, 2020

I have a good feeling that your LFS found the perfect fish doctor

If you haven't finished fish school yet then at least RFN (registered fish nurse).

Steph72 · Oct 3, 2020

Aww thanks for your encouragement everyone! It means a lot to me...I’m going to do everything I can to help this sweet baby recover.

Steph72 · Oct 6, 2020

I just wanted to give y’all an update on this poor little guy. He’s much less stressed now and swimming normally; no more head bobbing and going vertical. Getting him to take food is proving to be a challenge because he’s definitely lost all his vision. I don’t even think he can see light because he doesn’t seem to notice when I turn on the room light or tank light. I’m placing food in the same corner each time and I made a foraging tube from pvc wrapped in plastic mesh that I can stuff with nori and sea lettuce. When I got home from work it looked a bit ragged so I’m hoping he ate some. We’re taking it one moment at a time for now but I’m cautiously optimistic

Karen00 · Oct 7, 2020

Steph72 said:
I just wanted to give y’all an update on this poor little guy. He’s much less stressed now and swimming normally; no more head bobbing and going vertical. Getting him to take food is proving to be a challenge because he’s definitely lost all his vision. I don’t even think he can see light because he doesn’t seem to notice when I turn on the room light or tank light. I’m placing food in the same corner each time and I made a foraging tube from pvc wrapped in plastic mesh that I can stuff with nori and sea lettuce. When I got home from work it looked a bit ragged so I’m hoping he ate some. We’re taking it one moment at a time for now but I’m cautiously optimistic

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for both of you!!! Keeping posting updates please. I really hope he's starting to eat for you and kudos to you for going the extra mile with the likes of that foraging tube. He sure is lucky to be with you!

fishguy242 · Oct 7, 2020

following along,hoping for recovery,sending good vibes

Karen00 · Oct 7, 2020

I also wanted to suggest that if you see he is struggling to find the food, even with the feeder, then soaking the food in garlic might help him find it easier. I haven't had to do this before so I don't know if there is a garlic solution recipe (I'm assuming so) but I'm assuming that can be found on here and if not it can be asked.

Steph72 · Oct 10, 2020

Today’s update....Do y’all see this?! He’s worked out how to find his food! He’s foraging nonstop and acting like a normal tang...except that he can’t see. He still has the ability to learn his surroundings and is familiar with where his food is at. Yesssss!!!!!!!

Karen00 · Oct 10, 2020

This is soooo awesome!! Yay!! He looks really nice and beefy along with just looking really good overall. I think both of you just passed the last major hurdle so hopefully it's clear sailing from here! Well done!

fishguy242 · Oct 10, 2020

great news!!

he looks fat, and clean,beautiful fish

Steph72 · Oct 19, 2020

Hey everyone! I just wanted to give an update on this handsome fellow. He’s still alive and strong, but I’ve run into some cycling issues with the quarantine tank he’s been housed in. Water changes, oxygenation, bucket transfers, and (unfortunately) cutting back on feeding is helping to get this under control but it’s been a struggle. I’ve been mixing new water almost every evening. Phewwww Lesson learned...I will always keep my quarantine tank cycled going forward. It’s been a bumpy road ensuring that his water is pristine because he’s extremely sensitive to any changes in the water and goes into distress quickly. I was reading online that clown tangs are in the “difficult “ category for husbandry and that’s no joke. With him being a disabled wild caught animal feeding is also tricky. I’ve had some success, but lots of failures. He doesn’t seem ready to give up yet so we’ll keep pressing on and putting in the effort. He prefers to forage on rocks so I’ve moved some rocks with algae into the tank. Lucky for him I have a ton of algae in my main tank! Lol Rubbing masstick food onto a broccoli floret works sometimes but he’s a very picky eater. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to adjust to life in captivity. I’m growing very attached to him ;Happy

Steph72 · Oct 28, 2020

I have some sad news about this sweet little guy. The cycling issues were under control, he seemed to be holding on strong, and then out of the blue he stopped eating and became lethargic and weak. I don’t know what happened because he was doing so well for awhile and the tank parameters were fine. I really thought I could save him. I could tell he was suffering and since he had already been through so much I made the difficult choice to put him down yesterday. I know I did my best, but I’m truly devastated. He was so special.