Blue tang about to explode??

[Sley1]

I just received a 2" blue tang and has been in an observation tank for 2-3 days. It is not eating in spite of a huge variety of choices. It appears to have slightly labored breathing and a little difficulty balancing upright. I noticed over the last couple days that his belly is quite full and ought it was because he was eating well when I didn't see him. But today it looks like he is going to explode his belly is so distended. Could this be bacterial or an intestinal parasite and should I treat that first before going into copper in the QT.
Thanks for any help

 

[Sley1]

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Could be internal parasites but could be constipated also. I would try USP Epsom salts and if that doesn’t help you’ll need to get him into a QT and dose Metro or GC in the water for internal parasites. If you can get him to eat you can lace his food which is more effective. I believe Epsom salts is 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.
@ngoodermuth is that correct dosage for Epsom ??

 

[Lizfrank1234]

That is the dose i was given by a few different people

 

[HotRocks]

It's hard to tell completely what is going on from pics.

Try adding a little Kanaplex to food. It works like a laxative. Fish may be constipated.

Also is the tail end paper thin? Maybe was very malnourished when you received and is now very gut loaded.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I believe Epsom salts is 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.
@ngoodermuth is that correct dosage for Epsom ??

That’s right! You could also try a boiled pea to get things moving.

It could be intestinal parasites, although that would be a rather severe case to cause that much bloating :/

 

[BellaD]

I had a tomato clownfish that got really bloated in the stomach. We initially thought she was pregnant, seeing as she had paired up with a little male tomato clown, and they had been paired for a few months. However, it turned out to be Dropsy. I figured it out too late and sadly lost her. Looking up the symptoms the key tell tale sign is to look at the fish's scales. They develop a pine-cone appearance where the scales stand out. Not saying this is what your fish is suffering from. Just something I experienced recently and your post made me think of it. Good luck and hope your tang pulls through.

 

[Sley1]

Thanks all, yes his tail end is quite thin. I can try the epson salt, any other side effects to watch out for with that?
I was getting ready to give frozen food soaked with GC and focus so could I just add some Kannaplex to that? Not sure if it will eat as I haven’t seen an eating in 3 days or so. I have GC on hand and could add to the water column as well if needed.

 

[Mppp]

Thanks all, yes his tail end is quite thin. I can try the epson salt, any other side effects to watch out for with that?
I was getting ready to give frozen food soaked with GC and focus so could I just add some Kannaplex to that? Not sure if it will eat as I haven’t seen an eating in 3 days or so. I have GC on hand and could add to the water column as well if needed.

can I ask what ended up working(hopefully)?

 

[bmal]

Hello my blue tang is having the same issue. I did epsom salt last night since he didn’t want to eat the pea, although he did eat seaweed yesterday which was the only thing I fed him cause he’s bloated. Is the epsom salt something I add consistently? or how often do I add? I have a 35-40gl tank. He swims around normal but can tell he uses rocks to hold him from floating up. Breathing looks faster than normal. This is his 3rd day. I have not quarantined him yet. NEED HELP PLEASE I don’t want to lose him. Water levels

Amm- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0.25ppm
Nitrate- 30ppm
Ph-7.9-8

Nitrate has always been high for some reason but fish and fire shrimp are normal. Nitrite has been at that level for 2 days including today but it has spiked at other times and goes back down. Been working on the PH with marine buffer which hasn’t seemed to really work like it has in the past

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hello my blue tang is having the same issue. I did epsom salt last night since he didn’t want to eat the pea, although he did eat seaweed yesterday which was the only thing I fed him cause he’s bloated. Is the epsom salt something I add consistently? or how often do I add? I have a 35-40gl tank. He swims around normal but can tell he uses rocks to hold him from floating up. Breathing looks faster than normal. This is his 3rd day. I have not quarantined him yet. NEED HELP PLEASE I don’t want to lose him. Water levels

Amm- 0ppm
Nitrite- 0.25ppm
Nitrate- 30ppm
Ph-7.9-8

Nitrate has always been high for some reason but fish and fire shrimp are normal. Nitrite has been at that level for 2 days including today but it has spiked at other times and goes back down. Been working on the PH with marine buffer which hasn’t seemed to really work like it has in the past

Would giving macroalgae help (either now or as preventative from returning)?

I feed my tangs red ogo on clip as snack. I've tried sea lettuce, dragon tongue, chaeto, nori sheets (red & green) but red ogo grows fast in refugium and is tender enough for my tangs (yellow & sailfin). Mine seem to make faces at sea lettuce (think teenager getting salad instead of chips). Chaeto & dragon tongue seems too hard for them to eat. Uneaten nori sheets have to be removed if/when not finished, but macroalgae doesn't have that limitation. Haven't tried green ogo, but algaebarn sells both green ogo and red ogo.