Kole Tang sudden death

[TX_REEF]

Hello everyone! I had a kole tang that was fine in the morning suddenly go belly up by evening. She started laying on her side then breathing erratically then a few hours later slowed breathing not much movement and then she died in the quarantine box… the rest of the remaining residents (2 paired ocellaris clowns, 1 six line wrasse, 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 candy cane LPS coral, cleanup crew etc seem fine. The six line wrasse who is usually a voracious eater is hiding constantly now, and the clowns appear to have an accelerated breathing rate visually by gill movement, and are also hiding for the most part. The female is being somewhat aggressive to the smaller male, any chance she would have attacked a Kole tang or anyone else?? I also let green hair algae grow freely on the back wall, not sure if this can contribute in any way?

Parameters are:

Temp 78F
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0-5
PH 8.2

System was started in February 2023 finished cycle in April 2023. Clowns have been there since may, six line since June, Kole tang was introduced in July and has always been an happy resident with an healthy appetite. Any idea what might be causing this? If it helps at all, I did add a small pulsing Xenia colony (1x1 inch rock) 3 weeks ago that died in the last week, and they never opened their “hands” the whole time they were in my tank.

Equipment list:
Red Sea reefer 350 tank and sump
Reef octopus skimmer
Icecap algae scrubber
Reefmat mechanical filter
Helio heater
Reef octopus return pump
2x mp40s set at 33% power reef crest most during the day and 15% 1 second pulse mode at night
Kessil AP9x lighting
~70 lbs dry rock fully cycled to “live” by now

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello everyone! I had a kole tang that was fine in the morning suddenly go belly up by evening. She started laying on her side then breathing erratically then a few hours later slowed breathing not much movement and then she died in the quarantine box… the rest of the remaining residents (2 paired ocellaris clowns, 1 six line wrasse, 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 candy cane LPS coral, cleanup crew etc seem fine. The six line wrasse who is usually a voracious eater is hiding constantly now, and the clowns appear to have an accelerated breathing rate visually by gill movement, and are also hiding for the most part. The female is being somewhat aggressive to the smaller male, any chance she would have attacked a Kole tang or anyone else?? I also let green hair algae grow freely on the back wall, not sure if this can contribute in any way?

Parameters are:

Temp 78F
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0-5
PH 8.2

System was started in February 2023 finished cycle in April 2023. Clowns have been there since may, six line since June, Kole tang was introduced in July and has always been an happy resident with an healthy appetite. Any idea what might be causing this? If it helps at all, I did add a small pulsing Xenia colony (1x1 inch rock) 3 weeks ago that died in the last week, and they never opened their “hands” the whole time they were in my tank.

Equipment list:
Red Sea reefer 350 tank and sump
Reef octopus skimmer
Icecap algae scrubber
Reefmat mechanical filter
Helio heater
Reef octopus return pump
2x mp40s set at 33% power reef crest most during the day and 15% 1 second pulse mode at night
Kessil AP9x lighting
~70 lbs dry rock fully cycled to “live” by now

Without seeing the activity, its often hard to access fish that have perished but based on your observation it could be impact damage from being spooked but from behavior of other fish, appears there is something going on with water/oxygen. What are you using to test ammonia levels?
I would after testing again if you wish, do a 25% water change and add an air stone for added oxygen. Save a sample of water before water change and take to an LFS that does not use Api kits and see what readings they get for ammonia-salinity-ph
It seems you have the tank well covered with filtration but something has triggered causing the distress mentioned.
A video under white light may or may not help with assessment, but post one if you can

 

[TX_REEF]

Thanks for the reply - I’ll also note that salinity is 1.026 SG (verified with both refractometer and Hanna digital tester) and the tang did have a damaged tail fin (like someone had nicked or cut it slightly) in the evening but NOT in the morning before I went to work, but had no visible signs of illness or parasites. I am using the API test kits and also have a seachem ammonia monitor showing 0.I also thought about oxygen, but the skimmer is producing loads of fine bubbles constantly. Is it possible the water isn’t aerated enough even with that? It’s also an open top system with plenty of surface area

 

[littlefoxx]

Thanks for the reply - I’ll also note that salinity is 1.026 SG (verified with both refractometer and Hanna digital tester) and the tang did have a damaged tail fin (like someone had nicked or cut it slightly) in the evening but NOT in the morning before I went to work, but had no visible signs of illness or parasites. I am using the API test kits and also have a seachem ammonia monitor showing 0.I also thought about oxygen, but the skimmer is producing loads of fine bubbles constantly. Is it possible the water isn’t airfares enough even with that? It’s also an open top system with plenty of surface area

I would suggest getting a different brand, I use a combo of fluval and red sea. @vetteguy53081 is very against them and says they give false readings a lot and with his experience I trust that 100% and seen a number of posts where he recommends a different test kit and the API was way wrong

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the reply - I’ll also note that salinity is 1.026 SG (verified with both refractometer and Hanna digital tester) and the tang did have a damaged tail fin (like someone had nicked or cut it slightly) in the evening but NOT in the morning before I went to work, but had no visible signs of illness or parasites. I am using the API test kits and also have a seachem ammonia monitor showing 0.I also thought about oxygen, but the skimmer is producing loads of fine bubbles constantly. Is it possible the water isn’t aerated enough even with that? It’s also an open top system with plenty of surface area

Im not thrilled with ammonia badge after 2 weeks in the water and It appears in pic that water is not reaching the overflow stopping the flow of water and water filtration. A temperature spike can also cause a drop in oxygen. Other fish in the tank with the tang that could inflict damage would be the clowns over the 6 line

 

[TX_REEF]

The water is definitely flowing down to the filter, do you mean you think I should add more total water volume so more water is overflowing constantly? The seachem monitor I just put in today when the tang got sick to check. I also ordered a red sea test kit now

 

[blecki]

More water in the top will just become more water in the sump. Though you might be able to turn the return pump up.

Oxygen is easy enough to rule out by adding a cheap airstone.