Normal Tang behavior?

[Onewolf]

Here is a video of my Bristletooth Tang on day 9 since he was introduced into the 90 gal tank (48x18x24). He spends a LOT of time in the front left corner next to a powerhead. Occasionally he will make a full sweep of the tank and sometimes he wanders around chomping on the rock or sand floor. He currently eats seaweed sheets and Masstick, but he does not seem to eat any of the frozen foods (Reef Frenzy, PE Mysis, Brine shrimp) that I feed the other fish.

The other fish in the tank are: 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Midas Blenny, and an Arc Eye Hawkfish. The tang is at least 3-4X larger then any of the other fish and the other fish completely ignore him. I am wondering if this is part of the 'normal' Tang tank acclimation process or he is abnormally neurotic. I really hope he chills out and uses more of the tank.

 

[Onewolf]

And yes, my googan clownfish are hosting in the Candy Cane corals. "The heart wants what the heart wants."

 

[Goaway]

Hmm something is not right, he seems to be breathing hard. I never owned that kind of tang. Sailfin, purple and powder blue, they have never breath that heavy. Maybe someone can chime in and say other wise.

 

[stevolough]

Hmm something is not right, he seems to be breathing hard. I never owned that kind of tang. Sailfin, purple and powder blue, they have never breath that heavy. Maybe someone can chime in and say other wise.

Out of curiosity what does he do if you shut the power head off?

 

[Onewolf]

Hmm something is not right, he seems to be breathing hard. I never owned that kind of tang. Sailfin, purple and powder blue, they have never breath that heavy. Maybe someone can chime in and say other wise.

Thanks for the reply. I don't have enough experience to differentiate hard breathing from the cardio workout he's giving himself. The return pump water current comes down that corner and the MP10 adds to it which gives him the strong flow he's swimming into.

 

[Onewolf]

Out of curiosity what does he do if you shut the power head off?

I will find out....

I can reconfigure the return outlet so that corner doesn't have so much current.

 

[Billldg]

Agree, it doesn't look right. Did you QT or fresh water dip the tang? It looks like it is trying to create flow across its gills.

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Goaway]

Thanks for the reply. I don't have enough experience to differentiate hard breathing from the cardio workout he's giving himself. The return pump water current comes down that corner and the MP10 adds to it which gives him the strong flow he's swimming into.

Swimming into a power head is usually because they are having difficulties getting oxygen and this is usually because they have flukes in the gills or velvet. I just hope it's nothing.

 

[Onewolf]

Btw, fish have been in the tank for 14+ months.

Today's water parameters are:

Ammonia: 0.0
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 1 ppm
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.0
Alk: 8.3
Calcium: 469
Magnesium: 1360
Phosphate: 0.0
Temp: 77.8

 

[Onewolf]

Agree, it doesn't look right. Did you QT or fresh water dip the tang? It looks like it is trying to create flow across its gills.

@Jay Hemdal

No. Drip acclimated and into the tank. He had arrived at the LFS 2 days earlier. I'm young and stupid. Ok, maybe just stupid.

 

[JGT]

Common symptom of velvet. Any recent additions to the tank?

 

[Goaway]

No. Drip acclimated and into the tank. He had arrived at the LFS 2 days earlier. I'm young and stupid. Ok, maybe just stupid.

I am so confused,

Btw, fish have been in the tank for 14+ months.

Today's water parameters are:

Ammonia: 0.0
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 1 ppm
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.0
Alk: 8.3
Calcium: 469
Magnesium: 1360
Phosphate: 0.0
Temp: 77.8

Did you have the tang for 14+m as well?

 

[Billldg]

No. Drip acclimated and into the tank. He had arrived at the LFS 2 days earlier. I'm young and stupid. Ok, maybe just stupid.

No, you are neither, we all learn and continue to learn. The tang looks to be in great shape, we just need to find a way to help you.

 

[Onewolf]

I am so confused,

Did you have the tang for 14+m as well?

There have been other fish in the tank for 14+ months.

This Tang was the last fish added, 9 days ago.

The other fish are all behaving normally so far.

 

[Goaway]

"Symptoms – Velvet dinospores will usually invade the gills first and sometimes kill the fish right then due to asphyxiation. If this happens, you may never see physical evidence of velvet on the skin & fins. Therefore, it is important to observe for these key behavioral symptoms of velvet:" Copy and paste from a different article.
Now I am no expert on velvet.

TANK TERROR: Identifying And Treating Marine Velvet

The reef aquarium hobby is not for the faint of heart. Maintaining a complex ecosystem can be a daunting task with many variables in play that all have effect on one another. However, beyond the effort to maintain the ecosystem and address common...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Goaway]

Sorry but,
@Jay Hemdal Maybe you can tell if the fish is fine or has an infection. Sorry to tag you.

 

[Onewolf]

Ok, so in the 20 minutes or so since I turned off that powerhead and redirected the return outlet so it does not flow down that corner the Tang has simply wandered around the tank foraging for food.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Here is a video of my Bristletooth Tang on day 9 since he was introduced into the 90 gal tank (48x18x24). He spends a LOT of time in the front left corner next to a powerhead. Occasionally he will make a full sweep of the tank and sometimes he wanders around chomping on the rock or sand floor. He currently eats seaweed sheets and Masstick, but he does not seem to eat any of the frozen foods (Reef Frenzy, PE Mysis, Brine shrimp) that I feed the other fish.

The other fish in the tank are: 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Midas Blenny, and an Arc Eye Hawkfish. The tang is at least 3-4X larger then any of the other fish and the other fish completely ignore him. I am wondering if this is part of the 'normal' Tang tank acclimation process or he is abnormally neurotic. I really hope he chills out and uses more of the tank.

I'm not loving that swimming action - the respiration rate is a little bit elevated, but as the tang swims, it seems a bit "off". I can't tell you what it could be based on just that observation though.....

Jay

 

[Onewolf]

And he's back (intermittantly) swimming in the corner. There is basically no current in that corner with the powerhead off and the return outlet adjusted. There is a still lot of current in the corners at the other end of the tank, but he's not interested in that current. I would say 2/3 of the time he's wandering around the tank and 1/3 of the time is in 'his' corner.

 

[stevolough]

And he's back (intermittantly) swimming in the corner. There is basically no current in that corner with the powerhead off and the return outlet adjusted. There is a still lot of current in the corners at the other end of the tank, but he's not interested in that current. I would say 2/3 of the time he's wandering around the tank and 1/3 of the time is in 'his' corner.

I’m sorry for what you’re going through. I’ve been there. Unfortunately I’m no expert in fish diseases. Any chance you can add an air stone to increase oxygen levels?