Normal Tang behavior?

[Onewolf]

Tangs behavior is odd but it is eating and I probably would not pull other fish out till you get a diagnosis or see how the Tang recovers.

That's what I'm leaning towards. I'm still amazed I was able to get the Tang out of the display tank.

 

[Tamberav]

That's what I'm leaning towards. I'm still amazed I was able to get the Tang out of the display tank.

That is sometimes a bad sign though... sick fish are easier to catch. I am hoping your Tang is just a weirdo... its very strange behavior indeed.

 

[Goaway]

Tangs behavior is odd but it is eating and I probably would not pull other fish out till you get a diagnosis or see how the Tang recovers.

I second this. I would say observe first. I treated for disease without symptoms and have fish die. Even with a hana copper tester. QT healthy fish die with no illness during treatment, ill fish recover. If nothing happens in 3 days. I would place him back into the DT. And assume you have a strange tang.

 

[Goaway]

That's what I'm leaning towards. I'm still amazed I was able to get the Tang out of the display tank.

Fish are so different than each other. I could easily capture my purple tang. He would just swim into the box I would use.

Watch and observe gill movement. Look for speckles on the fins and scales. Around the eye. He maybe just weird.

Edit: please don't use nets on saltwater fish. It can snag onto the gills and tear them. I am sure you know this.

 

[RGoltz]

I want to put this out there mostly because people may return to this thread in the future..

A new Kole can be very territorial and constantly swim against its own reflection. My tank is in an entryway which is dim. So, a combination of leaving the room light on and
applying white static cling film from Amazon to the outside of the tank reduces this reflection. This mostly solved the problem with my spotted Kole. I say mostly because he is generally aggressive which has resulted in some small injuries which have healed themselves.

In this particular case I would say the decision to pull the tang - once introduced and we are no longer debating QT - should be based on observing behavior and the condition of the fish. If you move or stop the source of flow and the tang does not return to this area or seeks out another source of flow, pull it. If the fish has clear spots or an aversion to light, pull all the fish. However, if the fish seems to be reacting to an image I would prefer to solve that problem in-place because this is less stressful. In fact, I was quick to address this attacking behavior because I want to avoid that stress as a possible contributor to illness.

I realize the fish has already been pulled. I’m just adding this to the conversation for posterity.

 

[Goaway]

Adding a mirror to the QT may help ID if he was fighting his reflection. ^ adding to that post. Nicely put.

 

[Onewolf]

Btw, when I bought him at the LFS he was having a major turf 'battle' with the White Tail Bristletooth Tang in the tank next to his.

Here's video of him from a couple minutes ago in the QT.

 

[Dom]

Tangs behavior is odd but it is eating and I probably would not pull other fish out till you get a diagnosis or see how the Tang recovers.

But here is my concern...

Lets assume that the Tang's behavior (staying in the high flow area of the powerhead) is due to early onset of velvet.

Now you have an infected fish the was in the display tank for 9 days and was infecting the other inhabitants in the tank.

The Tang is currently in a hospital tank and being treated proactively. If the other fish in the tank begin to show symptoms of velvet, they can't be placed in the same tank as the Tang as they will now be on day 1 of the treatment program, where the Tang may be on day 4 or 5.

Doing so would now reset the clock on the Tang's treatment to day 1.

Waiting would require a second hospital tank.

I say treat them ALL and go fallow in the DT.

 

[Dom]

Btw, when I bought him at the LFS he was having a major turf 'battle' with the White Tail Bristletooth Tang in the tank next to his.

Here's video of him from a couple minutes ago in the QT.

Hmmm... maybe it IS his reflection.

This is a tough one.

 

[Tamberav]

But here is my concern...

Lets assume that the Tang's behavior (staying in the high flow area of the powerhead) is due to early onset of velvet.

Now you have an infected fish the was in the display tank for 9 days and was infecting the other inhabitants in the tank.

The Tang is currently in a hospital tank and being treated proactively. If the other fish in the tank begin to show symptoms of velvet, they can't be placed in the same tank as the Tang as they will now be on day 1 of the treatment program, where the Tang may be on day 4 or 5.

Doing so would now reset the clock on the Tang's treatment to day 1.

Waiting would require a second hospital tank.

I say treat them ALL and go fallow in the DT.

idk I just use the numerous plastic totes I have to treat multiple batches. Air pump and air line (no heater in summer). Done.

If the tang has nothing then you risk losing the other fish to stress. I personally wouldn’t put all those fish in one recently set up 20g anyways. Seeded or not.

 

[Onewolf]

But here is my concern...

Lets assume that the Tang's behavior (staying in the high flow area of the powerhead) is due to early onset of velvet.

Now you have an infected fish the was in the display tank for 9 days and was infecting the other inhabitants in the tank.

The Tang is currently in a hospital tank and being treated proactively. If the other fish in the tank begin to show symptoms of velvet, they can't be placed in the same tank as the Tang as they will now be on day 1 of the treatment program, where the Tang may be on day 4 or 5.

Doing so would now reset the clock on the Tang's treatment to day 1.

Waiting would require a second hospital tank.

I say treat them ALL and go fallow in the DT.

The Tang is not currently being treated but he is being observed. It sounds like Copper Safe is the preferred treatment for Velvet? I don't have Copper Safe nor a Copper test kit. I'm headed out now to my LFS to find this stuff.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Btw, when I bought him at the LFS he was having a major turf 'battle' with the White Tail Bristletooth Tang in the tank next to his.

Here's video of him from a couple minutes ago in the QT.

That fish's behavior doesn't look too bad to me now - I would turn the air up on the sponge filter though (not related, just a good idea). Brand new tank though - you'll need to manage any ammonia issues.

Jay

 

[Goaway]

The Tang is not currently being treated but he is being observed. It sounds like Copper Safe is the preferred treatment for Velvet? I don't have Copper Safe nor a Copper test kit. I'm headed out now to my LFS to find this stuff.

Get a mirror. And see what happens. Tape it to the side of the tank.

Edit: he looks good. As others stated, could have been a reflection fight.

 

[Uncle99]

When the lights are off he would remain in his cave/house area.

When lights off, reflection disappears.

 

[RGoltz]

The OP is now left with the choice of whether to perform preventative QT only to put the fish in a DT which has several other fish which where not QT’d and the fish in question was in.

If/when the OP does reintroduce the fish, I recommend reviewing my comments above on reducing reflections to calm the fish down. I wonder if these spotted Kole (from Sri Lanka, I believe) are more aggressive than the specimens from Hawaii…

 

[Onewolf]

Just a followup.... The Tang has been in the tank for almost 4 weeks now and he is still skittish, but he eats everything like a total pig. He's very hard to get a decent photo of because 1) He never stops moving 2) He hides if he sees any motion outside the tank.

 

[RGoltz]

@Onewolf I take it you left the fish in the display?

I will say that my spotted Kole is a bit of a mess as well. It is definitely territorial. I read somewhere that some tangs travel in a school grazing the reef while others claim an area. The Kole follows the former pattern thus the territorial behavior. I believe the spotted Kole from Sri Lanka might be even more territorial. Honestly I’m surprised at the behavior in my 4’ tank. That fish is crazy.

 

[Onewolf]

@Onewolf I take it you left the fish in the display?

I will say that my spotted Kole is a bit of a mess as well. It is definitely territorial. I read somewhere that some tangs travel in a school grazing the reef while others claim an area. The Kole follows the former pattern thus the territorial behavior. I believe the spotted Kole from Sri Lanka might be even more territorial. Honestly I’m surprised at the behavior in my 4’ tank. That fish is crazy.

I actually did a FW dip and placed the Tang in hospital tank for 'observation' for about 4 days. While in the hospital tank there didn't appear to be anything physically wrong with the Tang so I placed him back in the DT where he's been for almost 4 weeks now.

 

[RGoltz]

I actually did a FW dip and placed the Tang in hospital tank for 'observation' for about 4 days. While in the hospital tank there didn't appear to be anything physically wrong with the Tang so I placed him back in the DT where he's been for almost 4 weeks now.

I feel like the display is the best place for a fish but obviously some considerations with QT before that point.

I think this discussion with @Jay Hemdal sums this up: Kole Eye Injury

I’m curious what size tank you have this Kole in?

 

[Onewolf]

I feel like the display is the best place for a fish but obviously some considerations with QT before that point.

I think this discussion with @Jay Hemdal sums this up: Kole Eye Injury

I’m curious what size tank you have this Kole in?

90 gal 48x18x25