Tang has stopped swimming

[William Spak]

I have a TON of experince with tangs and have Gems, a Koi and PTs myself. I have done evrything under the sun from velvet (successfully) to what your experiencing. I agree with @TJDSEKULA that tangs can completely thrown off from stress —causing a number of other issues From their weakened immune.

I would leave it alone personally. IME If this happens from acclimation, turn the lights off and leave it be. cover the tank if you can. If they're from the sea, they havent been conditioned to aquariums and can be scared of anything. I beleive in Prazi but would avoid use at all costs in this situation. Water changes need to be 100% perfect (temp, salinity, ph etc) otherwise you’re going to push it further into stress. If it is anything other than that. Unfortunately his odd are slim and even meds will be extreemly difficult to properly admin unless you know exactly what your doing (@Humblefish or @Big G ‘S level).

This just happened to me on a kole tang because the acclimation bucket tiped over midway through. I had no choice but to throw in my tank. My QT is small enough to cover with a few towels so i immediately actioned and left the room undisturbed for a few days (some minor check ins). No food, no volitily in environment.

im no expert by anymeans and some beleive in medicating (as do I) but Id hate for you to regret something based on my experience.

My LFS told me to add garlic for parasites, recently I've been adding in marine buffer to up pH because I have been having coral issues, but I'll stop that. Assuming he survived until tomorrow, then I'll return him, I think they can treat him better than I can.

He seems to be enjoying the darkness, although my two new corals may not. I have the tank covered in a blanket.

Thanks for the help man

 

[vetteguy53081]

Also guys, the tang is swimming around kind of normally. Somethings still off though.

Freshwater dip always help. . . again make sure temp matches the tank temp

 

[vetteguy53081]

My LFS told me to add garlic for parasites, recently I've been adding in marine buffer to up pH because I have been having coral issues, but I'll stop that. Assuming he survived until tomorrow, then I'll return him, I think they can treat him better than I can.

He seems to be enjoying the darkness, although my two new corals may not. I have the tank covered in a blanket.

Thanks for the help man

garlic helps the immune system but does NOT help with parasites. . . Wow.

 

[DSEKULA]

My LFS told me to add garlic for parasites, recently I've been adding in marine buffer to up pH because I have been having coral issues, but I'll stop that. Assuming he survived until tomorrow, then I'll return him, I think they can treat him better than I can.

He seems to be enjoying the darkness, although my two new corals may not. I have the tank covered in a blanket.

Thanks for the help man

Sounds like a good idea, coral should be fine with a few extra dark hours. Just hope your right and the lfs is ok to take care of him and moving again dosent stress more.

 

[William Spak]

He's starting to have some serious trouble swimming. I don't think he'll make it. This is crazy, a few hours ago he was swimming fine. I feel awful, I've lost so many fish. Wasted hundreds of dollars on stuff.

 

[William Spak]

Regardless, thank you all for the help. It means a lot, I've been in this hobby for 3 years and I still am terrible haha.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sorry to hear. Is this the tomini tang from the earlier thread? For what it's worth, that picture didn't look to me like damage from a clownfish, seemed more systemic to me. It was only on the left side though?

As far as losing fish, I know it is discouraging. I started keeping marine aquariums as a teen back in the early 1970s. I figured that I spent $5k of money from part time jobs on fish that all died...the trick is to try and learn from each one.

Oh - and I still lose fish.

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looking at the additional pictures, Looks more like blotches on the skin?
If I am seeing right, the blotches were caused by a bacterial infection and could easily be treated with Maracyn II. It is again associated with water quality and i would double check both nitrates and ammonia level. Diet can play a part to.

 

[William Spak]

thank you all for the wonderful help, but the tang has just passed. I truly appreciate it guys.

 

[cancun]

thank you all for the wonderful help, but the tang has just passed. I truly appreciate it guys.

Hi there! I just saw this.....I am sorry about your Tang! I wanted to add something though. I learned this the hard way years ago. Make sure you ask the LFS what salinity their fish they are selling is in. A lot of LFS keep their fish only systems at really low salinity like 1.020 or lower. That makes acclimation really tough if trying to acclimate to 1.025 in your display tank. I wish I learned this early on, would have saved myself the upset of loosing fish, not to mention the money down the drain.

 

[William Spak]

Hi there! I just saw this.....I am sorry about your Tang! I wanted to add something though. I learned this the hard way years ago. Make sure you ask the LFS what salinity their fish they are selling is in. A lot of LFS keep their fish only systems at really low salinity like 1.020 or lower. That makes acclimation really tough if trying to acclimate to 1.025 in your display tank. I wish I learned this early on, would have saved myself the upset of loosing fish, not to mention the money down the drain.

That's very smart... I'll totally ask them that, thank you very much- probably gotta start drip acclimating

 

[DSEKULA]

Sorry to hear loosing fish sucks

 

[William Spak]

Sorry to hear loosing fish sucks

Yeah... I've lost plenty, but thank you for helping me

 

[cancun]

That's very smart... I'll totally ask them that, thank you very much- probably gotta start drip acclimating

No problem! I learned that lesson the hard way. Yeah from LFS i only buy fish from their coral systems or display tanks. The three LFS I use by me have a wall or two of fish only systems. One keeps the salinity at 1.018 or so, the others at 1.020. My main LFS I use ....when I want a fish they make sure it is acclimated in their coral systems, it display tank for me. I have leave it there a few weeks before I pick it up. Over the years I developed a good relationship with the owner. I know the owners of the other two really well too, but they won't go above and beyond like my main LFS. If I used a QT tank it would be easier because I could adjust the salinity to match theirs!

Good luck and don't give up! I still drip acclimate even if the salinity matches mine. I just do it for 45 minutes or so.

 

[vetteguy53081]

sorry to hear
Ask for salinity, ask to see it eat, observe skin and breathing and how it interacts with other fish in their display tank

 

[Alenya]

Don’t be too hard on yourself, you tried your best which is a lot more than some would do.

 

[PTXReef]

I think realizing the issue and asking for advice/help is the best thing you can do. If you're in this hobby, you're bound to eventually lose something no matter how hard you try. Whether that be from a diseased fish, something that just won't eat, something that jumps out of the tank, any power outtages, old age, the possibilities are almost endless. Not to discourage you from the hobby but as long as we learn from them and try our best not to repeat mistakes, we can treat the next inhabitant as best we can. Good luck with your next tang and happy reefing!

 

[Letterkenny]

Semi off topic here but I have been thinking lately, is there really a point in buying at your LFS vs online? I don’t know of a LFS that has any living guarantee (e.g. 14 days) that the online retailers have. As mentioned here, LFS often use lower salinity for which (I have been told on R2R at least) can help suppress illness, allowing you to purchase what looked to be a healthy fish that then turns south fairly quickly.

 

[PTXReef]

Semi off topic here but I have been thinking lately, is there really a point in buying at your LFS vs online? I don’t know of a LFS that has any living guarantee (e.g. 14 days) that the online retailers have. As mentioned here, LFS often use lower salinity for which (I have been told on R2R at least) can help suppress illness, allowing you to purchase what looked to be a healthy fish that then turns south fairly quickly.

I personally love to look at the fish/corals in person as no picture can beat the live representation of your future inhabitants. I like supporting my LFS so I wouldn't have to rely on online vendors if I need something urgently. Don't know much about how lower salinity suppresses illnesses, but as long as you quarantine I think it's well worth buying from your LFS. Also, no shipping costs or minimum purchases of hundreds of dollars

 

[Tamberav]

35 gal- my LFS said he'd be fine in there for a while because he's very very small.

Is it the hex tank? If so...the Tang has basically no swimming room....tangs needs horizontal space not vertical.

Just FYI. If this one dies...don't replace it. A small hex is such a terrible place for a tang to be. It sounds like it was already sick and struggling... probably came in with something.

The advise your LFS is giving is just terrible

There are many other fish that are interesting that can live in a hex though.

You also should not be doing pH buffer. It will cause a swing and mess with your alkalinity..