Tomini Tang Behavior in QT (Possible Parasite?)

[TheFishman9000]

Hey everyone, I currently have a Tomini tang in QT in a 20 gallon long. It’s been in there for just shy of two weeks. It’s purely observational.

Recently, every time I go up to the tank, it either darts across the tank and hides in a bare glass corner, or it runs into one of its PVC pipes and “twitches” in place aggressively. It doesn’t appear to be flashing or rubbing against the pipe, but this is still a new behavior (about 2 days). It seems slightly pale, as well. Though I can’t see any specific white spots, localized discoloration or visible gill issues.

It’s been eating a 1” x 5” piece of nori every day. Appetite is yet to waver.

Ammonia is 0 (salifert)

Nitrite is 0 (salifert)

Nitrate is sitting at about 1ppm (salifert)

Salinity is 35ppt (measured with a standard, calibrated, refractometer).

Tank is cycled with media in an HOB from my display sump. Sponge filter included for extra oxygenation.

Do these actions jump out at anyone more experienced than me? I tend to think flukes if anything. Perhaps just acute stress from the small tank? Video attached of the PVC behavior.

 

[TheFishman9000]

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hey everyone, I currently have a Tomini tang in QT in a 20 gallon long. It’s been in there for just shy of two weeks. It’s purely observational.

Recently, every time I go up to the tank, it either darts across the tank and hides in a bare glass corner, or it runs into one of its PVC pipes and “twitches” in place aggressively. It doesn’t appear to be flashing or rubbing against the pipe, but this is still a new behavior (about 2 days). It seems slightly pale, as well. Though I can’t see any specific white spots, localized discoloration or visible gill issues.

It’s been eating a 1” x 5” piece of nori every day. Appetite is yet to waver.

Ammonia is 0 (salifert)

Nitrite is 0 (salifert)

Nitrate is sitting at about 1ppm (salifert)

Salinity is 35ppt (measured with a standard, calibrated, refractometer).

Tank is cycled with media in an HOB from my display sump. Sponge filter included for extra oxygenation.

Do these actions jump out at anyone more experienced than me? I tend to think flukes if anything. Perhaps just acute stress from the small tank? Video attached of the PVC behavior.

Observational quarantine is risky, because so many fish going through the supply chain pick up diseases along the way, they really need to be prophylactically treated for those.

What are you feeding it other than the nori? Roasted nori isn't a complete diet.

Given that the fish is in a stable QT, I'd suggest that you give it a full quarantine. The flighty behavior could well be flukes, but protozoan diseases will kill much faster. Our updated quarantine protocol is here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/

 

[TheFishman9000]

Observational quarantine is risky, because so many fish going through the supply chain pick up diseases along the way, they really need to be prophylactically treated for those.

What are you feeding it other than the nori? Roasted nori isn't a complete diet.

Given that the fish is in a stable QT, I'd suggest that you give it a full quarantine. The flighty behavior could well be flukes, but protozoan diseases will kill much faster. Our updated quarantine protocol is here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/

Full QT it is.

It gets occasional mysis supplementation. I haven’t observed it eating the mysis yet, though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Full QT it is.

It gets occasional mysis supplementation. I haven’t observed it eating the mysis yet, though.

In lieu of mysis, try brine shrimp, plankton or even LRS fish frenzy

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Full QT it is.

It gets occasional mysis supplementation. I haven’t observed it eating the mysis yet, though.

You could try some NLS small sinking pellets or other premium sinking pellets. Also, nori adds a lot of bulk, try withholding the nori for the day and trying the mysids later in the day.

 

[TheFishman9000]

You could try some NLS small sinking pellets or other premium sinking pellets. Also, nori adds a lot of bulk, try withholding the nori for the day and trying the mysids later in the day.

I just won’t refill his nori today and then try some mysis and/or sinking pellets later.

In terms of copper, from what I’ve seen so far, Copper Power seems to be the most consistent and reliable. Do Tominis have a sensitivity to copper dosed to full strength over the 24 hour period? Also, if it is flukes that are causing this behavior, will it be ok waiting the 30+ day period for prazi?

Thanks for the help!

 

[LeftyReefer]

The tomini tang can handle copper power.
I just QT'd a similar bristletoith tang in copper power at 2.5 for 35 days. Did just fine.

 

[TheFishman9000]

The tomini tang can handle copper power.
I just QT'd a similar bristletoith tang in copper power at 2.5 for 35 days. Did just fine.

Awesome, thanks

 

[TheFishman9000]

Update: fed a 1/8 cube of mysis and eating was aggressive.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I just won’t refill his nori today and then try some mysis and/or sinking pellets later.

In terms of copper, from what I’ve seen so far, Copper Power seems to be the most consistent and reliable. Do Tominis have a sensitivity to copper dosed to full strength over the 24 hour period? Also, if it is flukes that are causing this behavior, will it be ok waiting the 30+ day period for prazi?

Thanks for the help!

Tomini are fine with either copper power or coppersafe at least up to 2.5 ppm

You can run copper power and prazi at the same time if you use pure prazi powder (not a liquid formulation).

 

[TheFishman9000]

Tomini are fine with either copper power or coppersafe at least up to 2.5 ppm

You can run copper power and prazi at the same time if you use pure prazi powder (not a liquid formulation).

I think that’s what I’ll end up doing, then. Aeration in the tank is good as I have both an HOB AquaClear and a sponge filter running in addition to a small powerhead.

Is there a particular brand of powdered prazi that is recommended?

 

[LeftyReefer]

I think that’s what I’ll end up doing, then. Aeration in the tank is good as I have both an HOB AquaClear and a sponge filter running in addition to a small powerhead.

Is there a particular brand of powdered prazi that is recommended?

I use Fritz brand Prazicleanse. It's easy to get and the packets are pre-dosed for a 20g tank, which is the size of my QT tank.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I think that’s what I’ll end up doing, then. Aeration in the tank is good as I have both an HOB AquaClear and a sponge filter running in addition to a small powerhead.

Is there a particular brand of powdered prazi that is recommended?

Prazicleanse is fine.

Here is a link to my write-up on using prazi:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

 

[TheFishman9000]

Prazicleanse is fine.

Here is a link to my write-up on using prazi:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

Awesome, thanks.

Last question (I hope)…

I have copper power. The prazicleanse/brine shrimp net will be here tomorrow. However, I had to order the Hanna checker for copper and it will not be here for a few days. Is it possible to start dosing prazi before I ramp up the copper? Or would it be better for me to wait for the Hanna checker and follow the simultaneous prazi and copper QT instructions exactly?

 

[LeftyReefer]

You can dose the Prazi before the copper.

Saying that, if you can get accurate measurements of your tank, including fill height, and run it through a tank volume estimator. Then once you have an accurate volume of water, you can use one of the many online copper power dosing calculators to get you close. I've found them to be very accurate providing you are using an accurate figure for your tank's volume. Be sure to add the volume of any HOB equipment.

I use this copper power calculator with great results.

use an accurate tank volume, set the level of the calculator to 2.25+/- and use the exact dosage it gives you. That will get you close enough until your Hanna checker arrives in a few days.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Awesome, thanks.

Last question (I hope)…

I have copper power. The prazicleanse/brine shrimp net will be here tomorrow. However, I had to order the Hanna checker for copper and it will not be here for a few days. Is it possible to start dosing prazi before I ramp up the copper? Or would it be better for me to wait for the Hanna checker and follow the simultaneous prazi and copper QT instructions exactly?

You can dose prazi before copper, but the general issue is that flukes kill fish much slower than do protozoans, so for general quarantine, you always want to start copper ASAP.

 

[TheFishman9000]

You can dose prazi before copper, but the general issue is that flukes kill fish much slower than do protozoans, so for general quarantine, you always want to start copper ASAP.

I definitely understand that. I just didn’t want to potentially overdose the copper. If the online calculator is reliable enough to hold me over until my checker comes in, I’ll start ramping up copper today.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I definitely understand that. I just didn’t want to potentially overdose the copper. If the online calculator is reliable enough to hold me over until my checker comes in, I’ll start ramping up copper today.

You can dose according to the label instructions at about 75% of your tank’s volume. Then, with the Hanna, you can inch up the dose from there.

In the back of my mind I recall some issue with one of the online calculators…..

 

[TheFishman9000]

That’s what I’ll do then. Thanks so much for the help!