Tomini Tang Dorsal fin twitching

[Corapandora96]

Hello!

I got a Tomini Tang from my LFS about 3 weeks ago. The LFS had it a few weeks before I got it. I dont get to see him up close very often as he is VERY shy but I zoomed in with my camera and took a few videos of him because I wanted to make sure I didnt see any spots or injuries or anything like that since we are getting towards the end of quarantine time. Plus, he was getting a bit beat up on at the LFS so I wanted to make sure his tail was getting better.

I noticed in the videos that he twitches his dorsal fin an awful lot. Is that normal? He doesnt seem to rub or scratch on anything and he's an excellent eater but I did read that twitching can be a sign of flakes.

Hes very very shy and stays very close to his reef decoration so he can dart in there quickly if we get too close. So I havent seen him swimming much to tell if hes shimmering or darting (other than back into his hidey hole). But assuming we stay a bit further back he's often out and about on that side of the QT tank and he LOOOOVES his Nori and Frozen Mysis. QT tank is small (10g) and parameters are good. Salinity is 35, Nitrates between 10-20, Ammonia and Nitrites are 0, PH 8.2.

Thanks!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello!

I got a Tomini Tang from my LFS about 3 weeks ago. The LFS had it a few weeks before I got it. I dont get to see him up close very often as he is VERY shy but I zoomed in with my camera and took a few videos of him because I wanted to make sure I didnt see any spots or injuries or anything like that since we are getting towards the end of quarantine time. Plus, he was getting a bit beat up on at the LFS so I wanted to make sure his tail was getting better.

I noticed in the videos that he twitches his dorsal fin an awful lot. Is that normal? He doesnt seem to rub or scratch on anything and he's an excellent eater but I did read that twitching can be a sign of flakes.

Hes very very shy and stays very close to his reef decoration so he can dart in there quickly if we get too close. So I havent seen him swimming much to tell if hes shimmering or darting (other than back into his hidey hole). But assuming we stay a bit further back he's often out and about on that side of the QT tank and he LOOOOVES his Nori and Frozen Mysis. QT tank is small (10g) and parameters are good. Salinity is 35, Nitrates between 10-20, Ammonia and Nitrites are 0, PH 8.2.

Thanks!

It very well could be flukes. Fish will flick their fins in response to things on their skin- including detritus or flukes. Usually though, they will also rock in place or scratch on surfaces.

Praziquantel is a good treatment for flukes:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

 

[Corapandora96]

It very well could be flukes. Fish will flick their fins in response to things on their skin- including detritus or flukes. Usually though, they will also rock in place or scratch on surfaces.

Praziquantel is a good treatment for flukes:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-praziquantel-pzq.1105700/

Okay, thanks so much! I wasnt sure if it was more behavioral versus flukes with no scratching or what not being seen. Albeit he could be scratching in his cave and I wouldnt see it. LOL

Hes the lone occupant of the QT tank with a few snails and live rock. No corals, no other inverts. Would the better solution be trying hypo salinity or buying/using Prazipro?

If Prazipro, is this the right stuff? https://a.co/d/07x7vESB

And last question - I doubt there is a connection, but my QT tank started getting these small (pin point sized) white dots on the glass that I havent seen before. They are hard to scrape off. My research says they are likely either snail eggs or some sort of a tube worm - both of which are AOK. But to double check, that wouldn't be a sign of of something else that my little Tomini may be struggling with?

Thanks so much again.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Okay, thanks so much! I wasnt sure if it was more behavioral versus flukes with no scratching or what not being seen. Albeit he could be scratching in his cave and I wouldnt see it. LOL

Hes the lone occupant of the QT tank with a few snails and live rock. No corals, no other inverts. Would the better solution be trying hypo salinity or buying/using Prazipro?

If Prazipro, is this the right stuff? https://a.co/d/07x7vESB

And last question - I doubt there is a connection, but my QT tank started getting these small (pin point sized) white dots on the glass that I havent seen before. They are hard to scrape off. My research says they are likely either snail eggs or some sort of a tube worm - both of which are AOK. But to double check, that wouldn't be a sign of of something else that my little Tomini may be struggling with?

Thanks so much again.

I can’t rule out a behavioral issue, but I’ve not seen that in tangs, just angelfish.

I’d use Prazipro over hyposalinity. Hypo works better, but it will kill off any snails and damage your live rock.

Yes - that’s the correct product. Be sure to offer good aeration when you use it.

Those things on your glass could be spirobolid worms. I don’t know of any fish parasite that would be free living like that.

 

[Corapandora96]

I can’t rule out a behavioral issue, but I’ve not seen that in tangs, just angelfish.

I’d use Prazipro over hyposalinity. Hypo works better, but it will kill off any snails and damage your live rock.

Yes - that’s the correct product. Be sure to offer good aeration when you use it.

Those things on your glass could be spirobolid worms. I don’t know of any fish parasite that would be free living like that.

Okay!! Thanks so much. Ive got some Prazipro on the way and Ill get my little Tomini feeling better.