Yellow tang nano question

[deefib]

I am prepared for the flaming, as I know a yellow tang is too big for a 29 gal, but allow me to explain.

This guy is the sickliest, skinniest fish I've ever seen, & is the size of my ocellaris. I consider him a "rescue"

I felt too sorry for him to leave him there. I've bought hamsters with one eye & a guinea pigs with missing limbs -can't help it. But I digress.

My question is, how will I know when it's time to take him to a new home?
Right now he hangs out with the clown & swims just like him-like a tailwagging dog having a seizure. He also follows the mandarin at a snail's pace & they eat side by side.

Here's a pic: He is flat & see-through.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

... emaciated tang and if you do get the tang back to health then I would either move it to a bigger tank or sell him/her to someone who has a much more bigger set up ... just my two cents.

Paul

 

[Dylan]

How big would you say he is?

 

[BigRed]

You will know when he is healthy and able to move into a new tank. I commend you for this act... while tangs generally need a lot of room for swimming, I believe that its more important that he is healthy then that he has swimming room at this point in time.

 

[subielover]

Did you "rescue" this tang from a pet store?

 

[Dylan]

I would feed it frozen mysis enriched in vitamins and garlic... Don't forget the greens.

 

[deefib]

Thanks for all the positive responses.
he is about 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 " .
eating a lot.flakes soaked in garlic & some mysis and picking on the plants in the tank

 

[BigRed]

Good sounds likes hes eating well from how you have painted it for us. I would say within the next 6 months you can trade him out to someone else...

 

[inactive]

This is like taking a homeless man off the streets and putting him in jail.

 

[Breakin Newz]

This is like taking a homeless man off the streets and putting him in jail.

Which they like....... Free food, warmth around this time etc etc...

 

[Demonic]

This is like taking a homeless man off the streets and putting him in jail.

I would rather be in jail than living on the streets.

 

[ficklefins]

There are two topics in this thread and only one addresses the OP question; however, the other does play the devils advocate.

In regards to the original question.
- The tang in your picture looks small enough that I would be more than happy to say that you can take care of it for the next 3-6 months depending on it's growth rate. If you get it back to good health then good for you, and bonus points for knowing that it won't last long in your system. Once it regains health I would sell it (or trade it) to another reefer after it gets 2 more inches on it's body at max.

On the other side of the card:
- Your LFS just sold a very poorly kept yellow tang without any disregard. They really have no reason to not stop their current techniques knowing that someone like yourself will buy the fish at any state. Your original post did not mention any comments to the LFS about their care techniques.

A responsible LFS will take the appropriate measures to take of their fish, and if they decide that they don't care, then they can join the ranks of those places that don't get your business. It is a tough lesson that unfortunately the fish in their system will learn, but it is the only way to battle against a "business". They will not buy something that will lose their company money.

Case In Point: I use to see mandarins at every LFS (3 -7 in stock) for real cheap, but now I rarely see them for sale anymore.

 

[nayrgaijin]

The LFS I work at we use sumps, our LR aquariums, and coral displays to recoup fish :)
We almost always have Mandarins, but always stress the importance of copepod population and tank size when someone is selecting one.

Also, I have stopped going to Petco because everytime I go I feel like I need to save a fish just like you did. Thing is from buying the fish they are seeing it as something people want and of course try to stock more. Super sad :(