FML Dying fish

reefwars · #1 07-22-2011, 03:20 AM

maybe being bullied by something else??

you have a couple yellow tangs dont you?? they are quite territorial especially when another species of tang is introduced so even though it was eating in quarantine when food is introduced around healthy yellows alot of the time its when this territorial behavior comes into play the fish are forced to confront each other for food or the latter happens and the weaker or newer fish gets stressed and doesnt eat or worse again if ich has been in your tank or around the tang its when it will show.moving the tang to quarantine would have added extra stress but not much else you can do. main goal now is to get the tang eating again and the only way this is going to happen is 2 ways....make it feel safe enough to eat something and entice its appetite.

by leaving the lights out and hands out of the tank lots of hiding places etc. youll make the guy feel like theres no danger so then it will graze for food, soak your nori in garlic extract to entice its appetite.its very very important now to keep good clean water and not to frighten him so he eats.

not much else you can do, if hes lethargic(i spell like crap lol) then your in for some work to bring him around but tangs are healthy eaters and if you can get him to eat again he can come around.if you decide to put him back in your display then i would suggest eithger moving around some rock or removing the tangs for a while untill the naso feels comfortable enough to swim and fend for himself.

sorry i cant be of more help.

MarkoD · #2 07-22-2011, 03:47 AM

honestly i dont think anyone was bullying this fish. the 2 yellow tangs are big babies, if anything, the regal tang keeps them in check.

i spend a lot of time looking at my tank and have never seen any of them bother the naso. they all use to swim together and eat nori off the clip together.

fishytime · #3 07-22-2011, 04:25 AM

How big is your QT?.....I ask because every tang I ever tried to QT has ended up in dying in QT......I think the tank was simply to small to QT a claustrophobic fish like a tang

The Grizz · #4 07-22-2011, 04:33 AM

I to picked up a BN in Edmonton a month or so ago and same thing happened to mine, it did not survive and was I ****ed.

RedCoralEdmonton · #5 07-22-2011, 07:48 AM

Do you guys happen to know where the BNs came from, ie what part of the world? I say this because I've had a big problem with this species caught anywhere except Hawaii..... My theory is they use cyanide to catch them in some of the poorer nations that farm them..... Prolly gonna catch some flack, but since I've decided to only get naso tangs from Hawaii I haven't had any more issues.... Just a thought....

Steve

MarkoD · #6 07-22-2011, 12:10 PM

what really annoys me is that i put a blond naso tang on hold until it ate.

i came back and they said that particular one wasnt eating but the more expensive one (that didnt look bigger) was eating. i wanted this fish so bad that i just decided to buy it.

and then an hour later when i get home, no eating of any frozen or dried food..... only nori

the QT is 25 gallons. it was defiantly an upgrade from the small tank at the store that it was "eating" at

Aquattro · #7 07-22-2011, 01:11 PM

The cyanide theory would get my vote as well. Sometimes this just happens. I had a powder blue do the same thing, lasted a month. I fed it fresh algae, it still shriveled and died.
I have another PB on hold at ProReef, it spent a while in quarantine, then into one of the large frags tanks for the last 5 or 6 weeks. Although it's eating was sketchy for the first month, it's still in great shape, compared to the one I had that died after a similar time frame.
But FWIW, I would never add a tang to a QT, the lack of real world environment seems to stress them out. I add them to the community, they get to hang with other fish in a reef, and watch the others feed.

globaldesigns · #8 07-22-2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkoD

what really annoys me is that i put a blond naso tang on hold until it ate.

i came back and they said that particular one wasnt eating but the more expensive one (that didnt look bigger) was eating. i wanted this fish so bad that i just decided to buy it.

and then an hour later when i get home, no eating of any frozen or dried food..... only nori

the QT is 25 gallons. it was defiantly an upgrade from the small tank at the store that it was "eating" at

Hmmmm. 2 fish, same species same size. But one is more expensive, because it eats.... I think it is time to find a new LFS. I have a blonde Naso and never had any issue, but I do also deal with a reputable LFS that treats if necessary, and won't let any fish leave until fully healthy and eating properly. Saying this, I have only ever lost one fish due to illness, and never lost a fish due to anything else except maybe the odd carpet surfer or bullying.

Good luck!