Blue hippo tang hlle problems

[blkspade]

Hey All,

Have had my reef tanks for 10 years. I have 3. My main reef tank its a 100 gallon with a blue tang, 2 clowns, and just recently some tiny damsels.
The blue tang I bought when he was maybe a inch? I've had him for a year now and its just been a fight. He had some hlle issues when I got him. I figured I can help it.

I've tried so many things and its just got worse.

No carbon, tried grounding the tank. I spent months trying to get him to eat nori. He finally did for some time, but then stopped. I've tried soaked nori in garlic, different types of vitamins, diff meaty foods. Nothing. This fish is literally just deteriorating. I've helped my dad with his tank for years and his blue tang is flourishing. I don't get it.

I have no sand bed. No I don't test my water anymore before you ask. When I started this hobby I had all the bells and whistles. Over the years I've came to realize water changes, waste removal and a skimmer is all you need. I have no issues with any coral or fish. Just this 1 tang. He pretty much just eats new life spectrum. I can get him to eat mysis as well. Every few months I get up the energy to try again, and I mean I'm on it with the garlic, nori, vitamins and nothing ever changes. He's only about 3 inches now. He swims around all day happy, and is very excited to eat pellets but that's about as far as I can get.

But since I know its going to be a thing
Nitrates are prob around 10
ph is prob 7.6ish. I stopped keeping it around 8
Make my own R/o water. 35 gallon changes every 2 weeks religiously

Yes he looks bad in the pic. If you're coming here to give me a hard time about it, just move along. I've tried a lot. No other issues with the other tang in my fathers tank. Hes actually pushing 7-8 inches? not a DOT on him. He could be a hippo tang calendar. He's that beautiful. Eats nori likes its going out of style. I still have the same clowns from 10 years ago when I started this hobby.

Ignore the dirty glass. Its tank cleaning day right now and I wait to scrape it. I siphon all of it out. I just figured lets see if anyone has any ideas.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Seems like vitamin deficiency. In addition to garlic extract, add selcon vitamins to food at least 2x per week
Feed at minimum:
Spirulina brine shrimp
Formula 2 flake and frozen
LRS HERBIVORE DIET
Mysis shrimp
Small plankton

 

[blkspade]

Seems like vitamin deficiency. In addition to garlic extract, add selcon vitamins to food at least 2x per week
Feed at minimum:
Spirulina brine shrimp
Formula 2 flake and frozen
LRS HERBIVORE DIET
Mysis shrimp
Small plankton

Did the Selcon for a while. ALOT.. Didn't seem to help. I was actually trying to find the name of it as I finally tossed it a couple months back.

Tried freeze dry brine.
Didn't do any Spirulina. For a while it was hard to get. I have done it in the past, but not alot.
I did do the omega enriched brine for a while as well.

Never tried small plankton, or LRS. Where do you get the LRS?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Did the Selcon for a while. ALOT.. Didn't seem to help. I was actually trying to find the name of it as I finally tossed it a couple months back.

Tried freeze dry brine.
Didn't do any Spirulina. For a while it was hard to get. I have done it in the past, but not alot.
I did do the omega enriched brine for a while as well.

Never tried small plankton, or LRS. Where do you get the LRS?

Its spirulina enriched brine shrimp by hikari.
Lrs carried by most quality stores. Go to LRS FROZEN FISH FOOD ON ON THEIR SITE is a store locator and search your area

 

[TriggerFinger]

If you can get it to eat frozen consistently, maybe try soaking nori with the frozen food? Wrap up some frozen food in between nori folds too? My hippo acts scared of nori on a pvc pipe but eats it off rock that I secure with a yellow silicone rubberband. I read somewhere that the color might make them think it’s algae/sponge and make it look more “natural”. Sounds ridiculous, probably is, just wanted to mention it. Good luck with your fish!
Edit: welcome to R2R!

 

[h2so4hurts]

I'd say 100g is borderline for a regal tang. They are very susceptible to any sort of stress, especially if they don't have enough room to "swim it out." Regals are one of the most active tangs you can buy and just my experience so take it with a grain of salt, they only thrive in 8ft tanks.