Gem Tang breathing hard? White blotch sometimes

[acomps]

I got a gem tang a few months back and has been in my display tank for about a month. Recently I've noticed the fish has some white blotches on it from time to time then dissapears. It eats very well and otherwise seems there are no issues. I am also concerned it is breathing a bit fast but I am not sure. (trying to get a video) There seems to be no aggression. I feed him nori seaweed along with vitamins in the food.






be

 

[KING KONG]

I got a gem tang a few months back and has been in my display tank for about a month. Recently I've noticed the fish has some white blotches on it from time to time then dissapears. It eats very well and otherwise seems there are no issues. I am also concerned it is breathing a bit fast but I am not sure. (trying to get a video) There seems to be no aggression. I feed him nori seaweed along with vitamins in the food.






be

Difficult to tell from photos. Plz provide a better one. White spots means lymphocystis. They will come and go. Lymphocystis is the most common virus fish carry, and white nodules form on the fins, spines and sometimes body. The nodules are actually clustered groups of greatly enlarged, infected cells known as fibroblasts. Eventually the cells will burst and shed virus into the environment (infecting more fish).

This virus is different and far more virulent. When symptoms show, you will see white spots (similar to Ich/velvet) on the fish, but the difference is they will dangle off and get blown by the flow

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I got a gem tang a few months back and has been in my display tank for about a month. Recently I've noticed the fish has some white blotches on it from time to time then dissapears. It eats very well and otherwise seems there are no issues. I am also concerned it is breathing a bit fast but I am not sure. (trying to get a video) There seems to be no aggression. I feed him nori seaweed along with vitamins in the food.






be

Gem tangs do develop discolored patches on their sides (often two stripes) when they are stressed and sometimes for no reason at all. The spot on your fish is larger though. Is there a spot on the other side of the fish?
If you post a clear video, I might be able to give you an estimate as to if it is breathing too fast or not.
Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

I got a gem tang a few months back and has been in my display tank for about a month. Recently I've noticed the fish has some white blotches on it from time to time then dissapears. It eats very well and otherwise seems there are no issues. I am also concerned it is breathing a bit fast but I am not sure. (trying to get a video) There seems to be no aggression. I feed him nori seaweed along with vitamins in the food.






be

Mine at times develop this thumbprint effect and it quickly goes away. When my cleaner wrasse approaches it, it for sure discolors.
What foods are you feeding it?
I notivce heavy presence also of diatoms.
Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.
To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

 

[Weeb]

I got a gem tang a few months back and has been in my display tank for about a month. Recently I've noticed the fish has some white blotches on it from time to time then dissapears. It eats very well and otherwise seems there are no issues. I am also concerned it is breathing a bit fast but I am not sure. (trying to get a video) There seems to be no aggression. I feed him nori seaweed along with vitamins in the food.






be

You mention that you feed nori and vitamins. This guy has the appearance to me of being young. Not sure of its size. Young ones especially should also be fed some pods and plankton of the appropriate size. I hope the nori is air or sun dried and not heated/cooked to be dry. Also, I'd suggest you get a couple of packets of different colored dry algae now sold, and switch it up with the nori.

Good luck!

 

[MnFish1]

You mention that you feed nori and vitamins. This guy has the appearance to me of being young. Not sure of its size. Young ones especially should also be fed some pods and plankton of the appropriate size. I hope the nori is air or sun dried and not heated/cooked to be dry. Also, I'd suggest you get a couple of packets of different colored dry algae now sold, and switch it up with the nori.

Good luck!

I don't know about pods, etc - but I would add some more meaty foods to its diet.

 

[Weeb]

I don't know about pods, etc - but I would add some more meaty foods to its diet.

There are some great freeze-dried copepods on the market (e.g. Calanus finmarchicus from Amazon or Brine Shrimp Direct). Then there is freeze-dried ocean plankton. These fish eat pods and plankton from their normal, wild environment. What is important about these foods is they are whole -- the whole ocean animal, not just flesh/meat.

What do Surgeonfish Eat

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

Sure he will be fine with good diet.

Mine was pretty much bulletproof.

 

[MnFish1]

There are some great freeze-dried copepods on the market (e.g. Calanus finmarchicus from Amazon or Brine Shrimp Direct). Then there is freeze-dried ocean plankton. These fish eat pods and plankton from their normal, wild environment. What is important about these foods is they are whole -- the whole ocean animal, not just flesh/meat.

What do Surgeonfish Eat

No disagreement with you - my comment was more directed at the fact that Nori and 'vitamins' was not enough. In any case the fish is thin - may have another issue going on.

PS - again - no disagreement - to each his own. I've kept marine aquaria for a long time - never purposefully fed pods. Ground shrimp, krill, etc - are all the same Again IMHO - after all - after the pod is chewed - it's basically ground up crustacean.

 

[MnFish1]

There are some great freeze-dried copepods on the market (e.g. Calanus finmarchicus from Amazon or Brine Shrimp Direct). Then there is freeze-dried ocean plankton. These fish eat pods and plankton from their normal, wild environment. What is important about these foods is they are whole -- the whole ocean animal, not just flesh/meat.

What do Surgeonfish Eat

PS - when I said 'meaty' I didn't mean 'beef' - I meant fish meat/crustacean meat just to be clear

 

[Weeb]

No disagreement with you - my comment was more directed at the fact that Nori and 'vitamins' was not enough. In any case the fish is thin - may have another issue going on.

PS - again - no disagreement - to each his own. I've kept marine aquaria for a long time - never purposefully fed pods. Ground shrimp, krill, etc - are all the same Again IMHO - after all - after the pod is chewed - it's basically ground up crustacean.

This form of communication has its shortcomings v. face-to-face. I meant no disagreement also. Just that a whole organism (smashed, ground, or intact) is an optimal feed. So many meaty foods on sale are often parts of fish, squids, etc..

 

[Weeb]

PS - when I said 'meaty' I didn't mean 'beef' - I meant fish meat/crustacean meat just to be clear

P.S. No problem. This form of communication has some shortcomings v. face-to-face. I understood 'meaty' to mean fish source.