Help me save this tang for my friend!!!

[Mini Coop]

Tonight when I pick my boys up from the babysitter, she had tears in her eyes and asked me if there was anyway that I would be willing to take her yellow tag and see if I could save him. Apparently he has been fine all through yesterday and today wouldn’t eat and looks like he has been starving for months. She said he didn’t look like this yesterday.
I don’t see any spots, and everyone else in the tank is eating and doing fine.

#reefsquad @Humblefish @4FordFamily @Big G
I am thinking of bringing him over and putting him in my 10 gallon tank that I have for you right now. I just happened to have water mixed. I can bring him over tonight, just want to see what course of action to take with him.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Was the friend feeding nori/algae? I can't tell you how many don't realize tangs need algae daily. That poor guy is definitely starving.

I'd hang algae and try some of the more preferred meaty foods....mysis / black worms....and maybe with garlic dosed.

 

[Mini Coop]

Was the friend feeding nori/algae? I can't tell you how many don't realize tangs need algae daily. That poor guy is definitely starving.

I'd hang algae and try some of the more preferred meaty foods....mysis / black worms....and maybe with garlic dosed.

She has been feeding seaweed and frozen foods. Says he always eats like a pig and stopped yesterday. Feeds seaweed every day. Has had him for 2 years.

 

[EmdeReef]

Any other symptoms? it could be a parasite if it’s only refusing to eat. It’s a bit less likely he’d start looking like that overnight though.

Maybe just a pic on my phone, but the dorsal fin looks a bit chewed up, try to take a look when you pick him up. That could indicate a few things as well.

 

[melypr1985]

I would seriously doubt he just started looking like that over night. I'm on the side of poor nutrition as well. You might keep an eye on his poop and check for intestinal parasites as that would explain some of what your friend is describing.... such as the fish eating well but getting skinny anyway, the abrupt stop to eating as he feels worse and worse.

 

[hybridazn]

Yea that fish didn't just look like that overnight. I think your friend stretched the truth a little about how much she fed him.

Like stated above if you can locate some live blackworms that might trigger a feeding response, or even live brine shrimp at this point could help to just trigger a feeding response.

 

[Mini Coop]

OK, she said frozen food in the morning, seaweed every three days, and flakes at night. She said that he ate fine two days ago, yesterday he ate, but not with as much vigor as normal and then nothing today.

She hasn’t gotten any new fish in a really long time.

 

[Mini Coop]

Do you think I just need to get him in and monitor to see what other signs I see? Do you recommend I do a fresh water bath?

 

[melypr1985]

I think he needs to be packed with nori and vitamins. Yes to the monitoring, but do whatever it takes to get him eating again and then pack in the veggies.

 

[Potatohead]

If you feed him, does he eat? Seaweed on a clip?

 

[Fishfinder]

I've had a rough go getting my new Achilles to eat. I had to start him on live brine then a couple days later mix in some frozen mysis with the live brine. Then cut up some nori into tiny pieces and mix that with the live/frozen mix. A week and a half later he's eating all of it twice a day.

Unfortunately you don't have a new fish. So it's not a problem of introducing new food to him. He's stopped eating his regular meals. I think you will have to resolve his problem (whatever it is) if you want him to eat again. You said he's been around 2 years?

 

[Mini Coop]

I've had a rough go getting my new Achilles to eat. I had to start him on live brine then a couple days later mix in some frozen mysis with the live brine. Then cut up some nori into tiny pieces and mix that with the live/frozen mix. A week and a half later he's eating all of it twice a day.

Unfortunately you don't have a new fish. So it's not a problem of introducing new food to him. He's stopped eating his regular meals. I think you will have to resolve his problem (whatever it is) if you want him to eat again. You said he's been around 2 years?

Yes. She has had him for 2 years.
I have the nori ready and 40 gallons of water for a water change. He’s acclimating now. I’ll send pics once I get him in the tank!!

 

[4FordFamily]

That fish hasn’t been eating for quite awhile. There’s not much you can do, but live brine I’ve found to be the most enticing to stubborn tangs, followed by live blackworms, then red nori.

 

[Mini Coop]

That fish hasn’t been eating for quite awhile. There’s not much you can do, but live brine I’ve found to be the most enticing to stubborn tangs, followed by live blackworms, then red nori.

I don’t have any live black worms, do you know where I would get some easily?
Any idea why he would stop eating suddenly? She doesn’t know much about salt water, but her husband does. They just don’t have a quarantine area set up.

 

[4FordFamily]

I don’t have any live black worms, do you know where I would get some easily?
Any idea why he would stop eating suddenly? She doesn’t know much about salt water, but her husband does. They just don’t have a quarantine area set up.

Internal parasites perhaps? Some internal injury or organ failure? Parasitic infection of gills? It could be any number of things.

Google live blackworms they can be shipped online. When their stomachs are that sunken there’s usually no hope. IMO you’d be better off with live brine but it cannot hurt to try both!

 

[Mini Coop]

Acclamation is complete. He looks to have a fair amount of energy, but of course it was just hiding in a corner right now.

I am not seeing any white spots or signs of parasites, but I can surely see right through him. Even his face and cheekbones are sunken in. Maybe this has been going on for a while and she just never noticed?

 

[Mini Coop]

 

[Deinonych]

That fish hasn’t been eating for quite awhile. There’s not much you can do, but live brine I’ve found to be the most enticing to stubborn tangs, followed by live blackworms, then red nori.

This.

The fish is extremely malnourished. These fish spend their entire day eating benthic algae in the wild. The key is to get this fish eating again, then provide copious amounts of algae for it to graze on. Unfortunately, the feeding regimen of the previous owner wasn't enough to keep this fish healthy.

 

[Mini Coop]

Thank you all so much. I have some Nori rubber banded to a rock in the tank. Tried to feed a little mysis and he ran away from the piece that flew toward him. Soooo....the only thing I have easy access to is roe. I’ll go get some tomorrow! Frustrating: if they have an infection you can treat. But how do you make a fish eat??

 

[Mini Coop]

Trying to find live brine. The blackworms are so expensive. I’ll see if she will pay for them!! If you have a favorite place that ships them, let me know!