Is there something wronf with my powder blue tang?

[Willbiker]

I've had a powder blue tang in Quarentine for 3 weeks now and I can see some discolouration to its lower fin and some marks on its side . I'm treating with copper. My regal tang in there also and looks great. Do you think this is just down to stress or something more? Should I move it to DT?

Thanks

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I would not move it while it is showing unidentified symptoms. What are your water quality parameters? What copper product are you using and at what level? Have you dosed with prazi?

Jay

 

[InactiveAcct]

+1 on not adding to your display, you could end up losing everything or having to go fallow for a long while to starve out a fish pathogen.

not sure about fins. Does the part on its side look like lateral line erosion to you?

is the regal picking on it?

 

[Willbiker]

I had to go fallow for 80 days in the summer...horrible experience! Hence the new qt tank

I've seen no bullying at all, they hide alot but also swim about together. The line on the side looks like an indentation...almost like a scratch.

I'm treating with cupramine at between 4 and 5ppm.

I think I'll just keep him in qt until he looks 100% ok. I just didnt know if this was signs of stress or an illness. Ill begin to lower the copper in a weeks time

Thanks

 

[Willbiker]

I haven't done a full parameter test but I have a seacham ammonia alert in there and have zero ammonia.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is the line on its side on BOTH sides of its body?
Have you considered treating with praziquantel?
Jay

 

[Willbiker]

No the line is just one side and it has improved slightly over the last few days. I'm quite new to quarentining....what does that do ? Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

I trust a politician more than I trust ammonia badges
Are you running heavy carbon?
I asked HLLE which a contributor would be carbon as well as some thinning and may be associated with diet.
Feed at minimum:
Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract
LRS herbivore diet
Small plankton
Mysis shrimp
Spirulina brine shrimp
Formula 2 flake and frozen

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is the line on its side on BOTH sides of its body?
Have you considered treating with praziquantel?
Jay

No the line is just one side and it has improved slightly over the last few days. I'm quite new to quarentining....what does that do ? Thanks

praziquantel is a relatively safe medication that treats fish for external worm (fluke) infestations.
The line being on just one side would steer me away from thinking it is HLLE, as that is more often symmetrical from side to side.
Jay

 

[Uncle99]

This fish can be a challenge, it does not take well to copper.
I assume your treating for parasite.
In addition, QT is very stressful on a fish with a weak slime coat, so poor or faded colouration not unusual.
The BT adds more stress.

 

[InactiveAcct]

I’ve had the best luck quarantining tangs and everything else using TTM (velvet 1.5 day schedule) and prazi with no copper. What copper are you using and how are you testing the levels?

 

[Willbiker]

This fish can be a challenge, it does not take well to copper.
I assume your treating for parasite.
In addition, QT is very stressful on a fish with a weak slime coat, so poor or faded colouration not unusual.
The BT adds more stress.

Thanks for the responses. The reason I asked is I wondered if adding it to the DT would be the best move in order to take it out of this stressful environment. Its had 3 weeks of treatment now and has shown no signs of anything wrong until the last week. I'm guessing its just stress causing this and maybe I have a better chance of it recovering if I move it in now?

 

[Willbiker]

I’ve had the best luck quarantining tangs and everything else using TTM (velvet 1.5 day schedule) and prazi with no copper. What copper are you using and how are you testing the levels?

I'm using seacham cupramine and test kit.

 

[Uncle99]

If there has been no signs of disease, he eats very well and displays normal look and behavior, I would put him in home.

That being said, I am not sure what’s already in your DT so not sure if that’s less stress.

Tangs are typically last adds and I put mine in a the same time so neither has claimed any territory.

I only QT for 14 days if fish looks Acts and eats healthy...

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I had to go fallow for 80 days in the summer...horrible experience! Hence the new qt tank

I've seen no bullying at all, they hide alot but also swim about together. The line on the side looks like an indentation...almost like a scratch.

I'm treating with cupramine at between 4 and 5ppm.

I think I'll just keep him in qt until he looks 100% ok. I just didnt know if this was signs of stress or an illness. Ill begin to lower the copper in a weeks time

Thanks

Just double checking you mean your Cupramine dose is between 0.4 and 0.5 mg/l, right?

Jay

 

[InactiveAcct]

I'm using seacham cupramine and test kit.

Ah, yeah I had a lot of trouble with cupramine, which is an ionic vs a chelated copper. I got it when I got serious about QT and ended up losing otherwise healthy fish, which is why I changed to TTM even though it really sucks from a labor perspective. Your seachem test is the correct one to use though. Best of luck, hope he comes around.

 

[Willbiker]

Just double checking you mean your Cupramine dose is between 0.4 and 0.5 mg/l, right?

Jay

Yes correct...sorry my bad. He seems to be active and feeding so ill lower the cupramine and give him a week or 2 longer in qt to see how he gets on. Thanks for the advice