Kole tang looking bad ! Help ID

[MrDLHughesY]

Hi guys I am after some help to see what is wrong with my kole tang. He has gone very pale as of late and I have seen him flashing also he has not lost his appetite and his poo is not stringy. I also have a Midas blenny which flashes but also have a cardinal, clownfish, peacock wrasse that do not. I have just managed to catch the kole to do a fresh water dip to see for flukes but nothing came off here is a picture of him in the fresh water dip not looking so good and a few pics post dip back in the display. Please if you can help me identify the problem please do.

diet consists of nori red/green, mysis, flake, pellet and lobster eggs now and then

kh- 8.3
Temp- 25.5
Cal- 430
Mag-1350
Phos-0
Nitrate-below 5ppm hard to match colour on Salifert test.

tank been running for about 6months. I do a 10% water change weekly

 

[MrDLHughesY]

The white dot in the 2nd picture is a free flowing particle not actually on the fish

 

[4FordFamily]

Does the fish have a dusty appearance or is it just my imagination?

Is he swimming in to powerheads? Breathing heavily? Guessing velvet but cannot be sure. I don't see ich on this screen, either.

 

[MrDLHughesY]

Does the fish have a dusty appearance or is it just my imagination?

Is he swimming in to powerheads? Breathing heavily? Guessing velvet but cannot be sure. I don't see ich on this screen, either.

No he’s not dusty. Neither is he swimming into power heads or breathing heavy. Looking at him now after the dip. Maybe it looks like the full outer edge of his body/fins look abit white

 

[JumboShrimp]

Is that supposed to be a Blue Eyed Kole Tang (I hope not— or he’s in bad distress), or some other type of Kole?

 

[MrDLHughesY]

Is that supposed to be a Blue Eyed Kole Tang (I hope not— or he’s in bad distress), or some other type of Kole?

Yes it is. Looking it up it has never really shown the colours that I see on the internet but maybe the stripes shown through originally.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I just snapped this photo of mine to show you the difference in color; can you get yours into a Hospital tank and start working with him?

 

[MrDLHughesY]

I just snapped this photo of mine to show you the difference in color; can you get yours into a Hospital tank and start working with him?

Yes I can. Mine has definitely never looked that colour, for sure the tail of mine is a bright yellow and I think even when fully well it would still be. Mine is only about 1.5 inches long.
What’s the next step then into a hospital tank alone or with all other tank mates and let DT go fallow or is that pointless as I don’t even know what is wrong with it yet ?

 

[LeftyReefer]

Looks like a 2-spot, but without the 2 spots.
Regardless, he's not looking good.

Hopefully @Jay Hemdal might have some ideas for you.

good luck!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi guys I am after some help to see what is wrong with my kole tang. He has gone very pale as of late and I have seen him flashing also he has not lost his appetite and his poo is not stringy. I also have a Midas blenny which flashes but also have a cardinal, clownfish, peacock wrasse that do not. I have just managed to catch the kole to do a fresh water dip to see for flukes but nothing came off here is a picture of him in the fresh water dip not looking so good and a few pics post dip back in the display. Please if you can help me identify the problem please do.

diet consists of nori red/green, mysis, flake, pellet and lobster eggs now and then

kh- 8.3
Temp- 25.5
Cal- 430
Mag-1350
Phos-0
Nitrate-below 5ppm hard to match colour on Salifert test.

tank been running for about 6months. I do a 10% water change weekly

Freshwater dips only work for screening for one type of fluke - Neobenedenia. The other species are too small to see in the dip water without a microscope, and then, they really look like little balls of mucus....so, this *could* be flukes even though you didn't see anything in the dip. The pale color, flashing, good appetite and slightly tattered caudal fin all sort of lean me towards flukes.

How long have you had this fish?
Do you have access to Prazipro in the UK?


Jay

 

[MrDLHughesY]

I can get 1oz off eBay for £30 not sure if that is expensive as I don’t know how much it is in the us I have this to hand if this is any good ?

 

[MrDLHughesY]

Freshwater dips only work for screening for one type of fluke - Neobenedenia. The other species are too small to see in the dip water without a microscope, and then, they really look like little balls of mucus....so, this *could* be flukes even though you didn't see anything in the dip. The pale color, flashing, good appetite and slightly tattered caudal fin all sort of lean me towards flukes.

How long have you had this fish?
Do you have access to Prazipro in the UK?


Jay

I’ve had the fish maybe 10 weeks

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’ve had the fish maybe 10 weeks

That is right around the time that flukes multiply and begin to affect the fish. I can't say for certain of course, but it seems a good possibility.

Jay

 

[MrDLHughesY]

That is right around the time that flukes multiply and begin to affect the fish. I can't say for certain of course, but it seems a good possibility.

Jay

Ok so should I pull the fish to a QT to treat or can I do this in the DT will all other fish have flukes if this is the case ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Ok so should I pull the fish to a QT to treat or can I do this in the DT will all other fish have flukes if this is the case ?

All fish in the tank have been exposed to flukes (if there are flukes). Therefore, you would need to treat the entire tank. Prazipro is mostly reef safe as long as you add supplemental aeration. You would need to dose it twice, 7 to 10 days apart.

Jay

 

[MrDLHughesY]

All fish in the tank have been exposed to flukes (if there are flukes). Therefore, you would need to treat the entire tank. Prazipro is mostly reef safe as long as you add supplemental aeration. You would need to dose it twice, 7 to 10 days apart.

Jay

Ok I may just pull 1 fish first and put in a QT and treat. if there is improvements I will treat all fish in the display also. As don’t want to treat the display if I am not 100% sure it’s actually even flukes in the first place .

 

[4FordFamily]

Ok I may just pull 1 fish first and put in a QT and treat. if there is improvements I will treat all fish in the display also. As don’t want to treat the display if I am not 100% sure it’s actually even flukes in the first place .

I would treat the display. I've treated my display for flukes dozens of times without issue. Flukes can kill quickly, and in this case moving the fish to a QT is more stressful for it than perhaps need be.

Just my advice. Good luck

 

[MrDLHughesY]

I would treat the display. I've treated my display for flukes dozens of times without issue. Flukes can kill quickly, and in this case moving the fish to a QT is more stressful for it than perhaps need be.

Just my advice. Good luck

Ok thanks hopefully it is flukes

 

[4FordFamily]

Ok thanks hopefully it is flukes

IMO it wouldn't hurt to treat a tank for flukes anyway. I'd venture to bet almost all tanks with fish in them have flukes. Especially if they've added fish in the past year or two. I don't know about on your side of the pond, but to the US the fish distribution system is terrible and heavily diseased. (I only assume you're not in the US based on your spelling of colour -- I see this a lot on my British car forums as I own one )

 

[MrDLHughesY]

IMO it wouldn't hurt to treat a tank for flukes anyway. I'd venture to bet almost all tanks with fish in them have flukes. Especially if they've added fish in the past year or two. I don't know about on your side of the pond, but to the US the fish distribution system is terrible and heavily diseased. (I only assume you're not in the US based on your spelling of colour -- I see this a lot on my British car forums as I own one )

So I have just done a 30%water change and now dosed prazi. What is the best procedure now wait about 5 days do another 30% water change then re dose then wait another five days do another water change and then run carbon for 24 hours ? I have got my skimmer running but overflowing back into sump is that correct ? Thanks in advance