Kole Tang mysteriously dead

[lilchris_357]

I went to my tank this morning after the gym to feed the fish, as I was walking up, I noticed this pale looking thing laying on the side of the rock structure. It was my Yellow Eyed kole tang. He was dead and his colors were gone. It looked like he had been dead for days but that was not the case as I just show him last night swimming around with his other tank mates. He has been in my tank for about 3 months now. For the first month or 2, he was a bit timid and stayed in the back corner of the tank but he was always active and grazing. Then he got comfortable and started exploring more and he even started joining in the frenzy at feeding time. He had great color and was always active. Not sure what happened to him. No signs of wounds, never had any symptoms of Velvet. I am at a lost with this one. Pictures following this post.

 

[lilchris_357]

I went to my tank this morning after the gym to feed the fish, as I was walking up, I noticed this pale looking thing laying on the side of the rock structure. It was my Yellow Eyed kole tang. He was dead and his colors were gone. It looked like he had been dead for days but that was not the case as I just show him last night swimming around with his other tank mates. He has been in my tank for about 3 months now. For the first month or 2, he was a bit timid and stayed in the back corner of the tank but he was always active and grazing. Then he got comfortable and started exploring more and he even started joining in the frenzy at feeding time. He had great color and was always active. Not sure what happened to him. No signs of wounds, never had any symptoms of Velvet. I am at a lost with this one. Pictures following this post.

Here are the pictures.

 

[Humblefish]

Looks like there's bruising or some other sort of physical damage on the body. Do you have an anemone or something else which might have inflicted injury?

 

[lilchris_357]

No anemone. Not sure what happened. He was just getting use to swimming throughout the tank.

 

[lilchris_357]

One thing I did notice with him is that he was eating sand. I think I read somewhere that they are known for that. I'm wondering if he ate too much and it caused internal issues.

 

[Humblefish]

One thing I did notice with him is that he was eating sand. I think I read somewhere that they are known for that. I'm wondering if he ate too much and it caused internal issues.

Bristletooth tangs do that to aid in digestion. However, sometimes it can cause a fecal impaction.

 

[lilchris_357]

Could that have been the culprit? I seem to remember seeing him poop a couple days prior. How long it take to develop?

 

[Humblefish]

Could that have been the culprit? I seem to remember seeing him poop a couple days prior. How long it take to develop?

His stomach should have looked severely bloated if he died from a fecal impaction.

 

[lilchris_357]

It wasn't severely bloated but it was a noticeable bulge where the bruise is at.