Looking for an ID - internal flukes?

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Noticed today that the juvenile mimic tang looks thin with a sunken belly. She also does not appear to be eating or picking at the rocks like she was just a day ago.

Does this appear to be symptomatic of internal flukes?

Is best treatment Prazipro for this? If so should I do the entire tank (230 gallon dt) or try to net her out to a hospital tank?

threebuoys · May 25, 2023

The fish does appear malnourished.

Please share more information about your fish.

For example,

How long have you had the fish?

If, for a short period of time, what has it's eating habits been?

What food do you feed and how much?

Has the fish experienced any issues previously?

What other fish are in the tank?

Did you previously QT the fish?

Even if the fish has flukes, it should be eating, so that needs to b e your number 1 concern unless you see other abnormal symptoms that need to be addressed.

vetteguy53081 · May 25, 2023

Zero_Cool said:
Noticed today that the juvenile mimic tang looks thin with a sunken belly. She also does not appear to be eating or picking at the rocks like she was just a day ago.

Does this appear to be symptomatic of internal flukes?

Is best treatment Prazipro for this? If so should I do the entire tank (230 gallon dt) or try to net her out to a hospital tank?

If flukes yes but pics are extremely fuzzy to see anything on fish and would not be flukes but internal parasite IF this is the case.
Is fish eating ?
If fish is eating, what foods are you offering?

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Thank you for your help.

No external signs other than sunken belly.

Fish did not eat today and is not acting/swimming normally as it has previously.

Prior feeding habits are actively swimming for food in the water column and grasing on the rocks and sand bed.

Has been eating Reef Jerky/TDO (feeder feeds tank 4x per day small feeds) and frozen mysis 1x per day plus grazing. Has not touched the seaweed sheets offered.

Only in tank less than a week.

Did not QT.

Other tankmates include a Sailfin Tang and a Yellow Eyed Kole tang of similar size, 2 clownfish and 3 PJ Cardinals. All these fish look healthy and are eating well.

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

She ate well and was active yesterday.

I tried to catch her and she is not lethargic or breathing heavy. She is just very quick, very small and very comfortable hiding in the rocks.

threebuoys · May 25, 2023

Is it being bullied by any of the other fish? This can be hard to see. use your phone to record. Walk away while filming to avoid distracting the fish. My guess is the fish has not eaten well for the time you have had it, and that's catching up with it. Usually love the frozen food even though many of the cubed products are very low in nourishment.

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

threebuoys said:
Is it being bullied by any of the other fish? This can be hard to see. use your phone to record. Walk away while filming to avoid distracting the fish. My guess is the fish has not eaten well for the time you have had it, and that's catching up with it. Usually love the frozen food even though many of the cubed products are very low in nourishment.

This may be the case. The Kole tang has not been a great tankmate eventhough they were added at the same time. I didn't realize that they were that agressive and had watched the mimic and the kole swim together often. I added the 3 tangs at the same time to try to reduce aggression as well.

The tank is big enough and I have been feeding heavy in an effort to reduce or eliminate any aggression. Auto feeder is in a corner but near a powerhead so food is distributed widely and frozen is disbursed throughout the tank.

Started adding garlic and selcon to the frozen yesterday. Also switched up from straight PE mysis to the multipack that includes Marine Cuisine, Emerald Entree, Omega Brine and Plankton.

Maybe go back to straight PE mysis?

threebuoys · May 25, 2023

Zero_Cool said:
This may be the case. The Kole tang has not been a great tankmate eventhough they were added at the same time. I didn't realize that they were that agressive and had watched the mimic and the kole swim together often. I added the 3 tangs at the same time to try to reduce aggression as well.

The tank is big enough and I have been feeding heavy in an effort to reduce or eliminate any aggression. Auto feeder is in a corner but near a powerhead so food is distributed widely and frozen is disbursed throughout the tank.

Started adding garlic and selcon to the frozen yesterday. Also switched up from straight PE mysis to the multipack that includes Marine Cuisine, Emerald Entree, Omega Brine and Plankton.

Maybe go back to straight PE mysis?

I would continue trying different foods until you find one that really peaks his interest. Once you get him eating one or more frozen, try soaking some small pellets in the solution before you pour it into the tank. I've had success with this approach. While fresh food is most desirable, the pellets do contain high protein and fat while the frozen cubes are mostly water.

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Was able to catch and remove the Kole. Gonna see if this helps.

Jay Hemdal · May 25, 2023

Zero_Cool said:
Was able to catch and remove the Kole. Gonna see if this helps.

If you can post a short video, we might be able to see more clues....

Internal worm parasites typically do not shut off a fish's appetite like that.

Jay

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
If you can post a short video, we might be able to see more clues....

Internal worm parasites typically do not shut off a fish's appetite like that.

Jay

I will try to get one. Thank you.

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
If you can post a short video, we might be able to see more clues....

Internal worm parasites typically do not shut off a fish's appetite like that.

Jay

She is hiding now after I took an hour to catch the Kole tang. Everyone in the tank is a bit freaked out right now.

I will get a video as soon as possible.

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Does this help at all? I know this should be in white light but it is the best I got.

Sorry about the loud background noise. Probably best to turn sound off

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Jay Hemdal · May 25, 2023

Sorry, the video didnt really tell me much, but my wife jumped at the scream in the middle of it (grin).

Here is a thought, I just saw you’ve only had the fish for a week. Cyanide is still used to collect fish in some areas and it cause food malabsorption issues and death in some fish within 40 days of collection.
Jay

Zero_Cool · May 25, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Sorry, the video didnt really tell me much, but my wife jumped at the scream in the middle of it (grin).

Here is a thought, I just saw you’ve only had the fish for a week. Cyanide is still used to collect fish in some areas and it cause food malabsorption issues and death in some fish within 40 days of collection.
Jay

Thank you. I am still learning the video deal.

She is not breathing heavy in any way and is not shying away from the remaining Sailfin in the tank. She is just hanging out in that little cave.

I fear that she is starving but just won't eat. I feel terrible that I cannot or have not provided her with a good environment to thrive in.

I am hopeful that she will come around but it looks sketchy and day-by-day now.

Jay Hemdal · May 26, 2023

Zero_Cool said:
Thank you. I am still learning the video deal.

She is not breathing heavy in any way and is not shying away from the remaining Sailfin in the tank. She is just hanging out in that little cave.

I fear that she is starving but just won't eat. I feel terrible that I cannot or have not provided her with a good environment to thrive in.

I am hopeful that she will come around but it looks sketchy and day-by-day now.

Sorry - there isn't much you can do to get a fish to start eating again unless the original cause is identified and rectified. In this case, that seems unlikely. I imagine you have tried different foods, live brine shrimp often gets reluctant fish feeding again.

More on the cyanide angle (although it won't help you here). Since Hawaii was shut off from the aquarium trade, there has been a huge pent up demand for "yellow tangs". One way they have filled this need is with increased collection of juvenile Acanthurus tangs, many of which are yellow. While larger tangs are often caught in barrier nets, these juveniles are cryptic and live deep in the coral (like the angelfish that they mimic). The only way to get large numbers of them at reasonable prices is to resort to cyanide - ugh.

Jay

Zero_Cool · May 26, 2023

She is still here this morning and swimming fine. Staying around the cave she sleeps in but it is early in the day.

Fingers crossed that she starts eating again soon.

Thank you all for your help. The community has been amazing on this.

I loved the idea of watching a juvenile transform into the adult colors, didn't know about the increased cyanide collection practices. I wouldn't have supported this.

Zero_Cool · May 26, 2023

Some positive news - she is spending a little more time free swimming and pecking at the rocks!

Still didn't eat the frozen so I am going to try the Emerald Entre with some TDO in the selcon/garlic mix.

Trying to think happy thoughts. Still a ways to go but this is big to me.