Naso not doing well help

Kingston · Apr 3, 2023

I have this Blonde Naso Tang for over 2 years. Noticed this week he wasn't acting himself. Slow swimming, eating less, color very dark. This morning noticed a patch of skin missing and he's staying at the bottom of the tank in a corner most of the time. Eat a bit yesterday but did eat this morning.

Tanglover1 · Apr 3, 2023

Kingston said:
I have this Blonde Naso Tang for over 2 years. Noticed this week he wasn't acting himself. Slow swimming, eating less, color very dark. This morning noticed a patch of skin missing and he's staying at the bottom of the tank in a corner most of the time. Eat a bit yesterday but did eat this morning.

My guess is it is iching from rocks. I can see patches r missing from near eyes which Can be hlle or velvet too. I would suggest move it to qt #fishmedic

vetteguy53081 · Apr 3, 2023

Kingston said:
I have this Blonde Naso Tang for over 2 years. Noticed this week he wasn't acting himself. Slow swimming, eating less, color very dark. This morning noticed a patch of skin missing and he's staying at the bottom of the tank in a corner most of the time. Eat a bit yesterday but did eat this morning.

This is somewhat common with naso and atlantic Blue tangs and is Bacterial. Not sure why these specifically get it opposed to other tangs, but it is treatable. However I am concerned looking at bottom pic as when they are laying down like this and bent as you see it, Rarely do they get back up, Eat and swim functionally and I fear that this tang has become moribund. Adding oxygen with air stone at times will perk a fish up, this guy, I hate to say may be untreatable to recovery.
Can I assume its breathing very rapidly at this point?
With bacterial, what is your ammonia -nitrate-ph reading and how are you testing?
Treatment will be seachem kanaplex

Kingston · Apr 3, 2023

He's not breathing rapidly but basically hiding under some corals making it hard for me to get to. I haven't tested ammonia in years. Nitrate was 8.2 yesterday with Hanna Checker. PH is 8.15.
I.am going to try and catch him if possible and put up a hospital tank. What antibiotics options should I use?

Weeb · Apr 3, 2023

Not sure what kind of aquarium you have. Are there corals? Is it a fish only aquarium? Kanaplex is one of the 'gentler' antibiotics, but isn't reef safe. Invertebrates and some corals will not react well to it.

Ideally the fish is moved to a hospital tank were an antibiotic like Furan-2 or use one of its components, Nitrofurazone specifically, can be safely used. A very good antibiotic is Enrofloxacin which is fast acting. My 'go-to' treatment though is with Nitrofuracin Green (NFG).

vetteguy53081 · Apr 3, 2023

Kingston said:
He's not breathing rapidly but basically hiding under some corals making it hard for me to get to. I haven't tested ammonia in years. Nitrate was 8.2 yesterday with Hanna Checker. PH is 8.15.
I.am going to try and catch him if possible and put up a hospital tank. What antibiotics options should I use?

Im glad to hear still kicking. As stated, treatment is Seachem kanaplex with added aeration. Focus on water quality during treatment.