Not eating Powder Blue Tang

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I have had this PBT for over 15 years, he always wants to eat, always hungry, for the last week and a half he does not have an appetite, he ate one time after a 30 gallon water change, I ordered all new food the kind that he likes. He is swimming in the gentle current, breathing fast though. This is FO/LR. I do not see any marks or spots on the fish.
Are we allowed to put 5 seconds videos on here?
Any ideas on what it is and what to do?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have had this PBT for over 15 years, he always wants to eat, always hungry, for the last week and a half he does not have an appetite, he ate one time after a 30 gallon water change, I ordered all new food the kind that he likes. He is swimming in the gentle current, breathing fast though. This is FO/LR. I do not see any marks or spots on the fish.
Are we allowed to put 5 seconds videos on here?
Any ideas on what it is and what to do?

Yes - try to post a short video under white light. You may need to link to a YouTube video though.
Have you added any new fish to the tank?
Jay

 

[UMALUM]

I have had this PBT for over 15 years, he always wants to eat, always hungry, for the last week and a half he does not have an appetite, he ate one time after a 30 gallon water change, I ordered all new food the kind that he likes. He is swimming in the gentle current, breathing fast though. This is FO/LR. I do not see any marks or spots on the fish.
Are we allowed to put 5 seconds videos on here?
Any ideas on what it is and what to do?

Fish could just be constipated, it's not that uncommon in larger older tangs and angles.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Yes - try to post a short video under white light. You may need to link to a YouTube video though.
Have you added any new fish to the tank?
Jay

No new fish, I will have to figure out how to do a YouTube video, I will get my kid to help.

 

[littlefoxx]

@vetteguy53081 is a great person to ask too, he has 25 tangs and is considered tbe rang dude on the form! Lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have had this PBT for over 15 years, he always wants to eat, always hungry, for the last week and a half he does not have an appetite, he ate one time after a 30 gallon water change, I ordered all new food the kind that he likes. He is swimming in the gentle current, breathing fast though. This is FO/LR. I do not see any marks or spots on the fish.
Are we allowed to put 5 seconds videos on here?
Any ideas on what it is and what to do?

Agree with Jay- want to see videos and pics as there is such a thing as old age which can play a role and appearance of fish will offer clues

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

You Tube Video Link Or just search Powder Sick Powder Blue Tang and Rapid Breathing on YouTube.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Here is a new picture of him

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Here is a new picture of him

So - that is odd. Visually, the tang looks great, but it is breathing so fast as to be near the point of respiratory collapse. Three typical causes of this (velvet, water quality issues and gill flukes) would all affect other fish in the tank as well - and they are all fine, correct?

If so, then there isn't much else. A fish with severe anemia will breath fast due to the blood not carrying enough oxygen, but then, the cause of the anemia remains a question.

Sorry - I don't see any reasonable treatment here, but it is very serious.

Jay

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

So the Clarke now is breathing really hard as well, gulping air so to speak, the other two fish are fine.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

0 ppm Ammonia
0 Nitrite

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So the Clarke now is breathing really hard as well, gulping air so to speak, the other two fish are fine.

So, a SECOND fish showing the same symptoms implies there is something contagious going on here. The basic analysis goes like this:

1 fish w/symptoms = something unique to that fish, old age, a tumor, etc.
1 fish, then more fish with symptoms = something that is spreading to all fish, a disease
all fish showing serious symptoms at once = water quality issues or a very swift disease issue

Most gill diseases are either flukes or protozoans. If the fish are still eating, the more likely of the two is flukes. You can treat for those in a reef tank setting with Prazipro. Let me know if you want to try that, and I can give you instructions.

Jay

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

So neither fish is eating. What should I treat with? Thanks again

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So neither fish is eating. What should I treat with? Thanks again

At this point, I think we have ruled out flukes and poor water quality. That leaves protozoans as the most likely remaining, treatable cause for this (there are some causes, like coccidia or viruses that are not treatable).

I don't know if you can, but the best treatment for gill protozoans is Coppersafe or Copper Power, in a treatment tank (no invertebrates or calcium rocks) dosed accurately at 2.25 ppm for 30 days.

Jay

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Since this is a FO tank I am pretty sure I have high nitrates, I am doing another 30 gallons WC today, if I pull the fish into a hospital tank what salinity should I keep it at?
Thanks I could use a brute trash can or maybe a tank from Petco, somewhere around 40 gallons or more, fish seem to be ok in a brute trash can, they do not stress out.
I want to thank you Jay and everyone else who helped out, hopefully it is not too late.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Since this is a FO tank I am pretty sure I have high nitrates, I am doing another 30 gallons WC today, if I pull the fish into a hospital tank what salinity should I keep it at?
Thanks I could use a brute trash can or maybe a tank from Petco, somewhere around 40 gallons or more, fish seem to be ok in a brute trash can, they do not stress out.
I want to thank you Jay and everyone else who helped out, hopefully it is not too late.

The trouble with trying to medicate with copper in a trash can is no biological filtration, and the top down viewing makes it virtually impossible to judge the fish’s symptoms.
Ideally, copper needs to be dosed in an aquarium with an established biofilter and no calcium substrate.
If this was ich, you could use hyposalinity, but that doesn’t work if it is velvet or other protozoans.
Jay

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Update and a sad one, the Clarke died,

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

So here is a close up of his gills.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

My PBT is still swimming in the current. So we are definitely at critical mass here. I really appreciate all the help.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So here is a close up of his gills.

Is this clown freshly dead? the gills filaments are really pale. that happens a few hours after death, but if the fish is freshly dead, it is a sign of anemia. the clown also is bloated, has it been like that for long?

Jay