Opinions on this fish's health?

KoleTang · Jun 2, 2015

Over the past three days I have noticed a decline in this Kole Tang's behavior.

This fish has always been picky and will only eat microalgae, spirulina flake food, and occasionally mysis. Today I noticed that it is spitting medium to large flakes several times before finally eating it or moving on. It would normally eat these in one bite. It also does not eat with the same vigor as it normally does.

I noticed yesterday that the relationship to its belly area and the aft end of the fish seems to be off. I am not convinced that it is bloat as the head and belly seem to be in good relationship to each other, but past the stomach area the fish seems much narrower. I'm not sure how it would have lost weight if it has been grazing constantly (as seen in the video).

Something just seems off here and I hope some more opinions may shed some light on what is going on here. Many thanks for any insight.

I've owned this fish for over two years. The last addition to any tank it was in was over one year ago.

Screenshots here:

A few angles on the stomach:

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This bulge here is what concerns me:

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Stomach does not distend past head:

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Here you can see the silhouette of the stomach area:

Humblefish · Jun 2, 2015

I don't see anything wrong with the fish or it's behavior in the video you posted. Seems to be a very healthy Ctenochaetus doing what they do (graze all day long.)

About the belly area... does it look pinched in any way? Notice any stringy white poop coming out of the fish?

KoleTang · Jun 2, 2015

Humblefish said:
I don't see anything wrong with the fish or it's behavior in the video you posted. Seems to be a very healthy Ctenochaetus doing what they do (graze all day long.)

About the belly area... does it look pinched in any way? Notice any stringy white poop coming out of the fish?

Yes it is grazing well, but it is not motivated at eating prepared foods suddenly. This concerns me that it will lose appetite altogether...

I will get some video of feeding tomorrow.

The belly seems to be distended:

4FordFamily · Jun 2, 2015

Just looks fat to me. My tangs have giant bellies also

Humblefish · Jun 2, 2015

3FordFamily said:
Just looks fat to me. My tangs have giant bellies also

The fish could be constipated. I have a PBT whose tummy will bloat after she eats red nori. She will not eat for days or even up to a week after this happens.

(I purposely do not feed her red nori anymore, but sometimes she will inadvertently get some in a food mix.)

KoleTang · Jun 3, 2015

Humblefish said:
The fish could be constipated. I have a PBT whose tummy will bloat after she eats red nori. She will not eat for days or even up to a week after this happens.

(I purposely do not feed her red nori anymore, but sometimes she will inadvertently get some in a food mix.)

I never considered that. Do you know if it's just a waiting game or is there something that can be done if it's constipation?

3FordFamily said:
Just looks fat to me. My tangs have giant bellies also

Is it just the belly area or the whole body that is plump?

Could I bother you for some pics?

Kworker · Jun 3, 2015

KoleTang said:
I never considered that. Do you know if it's just a waiting game or is there something that can be done if it's constipation?

Is it just the belly area or the whole body that is plump?

Could I bother you for some pics?

Peas with skin removed will help get things moving.

Humblefish · Jun 3, 2015

Kworker said:
Peas with skin removed will help get things moving.

^^This. You can also dose (reef safe) Epsom salt @ 1 tablespoon per 5 gals. (Epsom salt is a laxative.)

In QT, you can use Kanamycin (ex. Kanaplex) on the fish as that lists diarrhea as a possible side effect.

I've had to use all 3 of the above (at different times) on my PBT to give her relief.

4FordFamily · Jun 3, 2015

Humblefish said:
The fish could be constipated. I have a PBT whose tummy will bloat after she eats red nori. She will not eat for days or even up to a week after this happens.

(I purposely do not feed her red nori anymore, but sometimes she will inadvertently get some in a food mix.)

Half of my tangs look like this because they eat so much nori! They eat daily, I hope mine aren't bloated!

My new batch of tangs prefer red nori to green. Most I have had have preferred green. (Remember I sold all of my larger tangs for a group of smaller)

KoleTang · Jun 3, 2015

Good news, the fish is eating like normal today. The belly looks mostly the same, but the behavior is improved.

Humblefish said:
^^This. You can also dose (reef safe) Epsom salt @ 1 tablespoon per 5 gals. (Epsom salt is a laxative.)

In QT, you can use Kanamycin (ex. Kanaplex) on the fish as that lists diarrhea as a possible side effect.

I've had to use all 3 of the above (at different times) on my PBT to give her relief.

As you can see this is more of a holding tank than a QT tank. Do you know if Kanaplex can be introduced via food in a tank that contains invertebrates? Would this help?

We are talking about Magnesium Sulfate heptahydrate, correct?

Based on this there is 15 grams of Epsom Salt per Tablespoon. 75 grams; 2.6 oz of Epsom Salt will raise the ~78ppm. Does that sound right?

@Randy Holmes-Farley

4FordFamily · Jun 3, 2015

Glad he's improving!

KoleTang · Jun 3, 2015

KoleTang said:
Good news, the fish is eating like normal today. The belly looks mostly the same, but the behavior is improved.

As you can see this is more of a holding tank than a QT tank. Do you know if Kanaplex can be introduced via food in a tank that contains invertebrates? Would this help?

We are talking about Magnesium Sulfate heptahydrate, correct?

Based on this there is 15 grams of Epsom Salt per Tablespoon. 75 grams; 2.6 oz of Epsom Salt will raise the ~78ppm. Does that sound right?

@Randy Holmes-Farley

Forgot to mention that the volume is ~25g.

pickupman66 · Jun 3, 2015

FWIW, I had a Naso that would get constipated regularly. Never figured out why but she would stop eating, her belly looked jumbled and lumpy and overall I woudl get worried. a few days later, I guess she woudl get a good poop going and then would go back to the animal she usually was. She was hand fed so it was easy to monitor her Nori intake.

Humblefish · Jun 3, 2015

KoleTang said:
As you can see this is more of a holding tank than a QT tank. Do you know if Kanaplex can be introduced via food in a tank that contains invertebrates? Would this help?

Yes, Focus can be used to bind it to food and prevent it from leaching out into the water column.

KoleTang said:
We are talking about Magnesium Sulfate heptahydrate, correct?

Based on this there is 15 grams of Epsom Salt per Tablespoon. 75 grams; 2.6 oz of Epsom Salt will raise the ~78ppm. Does that sound right?

KoleTang said:
Forgot to mention that the volume is ~25g.

Yes, Epsom salt is just mag sulfate - which is why it is reef safe to use. You can use what you have for 2 part solution or buy Epsom salt from any drug store/Walmart. Just make sure it is "food grade" i.e. it will have "USP" somewhere on the packaging.

1 tablespoon = 15 grams; you dose 1 tablespoon (or 15 grams) per 5 gals. So, for your 25g tank you would dose 5 tablespoons or 75 grams. Repeat once after 48 hrs, if needed.