Sick purple tang

Jen_h · May 3, 2017

Need some help figuring this out. I've had this purple tang for almost 2 yrs. Had a bad bacterial infection break out in my 240. Moved all my fish to my 75 gallon quarantine. I did two rounds of prazi pro first (bi color angel had white stringy poo) then treated them with two rounds of furan 2. Also did a round of kanaplex because some fish were still showing signs of infection. After all bacterial infections were cleared up I did one 21 day treatment of ick shield powder. (In the process I lost a a blue hippo that's been with me for a little over a year and a half as well) He didn't show any signs or symptoms of sickness or disease. He ultimately just stopped eating and died 3 days later. Now I'm having the same issue with my purple tang. He also stopped eating about 2 days ago. He kind of just sulks in the bottom corner of the tank.
Temp 78
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate between 10-20
Salinity 1.025
All other fish are eating and active. There currently is no medication in the tank. They finished their ick shield treatment about a week ago. Ran carbon and did a couple 20% water changes. I have no idea what my next course of action should be givin that I don't know what's wrong and how to treat. Any help is much appreciated!

Maritimer · May 3, 2017

White stringy poops generally indicate an internal parasite - I'm not sure how effective Prazi-Pro is on internals . . .

Generally, Metronidazole, bound to food with Seachem's "Focus" is recommended in these cases - but that only works if the fish is eating. Metro can be used to treat the water as well, but that's a less targeted approach.

@Humblefish, @melypr1985 - any thoughts on what could be going on with this tang?

~Bruce

4FordFamily · May 3, 2017

I would also coax the fish with the picky eater "trifecta" as I call it - live blackworms, live brine, and red nori. I hope it starts eating first. If it has white stringy poop I also suggest metro and focus to bind it in the fish's food... although we need it to eat first!

Mike&Terry · May 3, 2017

I believe the active ingredient in Ich Shield powder is chloroquine phosphate. If so, some fish do not tolerate it well, including Hippo tangs. I've not heard of problems with tangs in the Zebrasoma genus though.

Jen_h · May 3, 2017

Mike&Terry said:
I believe the active ingredient in Ich Shield powder is choroquine phosphate. If so, some fish do not tolerate it well, including Hippo tangs. I've not heard of problems with tangs in the Zebrasoma genus though.

I've heard that as well after treating the fish once the hippo died. Wish I would have known before hand. I haven't heard problems with zebrasoma tangs either. Sailfin is fine so far and he's been in the tank with the purple this whole time. Weird situation.....

Jen_h · May 3, 2017

4FordFamily said:
I would also coax the fish with the picky eater "trifecta" as I call it - live blackworms, live brine, and red nori. I hope it starts eating first. If it has white stringy poop I also suggest metro and focus to bind it in the fish's food... although we need it to eat first!

I've tried live brine, he just ignores it. You know something's wrong when he's not eating, he was a very aggressive eater lol and I haven't seen any white stringy poo in a long time, they've been in quarantine for 48 days now

Mike&Terry · May 3, 2017

Jen_h said:
I've tried live brine, he just ignores it. You know something's wrong when he's not eating, he was a very aggressive eater lol and I haven't seen any white stringy poo in a long time, they've been in quarantine for 48 days now

Perhaps some macro algae like gracilaria or ulva tied to a piece of rock would entice him?

Humblefish · May 3, 2017

How far did you space out the 2 rounds of Prazipro? How many days in-between dosages?

Jen_h · May 3, 2017

Humblefish said:
How far did you space out the 2 rounds of Prazipro? How many days in-between dosages?

I waited at least 7 days for the second round. I actually treated them in my dt before moving them in quarantine. Only used the antibiotics and ich shield in quarantine. They all have been in quarantine for roughly 48 days. He was fine up until about two days ago. I used the prazi pro in the beginning of march.

Humblefish · May 3, 2017

Jen_h said:
I waited at least 7 days for the second round. I actually treated them in my dt before moving them in quarantine. Only used the antibiotics and ich shield in quarantine. They all have been in quarantine for roughly 48 days. He was fine up until about two days ago. I used the prazi pro in the beginning of march.

Do you have another QT you could put him in? I'm just wondering if any residuals from the medications could be messing with him.

Jen_h · May 4, 2017

Humblefish said:
Do you have another QT you could put him in? I'm just wondering if any residuals from the medications could be messing with him.

I do but unfortunately it's to late, woke up to a dead fish. Thank you everyone for trying to help me!

Humblefish · May 4, 2017

Sorry for your loss

Jen_h · May 4, 2017

Humblefish said:
Sorry for your loss

Thanks again for your help [emoji3]

tj w · May 4, 2017

Sorry Jen [emoji20]

679x · May 4, 2017

Sorry for your loss... so you have no idea what was wrong with him?

Jen_h · May 4, 2017

679x said:
Sorry for your loss... so you have no idea what was wrong with him?

Not really, couple people seem to think it was from that medication ick shield. At this point I think they are right. The whole situation is weird. I have a sailfin tang in there who seems to still be doing fine. Fingers crossed he handled it better then the other two tangs. Awhile back I did an order for a vlamini tang and a sohal. I used that same medication when treating them as well. They both died within days apart of each other about halfway through treatment. Same exact situation. Looking back I've now been able to put 2 and 2 together. I was scratching my head about their deaths as well but thought maybe they shipped poorly. Now I'm convinced all this points to ick shield powder. Very hard lesson to learn. Bottles already in the trash I'm done with that stuff!

Humblefish · May 4, 2017

Jen_h said:
Not really, couple people seem to think it was from that medication ick shield. At this point I think they are right. The whole situation is weird. I have a sailfin tang in there who seems to still be doing fine. Fingers crossed he handled it better then the other two tangs. Awhile back I did an order for a vlamini tang and a sohal. I used that same medication when treating them as well. They both died within days apart of each other about halfway through treatment. Same exact situation. Looking back I've now been able to put 2 and 2 together. I was scratching my head about their deaths as well but thought maybe they shipped poorly. Now I'm convinced all this points to ick shield powder. Very hard lesson to learn. Bottles already in the trash I'm done with that stuff!

Ick Shield contains CP, but it is from a non-pharmaceutical source. So, no telling what the purity is, what else might be in it, QC issues, etc.