Tomini Tang dying

dragon99 · Aug 25, 2016

Any advice? I came today and found him upside down on the bottom of the QT. He's been in QT for 3 weeks with no issues. Treated Prazi (2 rounds) and CP (currently @ 40mg/gal). He's been eating well until the yesterday. He's been extremely reclusive the entire time, hiding in a PVC anytime I come in the room, but when peeking around the corner I've seen him swimming around the tank. QT tank has also been holding a yellow wrasse who still looks fine.

I just moved him to my other QT in case there was ammonia or something else in the water.

melypr1985 · Aug 25, 2016

Hi there! Poor little guy... I love tomini tangs.

Ok, any other symptoms to go along with? Heavy breathing? Has he been eating? Recently stopped eating? Red marks or patches anywhere? do you have an ammonia badge in either QT? Did he perk up after being moved?

dragon99 · Aug 25, 2016

Since being moved he hasn't improved. He either floats as if dead and occasionally tries to swim around followed by heavy breathing.

I can't say for sure when he stopped eating because he never eats when I'm in the room. I added nori and Sunday and he ate that, but yesterday's nori hasn't been touched.

melypr1985 · Aug 25, 2016

dragon99 said:
Since being moved he hasn't improved. He either floats as if dead and occasionally tries to swim around followed by heavy breathing.

I can't say for sure when he stopped eating because he never eats when I'm in the room. I added nori and Sunday and he ate that, but yesterday's nori hasn't been touched.

When did this start? The floating and laying on the side?

dragon99 · Aug 25, 2016

Found him that way when I got home from work. I forgot to turn their light on this morning, so I didn't see him until ~5pm. Last night he appeared fine, except that I noticed he hadn't eaten the nori I put in (added Wed morning).

melypr1985 · Aug 25, 2016

He looks pretty thin. Did you ever see him poop? Was it white and stringy?

dragon99 · Aug 25, 2016

Never noticed any white strings. I've been siphoning out the waste, but I couldn't say if it was his or the wrasse's.
He hasn't been overly fat, but always ate the ~2inx1in piece of nori I've been adding every couple days. I've also feed Reef Frenzy and mysis, but rarely saw him eat it directly. Mostly just saw that it was gone when I'd check back an hour or two after feeding.

melypr1985 · Aug 25, 2016

dragon99 said:
Never noticed any white strings. I've been siphoning out the waste, but I couldn't say if it was his or the wrasse's.
He hasn't been overly fat, but always ate the ~2inx1in piece of nori I've been adding every couple days. I've also feed Reef Frenzy and mysis, but rarely saw him eat it directly. Mostly just saw that it was gone when I'd check back an hour or two after feeding.

You could maybe try general cure or just metroplex straight into the water. I think I'd go straight metroplex to get the added benefit of it's antibiotic properties. Hope for the best. He's not in good shape right now. Hopefully @Humblefish chimes in here with any alternatives he might have.

Humblefish · Aug 25, 2016

In the first photo he looks almost bent.

I'm wondering if he got himself wedged in-between your heater and the glass (or something), and damaged himself trying to get out. I lost a Hippo Tang in QT to that exact same scenario one time.

dragon99 · Aug 25, 2016

He was wiggling I think in that picture trying to swim straight. He had been hiding in a piece of PVC, so maybe?

Unfortunately he didn't make it long. Just found him dead. It almost looks like bleeding behind the gills? Bacteria?

melypr1985 · Aug 25, 2016

dragon99 said:
He was wiggling I think in that picture trying to swim straight. He had been hiding in a piece of PVC, so maybe?

Unfortunately he didn't make it long. Just found him dead. It almost looks like bleeding behind the gills? Bacteria?

It could have been ammonia burn, or an infection. Looking back at the original pictures I can see that area is darker than the rest, but it didn't/doesn't look red at all. If it helps, he was probably beyond saving at that point. Sorry for your loss

Humblefish · Aug 25, 2016

Redness around the gills can mean ammonia burn.

dragon99 · Aug 25, 2016

Thank you for the assistance. I'm not sure why I hadn't already ordered a badge, but it's on the way now. I figured I was OK with a well seeded sponge.