Trying to save a Powder Brown Tang

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

So I was just browsing at the LFS, and they had a Powder Brown in rough shape. Mostly just enough energy to scoot away from other fish bothering it. So they let me take a swing at saving it since I had some spare empty tanks.

I've got him in probably 2 gallons of water right now. He is laying on his side breathing heavily. I'm not hopeful, but he is thin, so I'm trying to get some food him. If I put any kind of powerhead in there he is going to get blown around so I just have a heater, and I'll put an airstone in shortly.

Question is, am I doing the right thing to try to get some food in him? He could move a bit at the store when another fish would come to nip at him. No obvious parasites or wounds. I've got some reef frenzy sitting by him, and a bit of hair algae from the display. He hasn't mustered the energy to go get it yet.

Any thoughts on things I should be doing? I don't think he has a good chance, but any life is worth attempting to save if you have the means.

GThompson · Sep 23, 2019

I would hurry and get an air stone in there to start

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

GThompson said:
I would hurry and get an air stone in there to start

Done. Its running on batteries. I need to go get a proper air pump instead of a battery emergency one

InkedReefLady · Sep 23, 2019

I'd keep him in low light as well.

If he starts to swim about, then try to give him some food. Otherwise a bunch of food floating around in a 2 gallon bucket might stress him out more and will be an ammonia concern.

Please keep us posted and best of luck!

Bigwrasse · Sep 23, 2019

A fresh water dip will give him some relief

JoshH · Sep 23, 2019

#reefsquad any other helpful advice?

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

Bigwrasse said:
A fresh water dip will give him some relief

Presumably rodi at tank temperature? For how long? I've never done a freshwater dip

Crabs McJones · Sep 23, 2019

Did you add anything to the tank hes in for ammonia control? If it's a bare upcycled tank ammonia will rise quickly.

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

InkedReefLady said:
I'd keep him in low light as well.

If he starts to swim about, then try to give him some food. Otherwise a bunch of food floating around in a 2 gallon bucket might stress him out more and will be an ammonia concern.

Please keep us posted and best of luck!

I'll suck the food out in a few minutes when I get home with the air pump. Should I leave the hair algae?

Bigwrasse · Sep 23, 2019

abavery said:
Presumably rodi at tank temperature? For how long? I've never done a freshwater dip

RODI water with matching tank temp and Ph. Put air tube in with him and best in a dark container so you can see what comes off him. Leave for 5 minutes

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

Crabs McJones said:
Did you add anything to the tank hes in for ammonia control? If it's a bare upcycled tank ammonia will rise quickly.

I'm going to grab a small piece of live rock from my main tank and set it in there if needed

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

Bigwrasse said:
RODI water with matching tank temp and Ph. Put air tube in with him and best in a dark container so you can see what comes off him. Leave for 5 minutes

How do I match the PH? Temp is easy enough, but I dont really have any way of checking the ph of the water. I suppose I could grab my ph probe and stick it in the water.

Crabs McJones · Sep 23, 2019

abavery said:
I'm going to grab a small piece of live rock from my main tank and set it in there if needed

Is this a quarantine tank with any medications or just a tank with saltwater?

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

Crabs McJones said:
Is this a quarantine tank with any medications or just a tank with saltwater?

It's the ato section of a sump I am not using yet. No medications or anything. I think the store said he was in copper, so there may be trace amounts from when I floated the bag, but not enough that I'm really concerned.

If I can get him up and swimming and looking better I have a spare 40 breeder I'll put him in until he is healthy. By that time my new 100 gallon will probably be up and running.

saltyhog · Sep 23, 2019

What does he look like besides being thin? Any skin lesions/white spots/defects/red spots? If he has ich a fresh water dip can give some relief but it could also kill him as bad as he sounds. One other alternative would be a Ruby Rally bath. Let's tag some of the experts. @Humblefish , @HotRocks , @4FordFamily

JoshH · Sep 23, 2019

I would set up the 40 now and get it through somewhat of a cycle. A small space might be stressing him out more now after the move...

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

In case anyone is interested here is a pic of the fish in question. He has scooted himself to the corner. He has enough energy to move when something bothers him, like when I move the air stone. The second pic is the ato section he is in.

resortez · Sep 23, 2019

I would do hyposalinity treatment, temps at 82, plenty of aeration, low flow & ph at 8.5.

TheReaperOfMars · Sep 23, 2019

saltyhog said:
What does he look like besides being thin? Any skin lesions/white spots/defects/red spots? If he has ich a fresh water dip can give some relief but it could also kill him as bad as he sounds. One other alternative would be a Ruby Rally bath. Let's tag some of the experts. @Humblefish , @HotRocks , @4FordFamily

Thin is about it. I don't see any lesions. His face is pretty shrunken in. His coloration looks fine. Maybe some nipped fins from those bully butterfly fish he was in with. I may avoid the freshwater dip, since he is so rough.

JoshH said:
I would set up the 40 now and get it through somewhat of a cycle. A small space might be stressing him out more now after the move...

He is in really bad shape, if he is any better in the morning I'll move him over to the main sump chamber which should be about 20 gallons. Maybe more. I have an overkill amount of live rock in my main tank for how many fish are in there, so I have no qualms pulling a whole chunk of it out to force it to instantly cycle. It is very well established live rock with plenty of algae for him to graze on.

resortez said:
I would do hyposalinity treatment, temps at 82, plenty of aeration, low flow & ph at 8.5.

That should be pretty easy to do if that is the consensus best plan. He has a ton of aeration right now.

HotRocks · Sep 23, 2019

The fish is going to need more than a couple gallons of water. Also need agitation at the surface to generate oxygen especially with that small of volume.

How long was the fish in copper and what level?