IBlameTheDog
New Member
I have a 40 gallon QT for observation that I set up about 2 months ago so it is newly cycled and not mature yet. It has gone through some of the uglies and has recovered as normal. Water chemistry is good with Ammonia at 0 Nitrites at 0 Nitrates 0, Phosphates 0.02 Calcium 415 PH 8.02 Alk 8.2. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate checked with an API test kit and the others with Hanna Checkers. I have been around for the past 10 years but this is the first QT I have used, unfortunately I learned the hard way as most people do. I keep the fish in QT for a minimum of 2 weeks and only medicate if there is a reason then they go to the hospital tank which I have not had to do yet. I keep a black mollie in there all the time to keep it cycled and also because I will see signs on it first which so far have been none.
Ok, now the mystery and the items my not be related but this is what is happening... I bought two small Tangs, one Tomini and one Kole, both were eating well and acting normal getting use to each other and the tank and of course me watching them. A week after purchase, the Kole's lips swelled up and it looks like it could not close it's mouth, prior it had been picking at the rocks like normal. So yesterday the lips swelled and it quit eating but was still swimming around and it seemed like it wanted to munch on the seaweed on the clip but would not actually go to it. Today, I wake up to see it on its side dead. The only thing I see is damage around its mouth, there were no other signs of infection, worms, ich, or anything else. The smaller Tomini is fine and the Mollie is fine as well and are not showing any odd signs. I took the fish to the LFS where I bought it to get their take on what happened and he was stumped too, internet search had some similar issues with some people saying they have had this and the fish recovered and others saying that their died within days, mine was the latter. So that is mystery number one, number two is I noticed tonight that there are 5 little yellow clear balls on the substrate next to my frag rack, I was able to grab one and put it in a test tube and it looks like a tiny yellow see through ball or bubble. Kinda like a fish egg but I do not see anything in there. The frags that are in there are random Zoa's, a candy cane, and a clove polyp. I replaced the Kole with a Powder Brown Tang today as I wanted to introduce the two tangs to the display at the same time. The display is 125 gallon 6' tank softie and LPS with plenty of caves.
The only thing we could come up with on the Kole was maybe an injury from darting into the glass or the rock from possibly getting startled or chasing the Tomini. Curious what the yellow orbs are.
Ok, now the mystery and the items my not be related but this is what is happening... I bought two small Tangs, one Tomini and one Kole, both were eating well and acting normal getting use to each other and the tank and of course me watching them. A week after purchase, the Kole's lips swelled up and it looks like it could not close it's mouth, prior it had been picking at the rocks like normal. So yesterday the lips swelled and it quit eating but was still swimming around and it seemed like it wanted to munch on the seaweed on the clip but would not actually go to it. Today, I wake up to see it on its side dead. The only thing I see is damage around its mouth, there were no other signs of infection, worms, ich, or anything else. The smaller Tomini is fine and the Mollie is fine as well and are not showing any odd signs. I took the fish to the LFS where I bought it to get their take on what happened and he was stumped too, internet search had some similar issues with some people saying they have had this and the fish recovered and others saying that their died within days, mine was the latter. So that is mystery number one, number two is I noticed tonight that there are 5 little yellow clear balls on the substrate next to my frag rack, I was able to grab one and put it in a test tube and it looks like a tiny yellow see through ball or bubble. Kinda like a fish egg but I do not see anything in there. The frags that are in there are random Zoa's, a candy cane, and a clove polyp. I replaced the Kole with a Powder Brown Tang today as I wanted to introduce the two tangs to the display at the same time. The display is 125 gallon 6' tank softie and LPS with plenty of caves.
The only thing we could come up with on the Kole was maybe an injury from darting into the glass or the rock from possibly getting startled or chasing the Tomini. Curious what the yellow orbs are.
