Yellow Eyed Kole Tang Sick??

[Plauri55]

I've had my Tang for well over a year. Aprox 4 inches
75 gallon tank

Other inhabitants include 2 clowns, 2 pajamas, 2 Wrasse, shrimp goby, a lawnmower blenny and a Bellus angel.

A few months back the Tang was very pale, especially in the mornings and hiding a lot in his cave. Never any overt signs of disease. This lasted maybe 4-5 days and then he went back to his normal "doofy" self. Last week he started acting like this again. Pale, worse in morning, hiding quite a bit but eating, though not as voraciously as usual. Eats both nori and frozen foods.
All other fish are acting quite normal, no signs of illness. No fish are seemingly bothering him but they do seem to like to check out his cave when he leaves it.
I've tried to read up on this and I have seen that tangs do get stressed quite easily. And I am hoping that is all I'm dealing with.
If that is the case what if anything can I do to relieve the stress?
I have added a smaller cave hoping other fish would stay out of his and use the new one. And I have begun soaking food with Selcon.

 

[Crabs McJones]

If it's only in the mornings that you're observing it, it's pretty common. At night when the fish are asleep or its lights out their color fades, when they wake up or if they're woken up suddenly they'll still be pale in color and jumpy. But on the off chance it is an illness are you able to snap a photo of the fish to share with us?

 

[ngoodermuth]

Were any of the fish quarantined? Is it possible you have a latent parasite? (ich-management)

Unless your parameters aren’t shifting significantly and no one is picking on him, he shouldn’t be too stressed. Any white-stringy poop, excessive yawning, head shaking, scratching etc?

 

[4FordFamily]

Kole tangs don't generally lose color without reason. Mine are always colored up by the time the lights come on, unless something is going on. Zebrasoma tangs may be discolored for some time after the lights kick back on, particularly my Gem and Yellow.

Back to your Kole -- if you didn't quarantine your fish, it's safe to assume there's something going on. Can you take some close up photos? Does the fish swim in to powerheads? Avoid light? Behave more cryptically? What about flashing, scratching, heavy breathing, darting (uncharacteristically), head shaking, approaching small wrasse-shaped fish more frequently for cleaning than expected? Any spots? Dustings? Discoloring permanently?

Any new fish added in the past month? Anything else added that was wet IE coral, clean-up crew, chaeto?

 

[Plauri55]

Were any of the fish quarantined? Is it possible you have a latent parasite? (ich-management)

Unless your parameters aren’t shifting significantly and no one is picking on him, he shouldn’t be too stressed. Any white-stringy poop, excessive yawning, head shaking, scratching etc?

All fish have been quarantined before going into the tank.
I will try getting a picture.
No change in poop, no head shaking or scratching. No visible lesions.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

I have a yellow tang that every morning came out of his cave pale but soon he gets active he goes back to normal.

 

[Plauri55]

Kole tangs don't generally lose color without reason. Mine are always colored up by the time the lights come on, unless something is going on. Zebrasoma tangs may be discolored for some time after the lights kick back on, particularly my Gem and Yellow.

Back to your Kole -- if you didn't quarantine your fish, it's safe to assume there's something going on. Can you take some close up photos? Does the fish swim in to powerheads? Avoid light? Behave more cryptically? What about flashing, scratching, heavy breathing, darting (uncharacteristically), head shaking, approaching small wrasse-shaped fish more frequently for cleaning than expected? Any spots? Dustings? Discoloring permanently?

Any new fish added in the past month? Anything else added that was wet IE coral, clean-up crew, chaeto?

All fish were quarantined but I did add some Zoas and Chaeto.
Also no strange movements or visible lesions.
Avoid light.... maybe that's why he hangs out in his cave?

 

[4FordFamily]

All fish were quarantined but I did add some Zoas and Chaeto.
Also no strange movements or visible lesions.
Avoid light.... maybe that's why he hangs out in his cave?

Avoiding light is a symptom of velvet, frequently. Being cryptic in general can be many ailments.

 

[SirShmyra]

Kole tangs don't generally lose color without reason. Mine are always colored up by the time the lights come on, unless something is going on. Zebrasoma tangs may be discolored for some time after the lights kick back on, particularly my Gem and Yellow.

Back to your Kole -- if you didn't quarantine your fish, it's safe to assume there's something going on. Can you take some close up photos? Does the fish swim in to powerheads? Avoid light? Behave more cryptically? What about flashing, scratching, heavy breathing, darting (uncharacteristically), head shaking, approaching small wrasse-shaped fish more frequently for cleaning than expected? Any spots? Dustings? Discoloring permanently?

Any new fish added in the past month? Anything else added that was wet IE coral, clean-up crew, chaeto?

I've got a kole tang doing many of these. New purchase, about two weeks ago. Was doing great, swimming actively, eating, etc. Last few days has become very pale, beginning to lose weight and getting bony in the face. Not comming out of his cave, but very seldom, also looking for cleaning fr the shrimps constantly.

Any thoughts @4FordFamily ?

 

[4FordFamily]

I've got a kole tang doing many of these. New purchase, about two weeks ago. Was doing great, swimming actively, eating, etc. Last few days has become very pale, beginning to lose weight and getting bony in the face. Not comming out of his cave, but very seldom, also looking for cleaning fr the shrimps constantly.

Any thoughts @4FordFamily ?

Hard to make out but you’re describing likely velvet as well.