Yellow Tang Sick??? Help Please!!

[BG107]

I've had this yellow tang for around 2-3 months now. He has not been in contact with other fish ( except my 2 clowns like 3 weeks ago) for quite a while now. He is fed Nori and Mysis that is suspended in Selcon for quite some time. I have never noticed any bad poop or anything, usually just brown stuff. However, look at this! It looks like the bad poo that shows internal parasites!! I just do not understand how this could happen. I only have 4 fish in my house. All have been here for months. What is this weird white poo that I just spotted right now? And should I give him medicine or just observe for now.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yellow tangs are almost always wild caught. As such, they can carry internal parasites. 2-3 months is certainly within a time frame to see them. Here is the thing though - internal parasites don't WANT to leave the fish! Seeing them hanging out like that means they likely have died and are being passed. That said, I also cannot rule out that the fish isn't just passing a wad of undigested material, If you can collect some of this, look at it under a magnifying glass to see if you can notice features that would indicate a worm.

If you want treat, you should consider medicated food. Here is a link to an article I wrote on that topic:

Proper Dosing of Medicated Foods

This article offers information about developing medicated foods for aquarium fish

www.reef2reef.com

That said, yellow tangs do not routinely need to be medicated for internal worms, so I'm not certain you need to rush into anything.

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

It sure what you’re feeding it but diet plays a role in overall health and color if fish which converts food into energy
Feed at minimum:
Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract
Mysis shrimp
Small plankton
Formula 2 flake and frozen
LRS herbivore diet
Spirulina brine shrimp

ADD GARLIC EXTRACT AND SELCON VITAMINS TO THE FOOD 2-3X per week

 

[BG107]

Yellow tangs are almost always wild caught. As such, they can carry internal parasites. 2-3 months is certainly within a time frame to see them. Here is the thing though - internal parasites don't WANT to leave the fish! Seeing them hanging out like that means they likely have died and are being passed. That said, I also cannot rule out that the fish isn't just passing a wad of undigested material, If you can collect some of this, look at it under a magnifying glass to see if you can notice features that would indicate a worm.

If you want treat, you should consider medicated food. Here is a link to an article I wrote on that topic:

Proper Dosing of Medicated Foods

This article offers information about developing medicated foods for aquarium fish

www.reef2reef.com

That said, yellow tangs do not routinely need to be medicated for internal worms, so I'm not certain you need to rush into anything.

Jay

How long would you wait until trying to use medicated food? Any serious visible issues that would worry you? Thank you!

 

[BG107]

It sure what you’re feeding it but diet plays a role in overall health and color if fish which converts food into energy
Feed at minimum:
Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract
Mysis shrimp
Small plankton
Formula 2 flake and frozen
LRS herbivore diet
Spirulina brine shrimp

ADD GARLIC EXTRACT AND SELCON VITAMINS TO THE FOOD 2-3X per week

He heats nori around 3 times a week and mysis everyday that is soaked in selcon. What does garlic do? Should I add it to the mix with the selcon? Also, he refuses to eat flakes or pellets. Any way to get him to want it more?

 

[vetteguy53081]

He heats nori around 3 times a week and mysis everyday that is soaked in selcon. What does garlic do? Should I add it to the mix with the selcon? Also, he refuses to eat flakes or pellets. Any way to get him to want it more?

No fish turns down LRS herbivore diet
Garlic entices fish to eat and boosts the immune system