Yellow tang sudden health issue

[mr.salty]

Hi everyone,

I have a 8x2x2 reef tank that has been set up for over 4 months now. The parameters are:

0 nitrate
0.01 phosphate
8.2 alk
435 calc
1400 mag
79 degrees
8.1 ph
35 PPT
400ish ORP

I’m not dosing carbon and have two titanium heaters that double up as grounding probes for stray voltage.

Obviously no nitrites or ammonia.

My largest yellow tang has suddenly stopped eating, its mouth looks to be stuck open and it has black stringy bits coming out of its gills.

It seems to be very lethargic and sits on bottom of the tank or hides a lot.

All the other fish are looking really healthy and to be honest he looks good as well.

I use selcon with every meal and feed:

Mysis with garlic in morning

Sheets of nori through the day or two separate clips to avoid aggression

Marine cruise and mysis on an evening

Sometimes feed a marine grazer suck on the glass thing they all seem to enjoy.

This fish was the boss of the tank and was a pig at meal times and has not had one issue since I’ve had him so i really don’t want to loose him!

Any ideas?

 

[Reeferdood]

I wonder if it tried to eat a bristle worm?
@Humblefish might be of some assistance here....

 

[reef lover]

#reefsquad

 

[mr.salty]

I wonder if it tried to eat a bristle worm?
@Humblefish might be of some assistance here....

Doubt I have any bristleworms as I have used caribsea life rock and only introduced critters that I want.

Only got five pieces of coral which are two monti frags, a hammer frag, a Duncan and a larger torch coral. All these were dipped before entering the tank.

Not ruling this out but it’s such a strange one that I doubt I can help him! [emoji20]

I have a refugium but again only Pods in there that get blasted round the tank now and again.

 

[Reeferdood]

Doubt I have any bristleworms as I have used caribsea life rock and only introduced critters that I want.

Only got five pieces of coral which are two monti frags, a hammer frag, a Duncan and a larger torch coral. All these were dipped before entering the tank.

Not ruling this out but it’s such a strange one that I doubt I can help him! [emoji20]

I have a refugium but again only Pods in there that get blasted round the tank now and again.

Well, hopefully someone on the squad or some of the fish experts can offer some other solutions.
Hopefully the tang will be ok...

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

Black stringy stuff could be dried blood coming out. I see the fin red as well along with an aggression/fight marks on her back fin towards top and 1 earlier mark on bottom.
Due to blood alone antibiotics antiseptic are probably a good idea. It could be secondary infection that could be causing distress.

 

[mr.salty]

Black stringy stuff could be dried blood coming out. I see the fin red as well along with an aggression/fight marks on her back fin towards top and 1 earlier mark on bottom.
Due to blood alone antibiotics antiseptic are probably a good idea. It could be secondary infection that could be causing distress.

What antibiotics would you say could work?

Will get my QT running again and see what I can do.

The tangs have been scuffling when first added but everything has been settled for a few weeks now. Feeding time is always “interesting” but I have got two veggie clips now that seem to do the job.

Thanks for your help so far everyone

 

[mr.salty]

Would the antibiotics make the tang want to eat again?

If I was to QT the fish would this not pose an issue with reintroduction due to it been three on one for dominance again?

 

[Humblefish]

Would the antibiotics make the tang want to eat again?

If I was to QT the fish would this not pose an issue with reintroduction due to it been three on one for dominance again?

Antibiotics typically cause appetite suppression, so I would first try using an antiseptic in a short bath treatment.

Ruby Reef Rally contains two antiseptics and you can give the fish a 90 min bath in that. Or MB (30 min bath) might be another good option here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/methylene-blue.257467/

 

[mr.salty]

Thanks I will get some ordered