Yellow Tang Swimming Funny

[CastAway]

My yellow Tang, that I've had for over a month now, has started to swim funny. It's swimming on it side, tilted at a 45 degree angle, kind of hanging on the glass - definitely not his normal self. Kind of freaking out about it.

Any clues?
Any advice?

 

[CastAway]

 

[fishroomlady]

is it breathing ok? it definitely seems something is wrong. Any recent changes to the tank?

 

[CastAway]

It seems to be breathing okay; will even eat if it happens to swim into food. I added an ATO about two weeks ago now. And, I did add a blue tang a week or so before that. They've never shown aggression towards each other though. And, as if this all wern't bad enough, my Midas blenny has essentially disappeared, hiding in a hole for about two weeks now. Some change, lot's of scary behavior. At a loss.

 

[fishroomlady]

only the yellow is acting strangely? other than the midas blenny - how big is your tank?

 

[CastAway]

First the midas, just disappearing, turning dark, hiding in a hole in the very back. Now, the tang, off kilter, not right. Display is 150. Total system volume about 210. My wife and I were just talking about it, we think all the fish are acting just a little differently, more skidish, hiding more. They used to follow me around waiting to eat, now they just flake out.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Have you checked for stray voltage?

Did you clean the ATO before installing it? Could there have been any chemicals accidentally introduced?

 

[deerhunter06]

blue tang notorious for ich.....did you QT?

 

[CastAway]

I've though about the "stray voltage" bit. Honestly, as an electrical designer, I've never given much credence to aquarium grounding probes. I think they may actually result in current flow rather than prevent it, but that's a topic for another day. Nonetheless, I'm considering it, as it is a safety measure for me, rather than my fish, and I do read reports of changed behavior in fish. The Aqualifter was new, still in the bubble wrap, so I don't think I've introduced anything. Just to be sure however, I may remove it and do manual top offs for a few days and see what happens.

No, I did not QT the blue tang. With ich, doesn't one see blemishes first? The blue tang is the most healthy and normal acting fish in the tank at this point.

(Maybe I should do a water change, just to be safe)

 

[CastAway]

I figure it's inevitable at this point, this tang is going to die. It's swimming upside down, in circles, all over the place. I did not think it would make it through the day, but it has. If anyone has any advice....

Should I remove it before it dies?
Should I quarantine it? Treat it?

 

[TJ's Reef]

Hey Jeff, responded to your pm but thought best to respond here as well. My educated guess would be a bacterial infection of the swim bladder and would suggest a Formalin treatment ASAP. keep us posted as to its condition bud.

Cheers, Todd

 

[CastAway]

Hey Jeff, responded to your pm but thought best to respond here as well. My educated guess would be a bacterial infection of the swim bladder and would suggest a Formalin treatment ASAP. keep us posted as to its condition bud.

Cheers, Todd

Thanks Todd. Very very bummed. Thought I would skate through this reef keeping thing, no problems (not really). How does one take precaution against bacterial infections? There's been a few times I've left frozen food out, in my little thawing container, and feed it when I probably shouldn't have. Could that have done it? Can one guard against bacterial infections, all things considered?

 

[CastAway]

The Midas is gone. Might have been the most beautiful fish I've ever seen. Definitely my tank favorite. The Yellow tang is in QT being treated. No more fish for a while.