Naso on it's last legs

[steveoutlaw]

Ok, this is becoming a nightmare. My Naso Tang (that I got at the same time as my PBT) is now showing the same symptoms as the PBT right before it died. It's been swimming around, eating, doing just fine for over a week. Now he is lethargic and just hovering in the corner.

 

This tang was also treated with copper.......I have 2 yellow tangs, a blue hippo tang, and a gold spotted rabbitfish in the tank and they are all thriving. All of the corals in my tank are thriving. Water parameters are normal.

 

WHAT CAN I DO TO SAVE THIS FISH???

Edited October 17, 2006 by steveoutlaw

[traveller7]

IME: There are numerous potential events going on. Naso's when unhappy change color quite dramatically. Dark brown to almost white, but typically extreme. Is there any external damage at all? Redness on fin edge, cloudy eyes, a sheen to the dorsal surface, accelerated breathing?

 

Taken from the PBT thread:

 

I was feeding him Nori every other day and formula 1 & 2 frozen mixed with formula 1 & 2 flake and Krill. He was eating like a champ up until this weekend.....that's what makes it so frustrating.

 

Is the fish still eating?

- if the fish is still eating, keep nori in the tank 24x7

- if the fish is still eating, saturation feed with mysis, spirulina brine, etc. 3x or more a day (get ready for some water changes we are talking some serious food here) The fish needs to eat until it does not eat any more at each feeding, along with any other new arrival.

 

Frankly, I have a page of questions about the fish itself, but I would be pest to post some pictures asap.

 

I have had to copper a bunch of tangs(clowns and Amyloo) over the years and have yet to lose one from copper. I did lose a Kole to formalin within minutes, but that is a different story.

[davelin315]

I don't have a good guess as to what's ailing your fish but based on the number of tank moves perhaps it has something to do with the water chemistry. I know you said the levels test out OK, but are you testing all of them? It's stressful for a tank to undergo a complete overhaul and yours has undergone it several times over the past few months. Maybe there's something going on in your system that's hurting the fish? Also, have you checked for stray voltage? A million different things could be going on... maybe try to pull the fish and QT it.

[steveoutlaw]

Update-

 

Well, I don't know how the fish is doing because I had to leave before lights on this morning. To answer the questions:

 

The Naso has stopped eating, his breathing is accelerated and he's just hovering in a corner. The only discoloration I noticed was a ring around his tail.

 

I'm not buying the water parameters issue because I ran the gamut on tests and everything looks good. Plus there are 3 other tangs living in that tank and they are all healthy as can be.

 

The baffling part to me is that both tangs looked, acted and ate like healthy fish for over a week and then went downhill for no obvious reason.

[Scott_LM]

I know that the foxface rabbit fish has poison spines, what about yours.

 

Is it possible that these fish are being stung/speared/whatever by the rabbitfish while trying to find their place in the pecking order?

 

 

Or possibly these fish were caught using Cyanide and now showing the affects?

[steveoutlaw]

I have never witnessed any aggression from the rabbitfish toward the tangs. It was one big happy family.

 

Not sure about the cyanide.......and not sure how to find out.

[Scott_LM]

I was just taking a stab. After looking around the net it seems there are many poisonous species of Rabbitfish.

 

Do you know the sci name for the rabbitfish. It also might not be aggression on his/her part, but aggression on the tangs part. The rabbitfish may just be defending itself.

 

As far Cyanide, I don't know that it is something that can be detected w/o an atopsy or chemical test after death. I don't believe Tangs are normally caught this way, but you never know.

 

Scott

[tygger]

I wasn't following the other thread... where did you get these guys?

[xCGx]

Might have already been mentioned but tangs are real sensitive to stray current. Do you have a grounding probe? Tangs also do better in established tanks. I know you have kids, do you think that they may have accidenlty put something in your tank?

Edited October 18, 2006 by xCGx

[steveoutlaw]

UPDATE

 

Well, I came home to find my Naso being devoured by the clean-up crew. I don't know what could have been the cause. This really bums me out.........I hate losing a fish anytime but when you don't know why and everything seems as it should be it makes it even worse. All other fish and corals are doing well.

 

I think that I'm going to wait a while before I add anything else to the tank.

Edited October 18, 2006 by steveoutlaw

[traveller7]

Bummer.

 

I think that I'm going to wait a while before I add anything else to the tank.

I would as well.

[Ne0eN]

Sorry to hear. Did you ever do a partial water change since the other fish death? I'm still guessing that the water chemistry is at fault.

 

-- Rob

[steveoutlaw]

That's what's killing me Rob. I've done every test you can imagine on the water and they all come out fine. All of the other Tangs in the tank are thriving. All of the fish period in the tank are thriving. All of the corals have never looked better.

 

The only thing that I can point to is they were diseased when I bought them. I'm not knocking the vendor or the quarantine method at all. I want to make that clear. I have bought from him before and never had a problem. Something about this purchase.....2 tangs at the same time from the same tanks....something has to be wrong there......but what???? We will never know.

 

But to answer your question, yes. I did a 5g water change last night and I'm doing another one tonight.

Edited October 19, 2006 by steveoutlaw

[gsedlack]

Steve:

 

You may never know what happened, but this has happended to others. I had a very similar event 6 months ago when I bought a Flame Angel and Ocellaris clown. They were in perfect health for 25 days - then were looking ill for 1 1/2 days and then died within 12 hours of each other.

 

It was 2 month latter that I added a new fish and I have not had another loss (well one fish jumped). Good luck and I am sorry for your losses.

[squiddly]

My condolences :(. To lose two beauties so quickly must be awful.