Sick Kole Tang?

[CaptainRon]

I don't know what's going on with this guy. He seems to be acting normal, but he's not looking normal.

 

 

 

 

I took this photo on 11/4/2011

 

 

 

 

 

I took this photo just a few minutes ago.

 

 

 

Anyone have any idea? I did find some comments saying that these guys just need some time to settle in (recent addition to the tank) but I don't want to just stick my head in the sand and hope for the best if there's something more going on.

 

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Jan]

Bellys sunken a little too. Has it stopped eating? Looks like scrape marks. Is it scraping against rock? Have you seen anything picking at? Poor fish. I'd put it in a QT tank to start. See if it eats. Look up pictures of skin erosion, disease, etc. on google images and take it from there.

[surf&turf]

When I had nems in with mine, he would get some similar looking marks in its body. I have since taken the nems out of the ninty and he hasn't gotten any since.

 

About every couple days he would have new marks on him.

Edited November 8, 2011 by surf&turf

[CaptainRon]

Jan - He's a new addition to the tank but he has been eating. He's eaten flakes, mysis, nori, pellets all with good gusto after the first day. He brushed VERY close to the rabbit fish quite often but I have not seen him scrap against rocks. I thought it looked like scapes too..

[CaptainRon]

Oh yeah, thanks for the reminder S&T - I have seen him brush the RBTA's a bunch of times as well.

[surf&turf]

Oh yeah, thanks for the reminder S&T - I have seen him brush the RBTA's a bunch of times as well.

 

 

They don't really seem to be afraid of the BTA and graze right up against them. Mine was covered one time like he had gone in head first.

[overklok]

When they try that with a Haddoni Carpet Anemone they become food, or disappeared, whichever you prefer.

[davelin315]

Those look like bite marks to me. Look at how rounded they are and the similar shape and size of them. Even the hourglass one on the bottom looks like it was scraped down by a jaw. The top of the tail also has a circular appearance to it. I'd compare what you see to any imprints left behind when the blenny eats - I think your starry blenny is similar to one I had before that would take chunks out of my clams. The only thing that is throwing me off is the the marks under its mouth.

 

I would also start feeding the rabbitfish more - I looked at your tank thread and it looks emaciated a little bit.

[CaptainRon]

Never even thought about the Starry Blenny. I'll have to keep a closer watch on him. Although that's going to be a touch one as I sometimes don'e see him for a day at a time. Some of the holes he shimmies into don't look nearly big enough but he somehow fits.

 

I agree with you about the Rabbit Fish. I didn't mention it before but I've also been keeping sheets of nori on a clip and he's been picking at it pretty regularly. He was a bit skinny when I got him and he's been eating pretty well. I'll have to try to get another picture of him to compare to see if he's bulking up any. He seems to be eating well - he eats pellets, nori, mysis, and flakes.