Red Yello Tang

[crandolph1992]

.
I have a yellow tang in my 65 gallon tank. He has recently started to form a red "rashy" looking problem on his sides. Today his fins started to turn red. All of the red on him is beginning to be more defined and noticeable. I have only had him for about 4 months. I feed him nori every other day as well as brine, mysis shrimp. As well as occasional omega one flakes and pellets with garlic. Doing research many people are suggesting to put him in a QT tank. I do not have one, so i was wondering exactly what I will need for this so he survives.
Sorry about the picture quality, it's the best i can do

 

[beth]

That is a pretty bad bacterial infection.
Please post up all of your water readings. ALL of them. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, pH, water temp. Also give info about your filters, water flow.

 

[crandolph1992]

I use a sealife systems wet-dry trickle filter. I currently have one power head in the corner pushing all of the water in the tank. I know i need more movement.
The levels are:
Temp-80 Degrees F
Nitrate- around 80 ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Ammonia-between 0 and 0.25 ppm
PH- 8.0
S.Gravity- 1.023

 

[btldreef]

This tang needs to be quarantined. As Beth stated, that's a pretty bad bacterial infection.
A 65G isn't really ideal for a tang to begin with, which could be adding to it's stress, not helping the infection.

 

[beth]

The amount of nitrate that you have in your system says that you do not have a system that is providing enough organic waste export from your tank--high nitrate. Tangs, particularly, have low tolerance for environments with high nitrates. Trickle filters frequently carry a higher nitrate load because waste products get trapped in the media and do not break down fast enough.
Also, a yellow tang should not be in a 65 gal. These fish really need a min. 125.
You really can't treat this fish in a quarantine because you do not have a cycled one set up. To treat with medications, especially, antibiotics, you need a well cycled hospital tank.
I would do a 5 gal water change today and do the same every day until you get the nitrate down to less than 10. Long term resolution will mean a change in how you have your tank set up. Also, add at least 2 more powerheads immediately to the tank.
What is the media in the WD?
What type of tank are you trying to set up? Do you have sand in the tank or crushed coral?

 

[crandolph1992]

what is the bare minimum kind of filter to use for a quarantine set up? I have a 10 gallon tank with a filter that i can set up today.
what do you mean by tank i'm trying to set up? I have crushed coral in the bottom of this tank.
and i'm aware of the problem with the tangs in the tank. The tank and fish were not purchased by me. It was set up at a family members house who could not take care of it any more. So the fish came with the tank. I would not have purchased these fish for this size of a tank

 

[beth]

I can't really recommend setting up a quarantine tank. As I said, an uncycled quarantine tank with antibiotics added, is a recipe for disaster.
I would suggest the water changes I described in my previous post and the addition of the powerheads.
Is this fish still eating?
Nori is actually a food for humans not fish. I would suggest getting algae sheets and feed this fish that every day, in addition to a variety of foods for omnivore fish (plant and meat). Offer him meaty food as well and with that soaked in fresh garlic. Fresh minced garlic juice. Not bottled.
Also, crushed coral is also a poor choice for marine aquariums. It traps waste products causing incomplete nitrogen cycle (nitrates).

 

[crandolph1992]

He seems to be eating just fine. I fed the tank omega one pellets this morning with bottled garlic added and he ate as much as he could get. Which i guess i will try to go out and find what you described. He still loves meats, I feed him mostly brine and some mysis. Any particular brands of foods you recommend?
Within this month i plan to up get a larger tank, where i will be putting a sand bed rather than crushed coral.
I will do the water changes you recommended as well as get a powerhead. I can only afford one right now, but one is better than nothing.

 

[morgan175]

Does anyone see the two hippos behind the yellow tang could they be beating up on the yellow tang or is it to much bioload?

 

[beth]

The whole tank setup is just a bad situation, all the tangs, the crushed coral, lack of circulation, etc. Those tangs could be fighting, but what the yellow tang has is a bacterial infection. He also looks pretty emaciated due to lack of adequate nutrition.

 

[meowzer]

CR ...Do you have a picture of you whole tank? What else is in there besides all the tangs?
brine shrimp is really worthless....get some frozen marine cusine and/or emerald entree.....also get some vitamins...selcon and zoe are good

 

[crandolph1992]

It's one hippo...what you see is a reflection. The two tangs do not fight.

 

[crandolph1992]

I realize that this is not an ideal set up. Like i said, i did not purchase this tank set up or the two tangs. But i have to take care of these fish until i can get the proper tank set up for them to live happily.

 

[meowzer]

And you can....just do some of the things suggested....the main thing right now is keeping the tang WELL nourished and the water parameters in excellent condition.

 

[crandolph1992]

To answer your other question. There are the two tangs, a tomato clown, and two very small yellow tail damsels. As well as a cleaner shrimp, and a few turbo snails

 

[mr. limpid]

You'll need to set up a 10gal. (min) QT, I would use your existing bio material in your trickle filtering system, this will give you proper filtration right away. Use a plastic container; a small water pump and let gravity return the water to the QT. Leave enough bio material in your DT for the fish that remain, you can always add more bio material if need to, just my suggestion. Good Luck.

 

[lynnly]

I noticed this on my Tang about 3 days ago.I've had him for about 4 yrs now.The only thing I can think of that caused this is that I added new rock and one of the rocks covered an opening to his little den. No problems with the other fish,I moved the rock,started dosing with Melafix since its for bacteria infections.I'm hoping it works. Any other suggetions?

 

[btldreef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lynnly http:///t/389028/red-yello-tang#post_3437201
I noticed this on my Tang about 3 days ago.I've had him for about 4 yrs now.The only thing I can think of that caused this is that I added new rock and one of the rocks covered an opening to his little den. No problems with the other fish,I moved the rock,started dosing with Melafix since its for bacteria infections.I'm hoping it works. Any other suggetions?
I'd add some vitamins to the food as well. Does it look like the tang was scraping against the rocks to try to get into his den and that caused the infection?

 

[lynnly]

He could have been scraping against the rock.I'll see in a couple days with this treatment,and removing the rock from his entrance.

 

[btldreef]

Good luck!
My hippo did something similar when we moved a coral near his little den. Dummy swam into the base of the coral every day for a week and his head looked like a wrecking ball hit it! Luckily with some vitamins and bumped up feedings he recovered. Now if only I could catch him and get rid of him!