Strange Yellow Tang Behaviour! Please help!

[timsedwards]

Hi Guys,
I have a yellow tang of medium size in my 72g, levels are all about zero with nitrates going down to 10 or so.
Yesterday when i was simply and carefully cleaning the front glass with the magnetic algae cleaner it went mad and was flipping and turning turning all the gravel upside down and generally getting very stressed, today I come home and turn the lights on and he does the same, flipping and breathing quickly? Stress? When i first turn the lights on he always seems to have a dark colour around his middle?
Any ideas?
Tim

 

[timsedwards]

No he is not getting any hassle off anyone, the Royal Gramma is very well tempered, and he is eating but I am very cautious not to overfeed with my ammonia levels. He has become quite shy and timid.
Any more ideas?
Tim

 

[kev]

How long have you had your YT? Thats normal behavior for them when you first get em. Be on the look out for ick, if you've had it awhile, then it might be coming down with ick or somethin. The dark coloring is normal, most fish will change colors at night then their colors will come back after being in the light.

 

[buzz]

Maybe it's the ever present ammonia in the tank...
LATEST READINGS - pH = 8.2, Ammon. = 0.25, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 20, Copper = 0, Salinity = 1.023
The ammonia has still not gone away? .25 is actually still pretty bad. It really needs to be 0. Is this just the test kit you use? Or has this been confirmed by your LFS. If not, maybe bring a water sample to them to test.
A far fetched idea...
Do you have any electric current in the tank? Perhaps you should try a ground? Maybe it's making the fish uncomfortable.

 

[buzz]

I meant for the apparent "death rolls" the thing is doing...
Yes, the color change is normal. Many fish do this. I've seen normally bright yellow, colorful fish appear bleached white and dull early in the morning...

 

[jumpfrog]

I've seen mine do a little wagging and throw little temper tantrums, as I call them. Don't know why, just does it from time to time. Never has been associated with any illness though. I'd keep an eye on em just to make sure. Agree with all on the color thing. Mine does it every day.
Good Luck!

 

[timsedwards]

Hey guys thanks for your help,
Yes I thought that was the case with the colour changing, just thought I would chuck it in for good measure
Yes ammonia is a tad high today, but funily enough it did go down to 0 for a week or more, I think I overfed them slightly yesterday, so will be interesting to know in a couple of days time what the readings are. TBH the tang survived ammonia of 2.6 in my dreaded spike which Buzz knows about, im not so sure that 0.25 will torment him too much, altho of course not ideal.
BTW ive had my tang for 6 months or more now. He seems a bit better now, all other inhabitants seem more than happy with conditions.
Any more enlightenment?
All the best guys,
Tim

 

[ophiura]

Well, I would be a bit skitish too. He's had a rough month. Lots of traveling and all But things should be calming down now. How soon after you turned the lights on did you start cleaning?
Having the lights come on suddenly can freak things out a bit, if they are already a touch skitish.
Does it look like he is scratching on anything?

 

[dburr]

I'm thinking on the same lines as ophiura, do you turn on the room lights before the tank lights?
It may help. They will know that the lights will be coming on if you you turn on the room lights and wont be so freaked out.
HTH

 

[timsedwards]

Hi Guys,
Well its never pitch black, there is always a room light on or something. I thought it might have been rubbing against some live rock earlier but I think it was trying get a bit of food!
Is it a possibility it may not have enough swimming space or something? I was thinking of (much against my girlfriends' protests of how it would feel ) taking it back to LFS and getting a Hippo/Regal or Powder Blue at a later date? Any thoughts?
The lights were on all day and I just did it very slowly and calmly, done it a thousand times before and he was having a nervous fit! Even after I had finished cleaning!
Any more thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
All the best,
Tim

 

[timsedwards]

Bumpety bump!
Any thoughts guys because I would like to make a decision today or tomorrow as going up to the LFS thios weekend to pick up T5's...
All the best,
Tim