Tang with white spots (2 weeks in hypo)

[beth]

You know what, the tangs I had never cared much for Nori, and hanging it on clip usually ended up with big mess in the tank because it degrades fast. I'd try a nice very dark leafy rommaine lettuce leaf. Never seen a tang turn that down, once they figured out that that werid thing hanging in the current was food. Yes, seaweed is the preferred food, but at this point, just getting the tang to nip at something would be good. My tangs got pretty dang plump on rommaine.

 

[gatorcsm]

Thanks, sounds like something I'll try. He's been doing a lot better eating now.. Now if I can get him to eat something other than flake... But for now, if he want's flake, he gets flake.
I have the same problem with the nori, it just becomes a blob of green that slowly disintigrates into the tank.
How does spinach work? Seems like it could be pretty nutritious. Any leafy greens to stay away from (for health reasons)
Thanks for the idea.

 

[beth]

Spinich is good, but I didn't have as much luck with tangs eating it. Try very green leafy rommaine lettuce. Take off a leaf and clip it. It doesn't degrade fast in the water, in fact, it can be left there for several hrs.

 

[gatorcsm]

I'll try that today. Still not eating enough of the flake, and it's taking way too much feeding for him to get any. If I only put a few pieces in, he doesn't get it. I have to put a considerable amount for him to happen accross a piece easy enough for him to get. I keep having to do mini water changes just to vaccuum out the uneaten food... And there is a lot of it.

 

[gatorcsm]

Beth, I've emailed you a video clip of the tang 'missing' his food. Maybe you have seen something similar or maybe this can give some better understanding of what I'm referring to. It happens at about 11-12 seconds in.
Thanks,
Gator

 

[beth]

It didn't look like he missed the food. Looked like he kinda wanted to eat, but didn't particularly want to eat that.
What other foods are you offering?
Hopefully, you got the lettuce today and we can see how he does with that. He might not take to it right away, may even take a day or 2, but hopefully, he'll catch on and start grazing. Don't put any more supplements on foods, if you have been doing that.
How are the spots?
I will say this, he may be sick, but he's still pretty active and fin structure looks good--which are good signs. Excellent color still, from what I can tell for the shots.

 

[gatorcsm]

Well, he's doing even better now. Still not catching on to the lettuce, but I'm keeping a fresh piece on there just in case. He is readily eating the flake now. I had tried some other frozen formulas and protein based, but he didn't seem to have enough time with it near him to chase it down... He doesn't have quite enough energy, so I have to turn off the power head and filter for a little while during part of the feeding. He does like to chase some of them though. The frozen stuff sinks a little too quickly... I considered live brine, but I was told that it didn't provide much nutrition... Is this true? Or would it be something to try?
The good thing is, he is eating. Just looks so skinny at this point.. I think I saw him try to graze on the few rocks I have in there for him; unfortunately, the rocks don't have much to graze from...
The spots are about half gone i'd say. I did the second bath today, it seemed to do more than the first one.
Hopefully he'll get some meat back on his bones soon!
Is it ok to use bacter-vital in addition to waterchanges to keep levels in check. I've been using it with success, and water changes every other day (about 40%)

 

[gatorcsm]

He's doing much, much better. Eating almost anything I put in. Mysis, brine, flake. Haven't tried the formula's yet, but I'm sure he would eat them too.
He still has some spots, we'll see how they do.
Again, thanks for all of the help. Couldn't have done it without you guys. If the purple tang could thank you, he would, too!

 

[flamehawk]

Terry and Beth....great job on this one....along the way you mentioned mucus string around the face or gills...this may be what my PB has...Please read my post and help...thanks.

 

[gatorcsm]

Beth, Terry:
Well. been a long time since this post was active, but wanted to update and ask a question on this same purple tang.
He is still alive and doing great (3 years later), but hasn't grown very much (he has grown a little it seems)... This and a few other fish are all that made it through the 2004 hurricane season. That is a long story.. Bottom line is, temporary tanks during a move.. Green nepthia got sucked into a pump when the power returned.. Nuked everything (especially sps (lots of them)) and killed off everything else, except for the purple tang, my female mandarin, and my female clown. The corals were all in big 110 gallon tuff-stuff stock tanks waiting for the move.
Anyway, so the guy has made it through 2 very stressful events. Could this have stunted his growth?