what care is needed for a yellow tang?

[drea]

mine is dying, he was breathing heavy and is now on the bottom sand.... all my levels are good... i just don't get it... i read somewhere on here that they need garcilera? or some type of plant life? his colors and everything were great, only problem i saw was his heavy gilling, poor guy..... i'd like to try another one in a month or so, i just want to keep him alive!

 

[fishieness]

they do need a diet consisting mainly of plants.
they also need an aquarium of at least 75 gallons. how big is yours?
please actualy list your levels instead od just saying they are perfect.
how old is the tank?

 

[drea]

70 g tall, i don't remember the levels... amonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates under 20 temp 79-80
he was so healthy too.... idk....... he just started breathing heavy w/ gills and died today...

 

[diane4]

Was he a faded color when he died.
I had a purple tang once and when I did a major cleaning on my tank, a peice of detrus came loose and out the return into the tank. I think he ate it and the material he ate killed him.
My experience has shown me that a Tang will sample in their mouths almost anything floating by, where as my dog face puffer won't touch a lot of things.
maybe he ate something bad. I haven't had good luck with Tangs.

 

[drea]

true..... i was reading something that they need a specific plant or something on here... i have no clue, my hippo is doing great though

 

[diane4]

I also know that they like to feed and graze constantly, if they don't get enough algea to eat, they will die.

 

[carshark]

yes they do like to graze, as far as specialized attention, they plenty of swimming room, unless you have a mass amount of algae, there are clips used to put nori or store bought algae in these, and mine usually grazed on it all day, but i removed it after 8 hours if any were left, nine out of ten there never was any left!