zebra tang, cloudy eyes and more

[daisy]

I adopted a badly-beaten up zebra tang from my LFS about a year ago. He had lost his top fin to triggers in his previous home, and had suffered from HLLE there as well. (I felt sorry for him at the store, and the owner gave him to me... I'm sorry about it now, but what can you do?)
Anyway, his color is off - he's gotten very dark all over except for where the HLLE scarred him - and when I came home from a two-day weekend away, I notice that his eyes are getting cloudy. He also seems to be gasping and is hanging out in front of a powerhead. He is still eating. The only other fish in the tank, a maroon clown, seems fine. There are two hermits, a snail and a sally lightfoot. There are a few feather dusters on a discarded shell that are thriving. The water params seem fine.
It's a 55 gal with three powerheads, a bio-wheel filter and a protein skimmer. There have been no new additions to the tank in many months.
What's the best thing to do? I haven't noticed any sort of film or spots on his body, but as I said, his color is off. Also, I think one of his pectoral fins is starting to look a little ragged.
Thanks for your help!

 

[daisy]

stuff I just noticed... I just fed him a piece of garlic and vitamin -soaked dried seewead/algae, and while he was eating, his color improved -- he's been an overall dark brown covering the white, yellow and brown. But in the color lightening, I noticed that there are red streaks in his otherwise yellow tail.
I have a 40 gallon tank set up with one powerhead and a biowheel filter - no protein skimmer. There is crushed coral on the bottom and rockwork in the tank. The salinity is a touch lower than the main tank and the temp is a tiny bit lower as well, but there is nothing in this tank. I cycled it a long time ago, but there have been no fish in this tank for months. I do know, however, that there are bristle worms in the substrate. (I've got them in the main tank as well). Can I consider this tank cycled? Is it safe to use as a HT?
Thanks.

 

[daisy]

If there are any sharks around, please give a reply. I don't want to lose this fish, and I need some help please.

 

[daisy]

I've been doing small water changes every other week or so. I did about 15% this morning. I've been making water all day. How long should I age the water before adding it to the tank? The water I've got now is about a day old.

 

[sandy]

Daisy, I noticed (Saturday) that my purple tang was losing some color and had a cloudy eye. Instead of doing my usual 10 gal a week water change, I did a 20 gal. His eye cleared up by the afternoon. Also, does your tang have seaweed to graze on and other nutrients?
As far as aged water is concerned... I've heard 24 hours is enough. Well aeriated. I actually mixed up 20 gal (in a tank) w/ air pump, powerhead and hang on filter and used the water in about three hours. Not recommended... but it was fine. I have 20 more gallons running now and will be aged for a week before I do another water change. I'll use it before that if my tang gets a cloudy eye.
IMO good for you for rescuing that tang. Hope it lives a long and peaceful life.

 

[daisy]

Okay, I put in 15 gallons yesterday morning, and I've got another 15 gallons to put in today. I know it's not the same as a 50% water change, but I need to buy a bigger bucket.
Do you put anything in the water other than salt before you add it to the tank? I did freshwater for many years before I did salt, and I always added de-stressing stuff first. I've never added anything to my salt water but the salt mix. Do you add anything?
The tang is still hanging in there. His color looked really bad last night. He looks a little better today, but his eyes are still a little cloudy. He really didn't eat yesterday. I do give him a small variety of foods -- he gets vitamin-soaked dry food, vitamin and garlic-soaked dry seaweed and frozen broccoli. Occasionally I throw in frozen cubes of formula II. I'm going shopping today and will look for more stuff for him to eat, I guess.