Advice with Kole Tang/QT

[morleyz]

I'm trying to add a Kole Tang to my 90g DT. My QT regimen to is do tank transfer, then 3 add'l weeks in observation starting with 2 doses of prazipro.

First Kole I got from LA didn't make it through the first night and really never seemed to recover from shipping.

Decided I would source locally for the new one. I visited about 10 stores in the area and found one that seemed healthy and active. Staff there said it ate whatever they feed the tank and it didn't seem particularly skinny.

Added it to QT on 12/23, went through TT, seemed to be going OK, but he never really at much or reliably. He was the only fish in QT, so competition wasn't an issue. Died last night within sight of graduating to the big show. No ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates in the QT (I run a HOB filter with sponge seeded in my DT and do 50% water changes weekly) and never observed anything unusual aside from him not eating. He was actively swimming around earlier in the day and rarely hid anymore. I can only assume it starved.

I'd still would like a Kole in my DT, but now that I've lost 2, I'm hesitant to keep my standard QT procedure. I did some additional searching and I'm seeing posts where some say they can't live without live rock and algae to pick off off (makes QT and TT kind of hard). Others say they're just finicky eaters. I really don't know since I haven't managed to keep one alive yet.

Looking for recommendations? Should I make the store feed him before I take him home and then feed that in QT? Is there anything you would suggest in QT/TT that might help encourage a Kole to eat or should I just provide a variety and hope something sticks?

 

[Deinonych]

Tagging along as I'm getting one from Diver's Den tomorrow.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

When I had my Kole tang I qt'd it in hyposalinity for 5 weeks during which I administered prazipro and Furan 2. The tang was purchased from vivid aquariums.

 

[Nina51]

i got mine from LA. he was big and healthy on arrival. he went into a 10g qt, lived there for a few days until i did ttm. during ttm, since i don't treat with any medications, i put a fist-sized new piece of live rock in with him at each transfer. i keep lots of live rock in my sump just for this purpose because obviously, you can't reuse a piece after a transfer.

mine took mysis and formula 2 almost pretty much immediately. he also picked around on the rock but i don't know that rock is absolutely necessary. i seriously doubt there was enough on that rock to sustain him, it was more to make him "feel at home" and more relaxed being able to pick around at something. i also rubber-banded sheets of nori to a small piece of pvc. while he picked at it, he's never been a huge fan of nori.

i kept lights off for the first 2 or 3 days. after that period of time, he was out and begging at the front glass every time i walked by. before he was even out of qt after ttm and 4 weeks of observation, he was eating out of my hand.

mine did come down with a mild case of lympho but it cleared up pretty quickly after i started soaking food in selcon and vita-chem.

if it were me, i would try another one from LA before i bought locally. while your first experience was a bad one, i really think that's an exception to the rule.

hope all of you guys get good ones!! they're amazingly beautiful and very personable fish!

 

[Deinonych]

Will post pics once he's settled in. He's getting ready to take a plane ride as I type this.

 

[woodnaquanut]

I QTd mine in a 10g. No rock, just PVC chunks. Chloroquine phosphate and PraziPro meds. It was as real timid fish in QT. The only way I could get a look at it was to set up the video camera and walk away. Fish surveillance cam?

It would eat, just not when I was around. It took several days to figure out nori.

Within minutes of hitting the DT, it's personality changed completely. Now when cleaning the glass I have to be careful not to hit it. It reminds me of my dog right before meal time.

Beautiful subtle colors. An algae eating machine!

Keep looking. You'll find a good one and it WILL be worth it!

 

[ca1ore]

If you do QT properly, there is no reason it should be any more stresfull for a new fish than being plopped right into the display - in fact, it's almost always less stressful. While it is natural to question ones protocol when fish die, it is not a reason to abandon QT.

 

[morleyz]

If you do QT properly, there is no reason it should be any more stresfull for a new fish than being plopped right into the display - in fact, it's almost always less stressful. While it is natural to question ones protocol when fish die, it is not a reason to abandon QT.

I was never considering skipping QT, just seeing if there are any worthwhile changes I should make that could improve the health of my livestock.

Maybe I was just unlucky with a Kole that didn't want to eat.

 

[woodnaquanut]

Rereading your first post, I see no issues with your methods.

The first fish, assuming there wasn't something toxic in the QT, was a goner from the beginning. Did you get a refund from LA?

What is your unbagging procedure? I'm not fond of the drip acclimation method for fish that have been bagged for a long time. I float for temp and match specific gravity then it's right into the QT.

Second fish, well that's a mystery. The fact that it never ate leads me to possible cyanide capture. No way to really know. We've all had mystery deaths.

 

[Deinonych]

What is your unbagging procedure? I'm not fond of the drip acclimation method for fish that have been bagged for a long time. I float for temp and match specific gravity then it's right into the QT.

+1

I've done this for every fish I've received from LA/DD. With this exception of a couple of DOAs, I've never lost a fish to acclimation since implementing this procedure.

 

[fearyaks]

I took some time shopping around the LFS for the right Kole. I passed on a number of Koles that didn't eat at the store. The one I settled on never hesitated (I was staring right at him and he ate without a care in the world).

I also did TT method. Took some time, trained on the clip but supplemented with other goodies (it ate mysis at the store so I would always drop a bit in).

 

[DrSoussou]

If you do QT properly, there is no reason it should be any more stresfull for a new fish than being plopped right into the display - in fact, it's almost always less stressful.

I completely agree as far as stress is concerned. This genus loves to constantly brush rocks for algae and I'm assuming your QT regimen doesn't provide that, so it will be more stressed out than if you were to simply add it to your tank.

I would recommend making sure that your new fish is healthy and eating/grazing before you purchase it, and then simply acclimate it to your show tank. Even if it doesn't eat, it will graze and habituate itself provided that you have an established aquarium with healthy algal growth and eat frozen eventually.

Edit: I re-read your post and it seems like you're looking to have one shipped to you...which means you can't check it out beforehand which explains why your QTing them. I geared my response more towards shopping locally, I suppose.

 

[morleyz]

Rereading your first post, I see no issues with your methods.

The first fish, assuming there wasn't something toxic in the QT, was a goner from the beginning. Did you get a refund from LA?

What is your unbagging procedure? I'm not fond of the drip acclimation method for fish that have been bagged for a long time. I float for temp and match specific gravity then it's right into the QT.

Second fish, well that's a mystery. The fact that it never ate leads me to possible cyanide capture. No way to really know. We've all had mystery deaths.

I did get my refund. LA has been great on customer service every time I've used them.

I use the method you state here. Float about 20 minutes for temp. I match SG in QT to what the seller says and just verify it quickly when I open the bag, then into the QT it goes with as little water from the bag as possible.

 

[morleyz]

I completely agree as far as stress is concerned. This genus loves to constantly brush rocks for algae and I'm assuming your QT regimen doesn't provide that, so it will be more stressed out than if you were to simply add it to your tank.

I would recommend making sure that your new fish is healthy and eating/grazing before you purchase it, and then simply acclimate it to your show tank. Even if it doesn't eat, it will graze and habituate itself provided that you have an established aquarium with healthy algal growth and eat frozen eventually.

Edit: I re-read your post and it seems like you're looking to have one shipped to you...which means you can't check it out beforehand which explains why your QTing them. I geared my response more towards shopping locally, I suppose.

I guess it's a personal preference, but I QT all fish. I don't trust any store or shipper enough to not do it.

 

[woodnaquanut]

I guess it's a personal preference, but I QT all fish. I don't trust any store or shipper enough to not do it.

Me too. So many things can't be seen till it's too late. Don't want that to get loose in the DT!

It's not just trust. Some fish look healthy but are just sub-clinical.

Besides QT gives them time to de-stress and recover from their travels w/o the competition and stress from the resident fish.

 

[Nina51]

Tagging along as I'm getting one from Diver's Den tomorrow.

is he there yet? :bounce3:

 

[rssjsb]

I've had luck getting Koles to eat stick-on spirulina tabs in QT. I think they're made by Sera.

 

[morleyz]

I've had luck getting Koles to eat stick-on spirulina tabs in QT. I think they're made by Sera.

Thanks. I'll see if I can give these a try when I find a new specimen.

 

[Deinonych]

is he there yet? :bounce3:

Oh yes...he made it safe and sound. Got a little scare when I checked the tracking info this morning (delayed flight), but he got here just past 10:30am local time. He's very active, but still shy. Will post pics in a couple days once he's feeling more photogenic.

On an unrelated matter, DD sent me the wrong coral (ordered a purple stylo, received a green birdsnest). I'll need to give them a call to get that sorted out, but I'm glad my Kole made it.

 

[morleyz]

Awesome. Hope it goes well with the Kole. I'm sure LA will take care of you on the coral. They have awesome customer service IME.