Crazy Powder Blue Tang

[lawmary]

In the last few weeks, my powder blue tang is jumping up at each end of my 180 tank and either splashing or spitting a large wave-like volume of water out of the tank onto the lights, side of the tank and the floor. The water hitting the carpet makes a significant, sickening sound. I keep thinking that I'm going to find the fish flopping around, but he's always still in the tank. is he crazy or just trying to get my attention?

 

[coralnut99]

Interested to see where this goes. I recall seeing an "orphaned" niger trigger doing the very same thing in a LFS not too long ago. He was way too big for the tank he was in and would just hang out in a corner and poke his head out and spit like a cranky old man every so often. Fish seemed fine otherwise. Similarly, they had a HUGE Achilles in a 150G that simply swam in circles endlessly; I got tired just watching him. The PBT may be having "confinement issues" (even in a 180G) if he's been in the tank for a very long time, though that's just a guess on my part.

 

[Suki]

Ground Probe!
Any new fish added or old ones die?

 

[lawmary]

Yes . . . I have lost old fish since I added the powder blue about a year ago. When I added it, it stressed out a large lyretail male angel, which developed a scale fungus and died within two weeks. Over the next few months I slowly lost several other fish, one at a time. About 4-5 months ago I added three new semilavartus butterfiles and have only one remaining. The fish appeared to die from an internal parasite, and some fish remaining appear to have a mild skin fungus.

My quarantine tank was too small for the tang, and I got it from Diver's Den thinking it had been quarantined and was OK.

 

[Suki]

I would think a fungus would slow the fish down, Internal parasites they either stop eating or eat a ton and loose weight, I would still be more inclined to check the system. Phosphates, nitrates first. Low flow areas "toxic zones" stray voltage, Oh and given the sensitivity of all the fish: Diet!
Just an opinion: I used a product called "stop parasites" not dosed but as a food soak for frozen foods and worked well for my zosters.
Last question Have you redecorated or moved a bunch of stuff around the same time this started?

 

[lawmary]

I will check it. Is the "stop parasites food soakd" safe with corals? And no, a few corals have been added but nothing has been moved around. I replaced the metal halide bulbs recently.

 

[Suki]

I thought some one else would have a few ideas. the stop parasites is reef safe as a food soak, seemed like an irritant as an additive but no harm. I have a bicolor angel that went crazy on me, my mag drive pump was vibrating against the glass. Unintentionally I replaced the impeller and in one day he was back to normal. not sure if it was vibration or stray voltage but suddenly he was happy. I hope something here helps! Anyone else?
......

 

[rickyfins]

Mary, Tim(bytor) had a Powder Blue that would do the same thing. He had that tang for almost 10years. It was his suspicion that this was a type of "breeding" type behavior not normally seen in the aquaria was due to space restrictions and lack of an environment conducive to reproduction. If your system is doing well and the fish just seems crazy maybe this is what he was talking about. After ruling out electricity and other factors, I would assume that this could be the cause. A natural response to a good environment.

 

[rigleautomotive]

Yep.I had a sohol for a few years with no issues then he went nuts.Pacing constantly and eventually slamming into the walls of the tank and sps colonies.I woke up one am to find a huge branch broke off a stag colony and a big gash in fishes side.Trapped him that day and traded him for a bucket of salt.GL