Help. My Tangs are wasting away...

[92reefer]

I'm not sure if these 2 things are related but I'm posting and hoping someone can determine what's going on.

I noticed that my Double DI 4 stage RO/DI unit had a funny odor on the product water. I added a drinking kit awhile ago and noticed that the odor was very prominent. After doing my routine filter change, I noticed a film all over the clear canisters and it smelled just like the product water, mostly out of the water output and not as bad as the DI output. Maybe the DI was removing more. Anyway I was told that it was a bacteria outbreak in the system. I cleaned all the canisters with a water/bleach mix and replaced all filters including the RO (filmtec 70GPD). Only part I couldn't clean was the internals of the water supply holding tank which was fairly new. Long story short. Smell still there.

Now to my tank. I recently added a small yellow tang and pacific blue. Within a about 3 weeks the tangs fins start eroding severly. All extremeties. Dorsal pectoral fins.. everything. The poor fish now has about half of it's fins left around it's body. I don't see any marks on the yellow tang body itself, just fins. The Blue tangs rear fins look uneven and wasting away as well.

So could this be from a bacteria that is coming from my source water and is now eating my fishes fins? If it wouldn't be that, what is it? A parasite that east away at fins? They almost look like they've been burned? My salinity is 1.025 so it's definitely not salt burning the fins? Frustrated as to how to treat or fix this and save my fish?

 

[92reefer]

anyone?

 

[tank41]

I have a similar issue with my yellow tang. He has been that way for allmost 2 years. Looks like someone has taken huge bites out of him on all parts of the fin except for the tail. First thought was fin rot but does not look bacterial at all. They dont actually look like bite marks but are allmost perfectly half circle shapes. Have yet to find and answer. He eats well and doesn't seem stressed in anyway. let me know what you find out.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

92reefer:

are there any other fish in the system (besides Tangs)?

if so, are they affected or unaffected?

 

[tank41]

In mine i have 3 false perc's, a small pacific blue tang, Pseudochromis and a coral bandid shrimp. no ill effects on other fish.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

In mine i have 3 false perc's, a small pacific blue tang, Pseudochromis and a coral bandid shrimp. no ill effects on other fish.

please don't derail 92reefers thread!

 

[tank41]

My appologizes to 92reefer. I was not trying to jack your thread. I have just had the same thing going on in mine and thought I would tag along. I had someone suggest it was a diet issue but he eats nori, brine, pellets. I only feed one or the other once a day. Maybe thats not enough. What is your feeding schedual and diet for your tank. Good luck

 

[pktech]

It's gonna suck but how about changing the lines & filters w/ new ones? Depending on the cost of the replacement parts maybe you can replace the whole rodi if it makes economical sense. We have a boat & the water coming out of the faucet smell like puke - the maintenenace company says it's from not being used often - they recommended changing the lines / hoses. Bleach didn't help much. I hope it works out for you!

 

[pktech]

92 - sorry I didn't read the whole thread & see you already swapped out the parts.

 

[bryan007]

Sounds like fin rot which is a bacterial infection caused by Aeromonas and/or Psuedomonas which are present in tanks in both fresh and saltwater. Usually fish can fight this off as it takes hold usually when there is an injury to the fins. But poor nutrition and/or water quality can allow this bacteria to take hold. First do a large water change if your not keeping the water in good standing. Then use both Maracyn for gram positive bacteria and number 2 for gram negative bacteria as there is no way to know which you may have or maybe both. Use exactly as directed becuase if you don't the bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotic. Then do a 25-30% water change once the treatment is done. Good luck.

 

[cougaran]

But you should dose fish in a hospital tank as using antibacteria products can harm your biological filtration in your main tank.. This could start a recycle with ammonia levels that could kill already sick fish.

I was also going to suggest testing your ammonia, nitrites and nitrate before medicating.

 

[562socal]

When I bought my yellow tang n small blue tang about 2 months ago, they had what you are describing. Small chunks from they're fins that look like they've been bitten off. I thought it was something it the water or even some other fish messing with them... but I was wrong. Tangs required a good balance diet to keep they colors bright and fins nice and healthy. I now feed a mixed veriety of food and algae. Here's what I feed my fish/ tangs. Freezed dried Cyclopeeze for color, nori, ogo, and other algaes that grow in my refuge for tangs, H2o oyster eggs, H2o reef to fish blend, and hakiri mysis. Soon to add spectrum pellets to there diet. I leave algae for the tangs daily as these fish are algae grazers. I mix up the meaty food every otherday. My tangs are doing great so far.

 

[92reefer]

NP. I swapped out everything but the lines and it's still there.

Regarding the question about other fishes. I only have 2 fish in my tank right now. Blue Tang and the Yellow Tang. Both went in recently and both appear to have the same effect on their fins but the tang looks worse most likely because the area of it's fins are larger than the blue tangs. The only other critters are snails and 1 sand sifting star.

My yellow tang is just decimated

 

[92reefer]

When I bought my yellow tang n small blue tang about 2 months ago, they had what you are describing. Small chunks from they're fins that look like they've been bitten off. I thought it was something it the water or even some other fish messing with them... but I was wrong. Tangs required a good balance diet to keep they colors bright and fins nice and healthy. I now feed a mixed veriety of food and algae. Here's what I feed my fish/ tangs. Freezed dried Cyclopeeze for color, nori, ogo, and other algaes that grow in my refuge for tangs, H2o oyster eggs, H2o reef to fish blend, and hakiri mysis. Soon to add spectrum pellets to there diet. I leave algae for the tangs daily as these fish are algae grazers. I mix up the meaty food every otherday. My tangs are doing great so far.

I would tend to agree with you on all your points with nutrition. But I've had many other fish only salt tanks over the years and have kept many diverse fishes and many yellow tangs fed simply by high quality flake and pellets (Spectrum Marine). Similarly, my son has a small yellow tang bought by the same supplier and same time in his AQUAPOD and it's thriving on the same food (flake and Spectrum Marine Pellets). This tends to make me thinks it's a parasite or bacteria problem.

I'd love to had a quarantine tank to medicate with anti-bacterial but my tank is loaded with Live Rock and physically impossible to catch any live fish in

 

[sea of cortez]

Make your self a fish trap
I use a clear 1 gal water container I cut the top off and zip tied it like a hinge
then just feed your fish in it for a couple of days with the top lifted up
when I have the trap in the tank the fish swim in when they see me comming expecting to be fed in it
when they swim in just lower the top and you have your fish with out chasing and stressing it out

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

the reason I asked about other fishes

the reason I asked about other fishes

I've seen other (highly unusual) cases where Acanthuriids exhibit what appears to be fin rot while all other fishes remain unaffected.
I've seen this happen in certain pristine well maintained reef aquariums.

 

[92reefer]

So now my tang is almost completely wasted away. He's still eating but can barely get around because there's hardly any of his fins left. I feel sorry for him.

I don't have a quarantine tank. I might be able to catch him since so much of his fins are gone but then what?

Would medicating the tank he's in be beneficial if the tank is somehow infested with the bacteria/parasites? I really don't have any corals. Just live rock that has purple coralline encrusted on it?

 

[Passer203]

Id say jonbry123 is on the right track. You could use sulfa 4 tmp too I think. The Sulfa might have a better chance of not being resisted. Someone PLEASE correct me if im wrong!

 

[92reefer]

Passer. What's Sulfa 4 tmp?

 

[Passer203]

API make a triple sulfa. Its a broad spectrum antibiotic. I was waiting for someone to post about it I know that it works in fresh water. Its says for both.