Help with Achilles tang in QT

J

juanmanuelsanch

New member
Hi all ! I got an achilles tang and its now in QT, it arrived last monday so a week from now. The tank has 2 airstones and a cascade filter. Being using it since months, so the tank is kinda cycled.

The Achilles was doing fine. Just picking on the pipes and eating nori now and then.

Since 2 days the behavior changed. Its now hiding and fast breathing. Its always inside one of the pipes.

I was dosing paraguard but seeing the change in behaviour I decided to go with cupramine, to avoid ich or velvet. It has 2 inmates a bicolor blenny (also hiding) and a orange back wrasse (normal behavior).

SO far I havent seen any dusting or any signs of parasites.

I have done 2 50% water changes (yesterday and just now). No signs of ammonia (seachem patch). But when doing a test with the red sea test kit I had ammonia, so I dont know if its a false lecture.

Any help is appreciated.

Its a beautiful fish and I dont want to loose it.
 
If using cupramine, ionic copper will give false readings on an ammonia test kit. Rely on the seachem ammonia alert. As for the fast breathing, just keep an eye on them. The hiding and breathing can be a sign of velvet.

I am not too familiar with Achilles tangs but do know they require a lot of flow, do you have any other flow in there besides the filter and air stones?
 
I will put a wavemaker today. But what I dont get its the change in behaviour. The lack of eating and the need to hide. Those are signs for velvet. But if its velvet the fish would be dead by now.
 
Not entirely true. Fish can build immunity to velvet. I am not saying it is velvet but rapid breathing, hiding from light, swimming into flow, and of course the dusting would indicate it was. You're only experiencing the hiding and fast breathing. He may be breathing fast because he isn't receiving enough oxygen through flow.

His change in behavior could be caused by stress, not enough flow for him. What are you feeding him as well, what are the cupramine levels at now, how fast did you bring it up?Copper will also suppress appetite.
 
Copper levels are low now. Even if I dosed the full amount the aquarium usually absorbs it. But I haven't redose.

I just took a look and it's really thin, the stomach part is pinched and in a whiteish color.

I don't think it's going to survive much longer.

Any help is appreciated.

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I came this morning and the fish is laying o its side having trouble breathing. I don't know what else I can do. I don't have any formalin to bath. It's really difficult to find in Costa Rica.

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I'm sorry. It's so sad. I personally would fw dip him and pray. That should help clear up mucous and parasites in his gills. Since there was no stringy poop, I would presume to think velvet.

Make sure to match the temp/pH and aerate the water. Is there any chance you can get ruby reef rally? It has a medicine in it, acriflavine that is very helpful with velvet.
 
I did a fresh water dip with some paraguard in it. Also I prepared a container with fresh saltwater and paraguard.

If Brook is in my QT I don't know pq what to do now.

Please help me with what I should do now. I know I have to tare apart everything in the QT.

But what do I do with the fish in the meanwhile?

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You really have 3 options.

Formalin( Formalin-MS (preferred), Quick Cure, Aquarium Solutions Ich-X, Kordon Rid-Ich Plus)

Acriflavine(Ruby Reef Rally)

Metronidazole(Seachem Metroplex)

You will need to find something with one of those products to treat brook. I am sorry for your loss.
 
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