Help with Biota Yellow Tangs' eroding fins

[92reefer]

I have a small yellow Biota Tang that is about 2 1/2 months old (in my tank).

Per Biota "Our captive bred yellow tangs are fed prepared foods like pellets, masstick, and nori from a very young age." It's a voracious eater but I have not been able to get it to eat any Nori. I've tried the clip as well as tied to a piece of small rock and nothing works. I can't keep the Nori in more than an hour or so as it will eventually tear and then spread through the tank.

He eats very well and I feed him a daily blend of San Francisco Bay (SFB) Spirulina Brine, S.F.B. Mysis and Hikari Seaweed Extreme pellets.

I'm not sure if it's the lack of Nori in his diet but I've noticed that his dorsal and bottom fins have started to somewhat erode the past several weeks. I've done several large (30%) water changes recently and the tank is relatively clean and low stocked so I don't believe that this erosion is due to water quality. The other fish including 3 chromis and 1 Royal Gramma are also doing well and have no signs of parasites or infestations on their fins or body.

Any ideas what is causing this erosion on the yellow tang or suggestions on what I can try to reverse this?

 

[alton]

Looking at your rocks they look white? Is there any natural algae for it to graze on? Mine is nice and fat, but has plenty of very old liverock to graze on all day.

 

[MNtadpole]

How mature is your tank?

Can you give us the typical tank parameters that you're monitoring?

I had luck with wild caught yellow tanks many years ago. I was primarily feeding mine dry nori on a clip. If your tank as too much flow for the nori on a clip, you could try a more contained solution like this: Shop | Innovative Marine Products

I'm a strong believer that a varied diet is best for most aquarium fish.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Are you running any carbon?

 

[92reefer]

Looking at your rocks they look white? Is there any natural algae for it to graze on? Mine is nice and fat, but has plenty of very old liverock to graze on all day.

There is no algae in the tank as it was started with dry Marco Rock and was setup as a "Fish only" tank.

 

[92reefer]

How mature is your tank?

Can you give us the typical tank parameters that you're monitoring?

I had luck with wild caught yellow tanks many years ago. I was primarily feeding mine dry nori on a clip. If your tank as too much flow for the nori on a clip, you could try a more contained solution like this: Shop | Innovative Marine Products

I'm a strong believer that a varied diet is best for most aquarium fish.

I don't monitor CA ALK MAG etc since it's fish only but Salinity is 1.022 (Frizt RPM Pro Red) and temp set to 76.5 / I could try that but he's so afraid of the clip I'm sure that product would make him even more skittish..

 

[92reefer]

Are you running any carbon?

Yes I'm running ROX .8 carbon (BRS) in a small reactor because the water had brown "tinge" to it. Running the carbon clears the water up

 

[MNtadpole]

Yes I'm running ROX .8 carbon (BRS) in a small reactor because the water had brown "tinge" to it. Running the carbon clears the water up

I don't monitor CA ALK MAG etc since it's fish only but Salinity is 1.022 (Frizt RPM Pro Red) and temp set to 76.5 / I could try that but he's so afraid of the clip I'm sure that product would make him even more skittish..

Have you taken pH, Ammo, and Nitrite/Nitrate levels? Also, you didn't tell us how mature the tank is.

 

[MNtadpole]

Yes I'm running ROX .8 carbon (BRS) in a small reactor because the water had brown "tinge" to it. Running the carbon clears the water up

I don't monitor CA ALK MAG etc since it's fish only but Salinity is 1.022 (Frizt RPM Pro Red) and temp set to 76.5 / I could try that but he's so afraid of the clip I'm sure that product would make him even more skittish..

If the fish is scared of a clip, try rubber banding the nori to the rock. If the nori is in high flow, it's likely to tear though, so keep that in mind.

 

[92reefer]

Have you taken pH, Ammo, and Nitrite/Nitrate levels? Also, you didn't tell us how mature the tank is.

Don't have a PH test kit. My ammonia and Nitrite/Nitrate should be non existent since the tank is cycled. Tank was started on 6/9/24 so just over 5 months old.

 

[griss]

Do you have a LFS you can take a water sample to and have them test your pH?

Also, just because the tank is cycled doesn’t mean you cannot have ammonia or nitrate. You add sources of ammonia and nitrate to a tank constantly is the form of food, additives, etc

 

[92reefer]

Do you have a LFS you can take a water sample to and have them test your pH?

Also, just because the tank is cycled doesn’t mean you cannot have ammonia or nitrate. You add sources of ammonia and nitrate to a tank constantly is the form of food, additives, etc

Understood and agree with you on the sources of ammonia/nitrate. Had it tested for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate (LFS) when it cycled with Fritzyme Turbostart during the first 30 days. Since then I've done monthly 30% water changes and running Curve 5 protein skimmer, UV and small carbon reactor (running ROX .8) to keep the water clear and clean. Also using Dr Tim's Waste Away Gel in the sump to keep dissolved organics in check. All the fish are doing well including the tang. It's just the fin eroding which only seems to have happened within the last 3 weeks out of nowhere. His body and fins were perfect for the first 2 months after addition.

Vinny Kreiling asked me if I'm running any carbon. Wondering if running carbon been linked to fin erosion on tangs?


Dr. Tim's Waste-Away Gels are a natural aquarium cleaner that uses bacteria to break down organic waste in aquariums:

• What they do
  The gels release bacteria that consume nutrients and break down fish waste, sludge, and slime. This helps to keep the water clear and the aquarium clean.
  
  
  
  
• How they work
  The bacteria are released slowly over time, and the gels can last up to 30 days. The gels are available in freshwater and marine varieties, and the marine gels are suitable for reef tanks.

 

[griss]

Let me see if we can get a couple fish disease experts to chime in @Dr. Reef @leebca @HumbleFish

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Not fin erosion specifically but the "fines" have been shown to contribute to Lateral Line Disease.

 

[leebca]

I have a small yellow Biota Tang that is about 2 1/2 months old (in my tank).

Per Biota "Our captive bred yellow tangs are fed prepared foods like pellets, masstick, and nori from a very young age." It's a voracious eater but I have not been able to get it to eat any Nori. I've tried the clip as well as tied to a piece of small rock and nothing works. I can't keep the Nori in more than an hour or so as it will eventually tear and then spread through the tank.

He eats very well and I feed him a daily blend of San Francisco Bay (SFB) Spirulina Brine, S.F.B. Mysis and Hikari Seaweed Extreme pellets.

I'm not sure if it's the lack of Nori in his diet but I've noticed that his dorsal and bottom fins have started to somewhat erode the past several weeks. I've done several large (30%) water changes recently and the tank is relatively clean and low stocked so I don't believe that this erosion is due to water quality. The other fish including 3 chromis and 1 Royal Gramma are also doing well and have no signs of parasites or infestations on their fins or body.

Any ideas what is causing this erosion on the yellow tang or suggestions on what I can try to reverse this?

I would say that the fish isn't either getting the proper nutrition OR there is a minor bacterial infection going on OR both.
Help the fish by improving its immunity and ability to heal wounds by adding supplements for an ill fish to its diet as recommended in the Fish Nutrition document. Click on that link, then download (and read) the document. Use especially Beta-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan found online, in health-food stores, and pharmacies. Directions for its use and quantity is provided in the link.
From what you've listed, I'd lean towards it being a nutrition issue. Pellets are the low-end of food choices. You will learn a lot from that linked post. Brine shrimp are 'little sacs of water' and low on the nutrition scale.

Fins should improve in a few days or a couple of weeks if it is nutrition. If it is a minor bacterial infection, then the best approach now is to verify water quality. Provide the best water quality. Clean the tank of leftover detritus/dirt.

Keep us informed whether the fins have improved with better nutrition after you up the quality of the diet in a couple of weeks.

 

[92reefer]

Thanks for the advice and links Griss, Vinny and Leebca.

Will follow the link and read up on the doc... Will report back...