Sick Tangs

[JoeMomma]

Hi,

I have a tiny purple and vlamingi tang in QT going on their 3rd week. Everything was fine at the start but over the last couple days I've noticed some problems.

The vlamingi tang has been acting very sluggish. He is barely swimming but rather just floating around the tank. He also did not take any food last night (thats a first). The purple tang is swimming much more crazy than before. He is darting around really fast and even scratching his lower left side on the rocks. Upon closer inspection I could see that there was what appeared to be small dots on him. They were very fine, almost looking like dust. I'm pretty sure its not ich since the parasites would be much more visible. Fortunately he is still eating like a pig.

The tanks salinity is at 1.012. It was pretty cloudly looking from all the poop and seaweed and stuff floating around. I've since done a 50% water change and added a HOB filter with foam and carbon.

Is there anything else I can do or should I just ride this out? I really don't want to lose these guys.

 

[wan 2 B reef'in]

Have you tried to give any garlic type food additives (Kent Garlic Xtreme) to get the vlamingi to eat?
As for the dot more than likely it is ich, you can drop the salinity down to a max of 1.008. Also do water changes a little more often, siphon from the bottom of the tank to pick up anything on its bottom, anything that looks like sand. just be sure to keep the salinity no lower than 1.008.
Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[JoeMomma]

I do have some Garlic Extreme that I will try adding next. The vlamingi was eating prefectly fine until last night. Very strange.

The salinity is in the process of being brought down.

I use to vaccuum the tank bottom and change the water once a week. Is this to infrequent for a 33 gallon QT?

 

[Douglas LEHMAN]

Hello
Keep an eye out for any NH3 and NO2, and be ready for some daily water changes until you bio filter is up to speed...

 

[JoeMomma]

Vlamingi is toast. I found him dead on Saturday.

Added a HOB filter with carbon and now the water looks great. The purple tang is also much more colorful than before and eating great. I did not see him rubbing against the rocks last night but then again I wasn't in front of the tank too much.

I hope he pulls through...!