Sohal tang rubbing his head

[RealReef7]

I've had my sohal tang for about a year and half in a 6' 180g. He is fat, healthy, and shows no signs of disease that I can see. He eats everything and is a great fish. I noticed about a month ago he started to rub his head against the sand and rocks, can it be flukes? He doesn't have any sort of discoloration and no sign of decrease appetite. He has been QT'd for 8 weeks (prazi pro/hypo) before I moved him into the display tank a year and a half ago. Any ideas?

 

[RealReef7]

He doesn't do it frequently but I still see him do it everyday, his diet is NLS pellets 2x day and nori everyday.

 

[Lsufiregal]

Flukes are hard to see on a sohal. I just treated my display with prazi bc of the same behavior.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Have you added anything to the tank recently?

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Flukes are a possible starting point being this has been going on a month. Possibly low-level ich. Given your QT procedures, any disease would have had to be introduced some other way. It is possible that something came in on a coral or snail, etc. if you made any additions in the past couple of months. More info is required to obtain better input.

 

[RealReef7]

Yes I added a african blue midas blenny today (QT'd). Other than that no new additions. I am stumped, it bothers me seeing him scratch his head but he is completely healthy (biggest pig) and acting normal. If it were flukes and I didn't treat him could it lead to death? I guess my next step would be to try and catch him and FW dip him which would be very difficult? I'll get some pics.

Forgot to mention no other fish is scratching, all other fish are doing great as well as the other two tangs in there with him. Thanks for the replys.

 

[ca1ore]

Sohal is a pretty high strung fish. Not saying you don't have a parasite problem, but it could also be some kind of idiosyncratic behavior. When I have kept this fish in the past they have changed behaviors as they grow. I'm of the view that observation is an often underused and useful tool, so that's what I'd do of I were you given the rather daunting alternative of fallowing the tank.

 

[RealReef7]

He is definitely scratching as we speak. I think im just going to nut up and dose some prazi pro in the main display. I just hope i dont wipe out my valueable clams and coral. Would suck to lose him.

 

[RealReef7]

Here is the boss. He is pretty high strung and always moving, tough to get a good picture. You can see in the 2nd pic his nice round belly.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Yes I added a african blue midas blenny today (QT'd). Other than that no new additions. I am stumped, it bothers me seeing him scratch his head but he is completely healthy (biggest pig) and acting normal. If it were flukes and I didn't treat him could it lead to death? I guess my next step would be to try and catch him and FW dip him which would be very difficult? I'll get some pics.

Forgot to mention no other fish is scratching, all other fish are doing great as well as the other two tangs in there with him. Thanks for the replys.

How long did you QT the Blenny? Since you just added the Blenny and the tang has been scratching for a month it would appear the Blenny is not responsible. Did you add any coral or inverts prior to the tang scratching? Flukes, if left untreated, can lead to death.

 

[RealReef7]

I have not added any coral/invert prior to the tang scratching. I ordered some prazi pro, hopefully that does the trick.