Tang heart attack

[MreasyC]

So the craziest experience of my reefkeeping life happened yesterday. I was feeding mysis on my way out the door, and glanced at my purple tang happily eating. I look at the tank 30 seconds later and he is udpside down on the sand bed barely breathing. His fins "locked" or completely flexed. I pancicked and just tried to keep water running over him by the powerhead. This didn't help, and I thought he was going to die in seconds. I put him in a container to keep him afloat in the tank. Over the next 30 minutes he slowly came back too and is totally fine again..... confused and scared. What could this have been

Details: 135g tank
Water quality is great and tested
Have had the tang since he was 1 inch. For 2 years


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[pinnatus]

Brain freeze?

 

[MreasyC]

I guess that's possible. He went completely stiff. But the food had been sitting in saltwater for 10 minutes


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[Tripod1404]

Concussion? He might have panicked for some reason and smassed into glass or into a rock.

 

[MreasyC]

That actually makes a lot of sense. He does get spooked sometimes


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[ThRoewer]

Sudden fright syndrome. Most common with larva and juveniles around metamorphosis. There it's largely related to deficiencies in the nutrition.
Though adult fish can have it too if overly stressed.

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[eastlake]

^ Second that. Not that its even remotely the same fish but neon tetras and bala sharks do the "fainting" act pretty regularly when catching them for transport to their new homes.

 

[sde1500]

Sudden fright syndrome. Most common with larva and juveniles around metamorphosis. There it's largely related to deficiencies in the nutrition.
Though adult fish can have it too if overly stressed.

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Interesting. I don't know enough about Tangs, but they are primarily herbivores, but OP was feeding mysis. Obviously limited info, but could it possibly be poor nutrition in adult fish as well?

OP this was in no way accusing you of not taking care of your fish, just want to say that. You feed the tang seaweed too?

 

[BlackTip]

Similar thing happened to my Foxface, when he was in QT.... I thought he was gone

 

[AK707]

my stupid yellow watchman gobie trys to punk his refection in the glass half the day...ive seen him smack the glass a time or 2 and he curls up like he just got kod for a minute then starts punk in his reflection again

 

[Rakie]

my stupid yellow watchman gobie trys to punk his refection in the glass half the day...ive seen him smack the glass a time or 2 and he curls up like he just got kod for a minute then starts punk in his reflection again

I had an african cichlid when I was younger who grew to be abnormally large by about 1" -- He would routinely pick fights with the heater. I'm not sure what he thought the heater was, but it sure as hell didn't belong in 'his tank'.

After threat displays, he'd finally open his mouth, swim right at the heater, and slam it into the glass. It was really funny the first few times.. Then it turned into his daily ritual which could last as little as 30 seconds or hours.

[pank]

...

[pank]

....

[pank]

It was a hell of a sight from an African Cichlid.