Tang not eating

[ErosJN]

Hey guys,
I've never had any issues getting my new fish to eat however, about 2 weeks ago i picked up a xlg show sized Atlantic Blue Tang and he simply refuses to eat. This is quite frustrating to just watch him lose weight and waste away. He has acclimated to tank life pretty well and has his own sleeping cave etc. I just cant get him to eat! Any advice is appreciated.

 

[ali1]

What have you tried already

 

[ErosJN]

Frozen food: mysis alone, mysis with garlic, mysis with selcon. Algae: Nori sheets on clip, nori sheets strapped on live rock... he watches the other tangs go crazy for nori and thats how i usually have gotten picky tangs to learn to eat nori... He was caught in the keys and i picked him up from store at 10 pm when the collector arrived with the order. Im thinking it was just drastic going from the keys into an aquarium.

 

[ErosJN]

I also started using Dr. Gs Anti Parasite caviar and they all eat it except him. Very frustrating.

 

[ali1]

Nice tank shot. Safe to assume you love tangs. Try good old bloodworms to see if he atleast nips

 

[ErosJN]

Thank you. I will pick up some blood worms and brine shrimp tomorrow.

 

[janes_mw]

Did this guy come from an established tank or a fish store? Only asking because wondering about QT if from LFS.

 

[ErosJN]

He didn't even make it into the LFS tank. I picked up as the fish collector was delivering him and other stock to the lfs. So he basically went from the fl keys into my tank.

 

[janes_mw]

Wishing you all the best of luck. Not eating while appearing healthy makes an unhappy sleeping regime for me. The stress of capture, boxing, shipping, etc., is pretty large with these guys and it can certainly cause a relapse of inherent disease a normal fish carries and has built tolerance to (kind of like what the flu shot does). Just like you and me, when we get weak, our immune system gets weak and both internal and external forces start taking over. .... truely, I wish you the best of luck in getting this guy healthy.

 

[ErosJN]

Thank you buddy. I'm feeling like he's not going to make it. I really get bothered when fish die, knowing how large he is and that he thrived happy in the FL reefs for years just to perish in an aquarium bothers me greatly. Ill continue to try my best until an outcome is reached.

 

[ErosJN]

I've been observing from my recliner for the last hour.. he seems to be breathing slighlty harder and is spening most of his time in front of the powerheads

 

[robthorn]

Sorry but if you can't get it out of your tank it has zero chance of making it. Not being mean just honest.

 

[ErosJN]

No I understand. What do you suggest after isolation?

 

[robthorn]

Too hard to diagnose without a description other than not eating and then again I am not a fish disease expert. My guess with no outer signs like white or black spots would be flukes. I want to say after you see rapid breathing it is likely too late. Is prazi pro the fluke treatment? You may be able to use an anti bacterial medication as well to prevent infections. You need to verify this.
My first call on fish disease for you should be John at Fish and Other Ichthy Stuff. He is one of the best in the area with fish disease in my opinion.

 

[ErosJN]

Thanks for the input. I decided to pick up a portion of brine, black worms, and caulerpa today after work and he immediately went for the brine and black worms. He's now barely (but still) picking at the caulerpa... this is a small step in a better direction than we've been going the last few weeks. I have slight hope restored!