Tomini Tang Unexplained Death

[VanMarine]

Hi,

I purchased a tomini tang from my very reputable lfs today. The fish seemed fine at the store and in transport. I dipped the fish in freshwater for 5 minutes (I don't have the ability to quarantine unfortunately) and released the fish into my tank. Water parameters were fine last time I checked. The fish went to the bottom and hid immediately. I unfortunately then had to leave to go to a hockey game. When I got home just now the tomini tang was out in the open and dead. Any theories as to what would've done it, because I can't think of anything.

 

[Stumped]

Any theories as to what would've done it, because I can't think of anything.

I don't think it's much of a mystery. Your freshwater dip killed the fish. Presuming your tank is established and wasn't newly set up, nothing else would have killed it that fast if it was behaving fine at the store and in transport.

On a related note, if your standard practice for acclimating fish is to do a freshwater dip on them, you should probably stop and do some reading. It needlessly stresses the fish and does absolutely nothing for disease prevention. Freshwater dips are only really useful to alleviate symptoms of certain diseases. I don't think you'll find anyone reputable advocating using them as an 'instant quarantine' (like you were doing), as in that situation they are going to be doing much more harm than good.

Anyway, if you can't quarantine you should just acclimate your new fish for temperature and salinity (either drip, or 'cup method', etc.) and hope for the best.

 

[EllieSuz]

I can't add much to the previous response except to say that we owe these living creatures a modicum of research before we purchase them. Please, before you buy more fish, read about acclimation procedures and you should have better luck next time.

 

[rssjsb]

To be fair to the OP, there is at least one respectable source out there (WWM) that recommends freshwater dips if QT is impossible for whatever reason. Freshwater dips are also recommended to diagnose/reduce flukes.

So I don't think it's fair to assume that he or she did not do any research.

Having said that, I have never done it and don't know whether it's such a great idea for somewhat touchy species like tomini tangs. It might be a good idea to dig a little deeper on the particular species you're planning to add.

I would strongly advise picking up a cheap QT tank and setup, though (watch craigslist). It's the very best way to avoid future heartaches like a tank full of ich or a fish that won't eat straight away.

 

[SDguy]

IME a FW dip will not kill a healthy tomini tang. I agree with Robin's comments above.

 

[Daniel Reef]

In light of what Robin and Peter posted, you may want to post your parameters so that people can review that as a possible source.

 

[VanMarine]

Thank you for your (albeit from some somewhat harsh) input. I perform freshwater dips as per the instructions in Robert Fenner's book The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. However, I shall no longer perform them. Maybe I can scrape together a QT with some thriftyness.
P.S. I did do a lot of research on the tang itself.

 

[clowntriggerfis]

I would pick up a 30-55 on craigslist were I live if you are patient you can get one with everything(filters,heaters,lights,ect) for 30-40 for a 30 and 40-70 for a 55.

 

[SDguy]

They are difficult tangs, often starving by the time they reach the LFS. Another benefit of QT... allowing the fish to become accustomed to prepared foods without competition.

 

[SDguy]

I would pick up a 30-55 on craigslist were I live if you are patient you can get one with everything(filters,heaters,lights,ect) for 30-40 for a 30 and 40-70 for a 55.

This is just my opinion, but I prefer smaller tanks. My QT is 15g. Unless you are going to QT large or many fish at once, you don't need larger. Smaller tanks make water changes easier, at least for me, and therefore easier to keep water quality up.

 

[VanMarine]

Specific gravity 1.024, temp. 80, nitrates 0. I don't test the pH or hardness as I have so much buffering capacity in my tank. I'm running a hob filter, a powerhead and a hob skimmer for aeration.

 

[Sonicblast12]

What was the SG of the LFS water? If it was much lower than your 1.024, that might have been a problem. In these cases where the fish is dead in less than 24 hours, I think it's usually a combination of issues.

Do you want to try another Tomini?

Putting bristletooth tangs in a sterile QT environment is also a bit of a challenge since they forage constantly. If they don't take prepared foods immediately, be prepared to sacrifice some live rock to your QT or they may not make it.

I opted to acclimate and release mine to the display and it bombed the tank with ich.

Need to have a plan for this fish, mine was to make sure it was able to forage on a lot of rock and I had to hypo the display as a result. If I had to do it over again, I would have QT'd the fish in a barebottom tank with a good bit of dirty rock in the QT.

 

[EllieSuz]

This fish has been in my Display for one week, after six weeks in quarantine, where he learned to eat everything I could throw at him. I fed him three or four times a day in QT however. I mention this because there are other good reasons to quarantine besides catching disease and/or parasites.

 

[rssjsb]

This is just my opinion, but I prefer smaller tanks. My QT is 15g. Unless you are going to QT large or many fish at once, you don't need larger. Smaller tanks make water changes easier, at least for me, and therefore easier to keep water quality up.

Agreed. I've got a 20L that I use with an Aquaclear HOB filter and sponges that I've seeded in the sump of another health tank. The small water volume also makes it easier to dose medications if necessary. And I can't overemphasize my agreement with the earlier post that Tominis and Kole tangs benefit from extra acclimation time and TLC you can give them alone in a QT. They're sensitive fish and can take awhile to get the hang of eating prepared foods. So much easier when it's alone in quarantine and you can be sure it's actually eating.

 

[bamf25]

I believe Petco is doing their dollar per gallon sale again this week. Get out there and get yourself a 20g for $20. I also just got a tomini last week, and he is currently in my QT. I am lucky, within 1 hr after going into my QT he was eating frozen mysis as well as Spiralina. He is constantly pecking the tank bottom for food.

 

[sandwi54]

What was the SG of the LFS water? If it was much lower than your 1.024, that might have been a problem. In these cases where the fish is dead in less than 24 hours, I think it's usually a combination of issues.

OP please note the above comment by Sonicblast as it's important. any time you purchase a fish, make sure you know the salinity of the store water. ideally, the salinity of the tank water should be matched closely to the store water. if that is not possible (which is your case since you don't have a QT, hence another reason to use QT), then you must do a slow acclimation (2-4 hours depending on the difference). one of my LFS keeps their water at 1.014, and if i were to dump the fish directly into my 1.023 water after a quick acclimation, i'm sure it'd have died in a few hours.

and you do need to measure pH of your DT so you know what's going on in your tank; don't assume it's fine because you have a lot of buffer. i'd suggest a pH monitor from american pinpoint. this allows you to know the typical daily pH swing in your tank and spot it immediately if anything happens.

 

[snorvich]

Thank you for your (albeit from some somewhat harsh) input. I perform freshwater dips as per the instructions in Robert Fenner's book The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. However, I shall no longer perform them. Maybe I can scrape together a QT with some thriftyness.
P.S. I did do a lot of research on the tang itself.

Fresh water dips will provide relief and diagnostic value for flukes and oodinium. It will provide no value for ich.

 

[amnbowser]

I learned the above the hard way. I keep my salinity at 1.026 for inverts but when you buy fish the lfs usally keeps there salinity very low. In your situation where you have no qt and a salinity of 1.024 in your DT this is a problem. I have had luck drip acclimating for a long long period of time to raise the salinity very slowly. Some people have told me there is no need well let me tell you there is a need cause I have lost fish doing exactly the same thing you did. Next time drip acclimate and make sure you check the salinity of the water that your purchased fish is in. No expert but I have learned the hard way.

 

[bamf25]

I learned the above the hard way. I keep my salinity at 1.026 for inverts but when you buy fish the lfs usally keeps there salinity very low. In your situation where you have no qt and a salinity of 1.024 in your DT this is a problem. I have had luck drip acclimating for a long long period of time to raise the salinity very slowly. Some people have told me there is no need well let me tell you there is a need cause I have lost fish doing exactly the same thing you did. Next time drip acclimate and make sure you check the salinity of the water that your purchased fish is in. No expert but I have learned the hard way.

LFS in my area keep their salinity anywhere from 1.017 to 1.025. Sometimes even at the same store, if it is the reef tanks vs the fish only tanks. Makes aclimating a pain.

 

[amnbowser]

Yeah see this is what I am talking about. A 3 hour acclimation turns in to a 8 hour acclimation. If I were to bet this is what happened.