Bacterial infection in Orange Shoulder Tang

[Sikorskym14]

My Orange Shoulder Tang started acting funny, staying at the bottom of the tank, and his fins started to look chopped up. His face also almost looks skinner or ‘sunken in’ now he has a brown/red spot on his upper body. Is this a bacterial infection? I’ve started dosing Melefix and he seems to be responding well but I’m thinking maybe I should take him out and treat with something stronger as his physical condition still seems to be declining even though he is back swimming around.

What are your thoughts?

 

[fishguy242]

@Jay Hemdal #fishmedic

 

[Sikorskym14]

My Orange Shoulder Tang started acting funny, staying at the bottom of the tank, and his fins started to look chopped up. His face also almost looks skinner or ‘sunken in’ now he has a brown/red spot on his upper body. Is this a bacterial infection? I’ve started dosing Melefix and he seems to be responding well but I’m thinking maybe I should take him out and treat with something stronger as his physical condition still seems to be declining even though he is back swimming around.

What are your thoughts?

Probably should elaborate a bit more, I’ve had him for about a year and a half, and this started about 5/6 days ago. I honestly didn’t think he was going to make it, but I think the Melafix is working a little.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My Orange Shoulder Tang started acting funny, staying at the bottom of the tank, and his fins started to look chopped up. His face also almost looks skinner or ‘sunken in’ now he has a brown/red spot on his upper body. Is this a bacterial infection? I’ve started dosing Melefix and he seems to be responding well but I’m thinking maybe I should take him out and treat with something stronger as his physical condition still seems to be declining even though he is back swimming around.

What are your thoughts?

This appears to be an injury from rock or tail strike from another tang. This should heal on its own but do keep an eye on it for healing and not becoming infected. Maintain good water quality and diet. Speaking of diet, for these types of tangs pictured, what foods are you feeding? They appear Slightly on the thin side.
If you dont have it, would not be a bad idea to have seachem kanaplex on hand should area on tang become infected

 

[Sikorskym14]

This appears to be an injury from rock or tail strike from another tang. This should heal on its own but do keep an eye on it for healing and not becoming infected. Maintain good water quality and diet. Speaking of diet, for these types of tangs pictured, what foods are you feeding? They appear Slightly on the thin side.
If you dont have it, would not be a bad idea to have seachem kanaplex on hand should area on tang become infected

I feed Nori a few times a week and a mix of frozen foods everyday (picture of box below). My husband did say he saw one of our emerald crabs picking at him and he was thrashing so that could be an injury. I guess my concern is him being weak enough for the crab to pick at him. He was hovering/laying on the bottom when this first started. He seems to be swimming around now, but I’m confused on what the initial issue was? We just did a 15% water change and I was waiting on this reply to see if we should dose the melafix again or not

 

[vetteguy53081]

I feed Nori a few times a week and a mix of frozen foods everyday (picture of box below). My husband did say he saw one of our emerald crabs picking at him and he was thrashing so that could be an injury. I guess my concern is him being weak enough for the crab to pick at him. He was hovering/laying on the bottom when this first started. He seems to be swimming around now, but I’m confused on what the initial issue was? We just did a 15% water change and I was waiting on this reply to see if we should dose the melafix again or not

forget Melafix, which is a tonic made of teak tree oil and useless in marine setting and in many cases even freshwater. if anything, you can use Ruby Rally Pro

 

[Sikorskym14]

forget Melafix, which is a tonic made of teak tree oil and useless in marine setting and in many cases even freshwater. if anything, you can use Ruby Rally Pro

Is that reef safe? Or would I have to put him in QT?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is that reef safe? Or would I have to put him in QT?

Reef safe with inverts and coral

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I feed Nori a few times a week and a mix of frozen foods everyday (picture of box below). My husband did say he saw one of our emerald crabs picking at him and he was thrashing so that could be an injury. I guess my concern is him being weak enough for the crab to pick at him. He was hovering/laying on the bottom when this first started. He seems to be swimming around now, but I’m confused on what the initial issue was? We just did a 15% water change and I was waiting on this reply to see if we should dose the melafix again or not

The fish is thin and has some damage to its caudal and dorsal fins that look like tankmate aggression.

I think that is a key observation: an emerald crab cannot pick on a healthy tang like that, some other underlying problem is going on. "Reef safe" medications, especially Melafix, won't help with this issue, especially since the cause is unknown.

Is the fish still feeding? If so, you should increase feedings, small amounts, multiple times a day.
Can you post a video of the fish?

Jay

 

[Sikorskym14]

The fish is thin and has some damage to its caudal and dorsal fins that look like tankmate aggression.

I think that is a key observation: an emerald crab cannot pick on a healthy tang like that, some other underlying problem is going on. "Reef safe" medications, especially Melafix, won't help with this issue, especially since the cause is unknown.

Is the fish still feeding? If so, you should increase feedings, small amounts, multiple times a day.
Can you post a video of the fish?

Jay

He has taken a turn for the worse today, not really responding to food, he only ate a few pieces just now. Here is a video. Do you think there’s anything I can do? I don’t know what’s going on with him

 

[Sikorskym14]

He has taken a turn for the worse today, not really responding to food, he only ate a few pieces just now. Here is a video. Do you think there’s anything I can do? I don’t know what’s going on with him

The video isn’t uploading properly

 

[Sikorskym14]

The video isn’t uploading properly

The fish is thin and has some damage to its caudal and dorsal fins that look like tankmate aggression.

I think that is a key observation: an emerald crab cannot pick on a healthy tang like that, some other underlying problem is going on. "Reef safe" medications, especially Melafix, won't help with this issue, especially since the cause is unknown.

Is the fish still feeding? If so, you should increase feedings, small amounts, multiple times a day.
Can you post a video of the fish?

Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal]

From these videos, the tang is thinner than I first thought. It is also breathing pretty fast. This, plus the emerald crab being able to grab it, all points to a fish with a systemic problem. In this case, very thin fish utilize their livers for energy that they are not getting from their food. At some point though, they then go into liver failure. That may be what you are seeing here.

Jay