New blonde Naso tang laying on side can’t stay up.

[Ezmay]

Help
Just bought a beautiful blonde naso tang from a local reputable fish store and it’s on its side swimming in circles like it cannot maintain buoyancy. it also seems to be breathing heavier. We seriously just got this fish, and this fish had been quarantined in the store for quite some time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as we would love to keep this fish alive!

 

[TX_REEF]

Need to know your tank parameters, system size, system age, other inhabitants. Photos/video would also help

 

[I never finish anythi]

Upload the video to YouTube and post the link here. Under white lights be best !

 

[Ezmay]

Need to know your tank parameters, system size, system age, other inhabitants. Photos/video would also help

185 gal.
35 ppm salinity
8.1 - 8.3 pH
10.12- 10.5 dkh
10 PO3
0.4 PO4
Temperature 77-78

The Naso Tang was like this in the bag from the LFS. They oxygenated the water and filled 3-4 gallons in the bag.

Temperature acclimated for 30 minutes inside bag then drip acclimated for 2 hours which was 8 to 9 gallons of tank water.

Pictures in blue light is right when we added it to the tank at 8v30 pm last night.

Pictures in white lights is this morning at 6 am this morning.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is unfortunate and yet the third case in one week. As mentioned to the others, your fish may be getting to the point of moribund but pics are very fuzzy with reflection to see any other issues. Unfortunately, for about 13 months now- this has been a trend. An influx of these fish are coming from Sri Lanka and it is suspected that a method of capture is contributing to this trend in which the fish appears healthy the first few days and then weakens quickly with loss of appetite and strength and as you found layin on its side, thin body and breathing heavy until death. It may be due to cyanide capture but unconfirmed.
Sorry to hear of this and being the bearer of bad news. Often in this state of health , recovery is very low as they are moribund and adding air stone may or may not help, but there is no additive that can be recommended for this. Likely not a parameter issue.

 

[Ezmay]

This is unfortunate and yet the third case in one week. As mentioned to the others, your fish may be getting to the point of moribund but pics are very fuzzy with reflection to see any other issues. Unfortunately, for about 13 months now- this has been a trend. An influx of these fish are coming from Sri Lanka and it is suspected that a method of capture is contributing to this trend in which the fish appears healthy the first few days and then weakens quickly with loss of appetite and strength and as you found layin on its side, thin body and breathing heavy until death. It may be due to cyanide capture but unconfirmed.
Sorry to hear of this and being the bearer of bad news. Often in this state of health , recovery is very low as they are moribund and adding air stone may or may not help, but there is no additive that can be recommended for this. Likely not a parameter issue.

I’m very sad this is such a pretty fish. It was doing so well in the aquarium store. They had this guy for awhile.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’m very sad this is such a pretty fish. It was doing so well in the aquarium store. They had this guy for awhile.

Its unfortunate but is a trend with these.

 

[t.mehoves]

Searched for "Blonde Naso Tang on side" and ended up here. Registered to post that my tang is apparently in the same fate. Was in store for at least 2 weeks before purchase and purchased just 9 days ago. It was very skittish in the store, and same results in my tank but was pretty buddy/buddy with foxface. They both would become one with a rock at night laying on each other. Today, it never wanted to come out and is now flopping between laying on side and curling right-side up on rock.

 

[littlefoxx]

@vetteguy53081 is this just blonde nasos or the regular naso (just the black coloration) as well that this is being seen in?

 

[melhe]

I tried twice blonde Naso since 2023. Both died like 4-5 months mark . Agree with vetteguy53081, they just stop eating suddenly and losing weight rapidly until they die . No other fish get affected . I asked local store . They agree seems a trend since 2021. Somehow most naso don’t pass 6 months in captivity. So I stopped trying .

It’s very unfortunate. Many people suspect cyanide poisoning during capture . Don’t know why they only affect blonde naso .

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I tried twice blonde Naso since 2023. Both died like 4-5 months mark . Agree with vetteguy53081, they just stop eating suddenly and losing weight rapidly until they die . No other fish get affected . I asked local store . They agree seems a trend since 2021. Somehow most naso don’t pass 6 months in captivity. So I stopped trying .

It’s very unfortunate. Many people suspect cyanide poisoning during capture . Don’t know why they only affect blonde naso .

I don’t think it is cyanide, nasos are most often caught in barrier/fence nets.

It could be a new virus - like how Banggai cardinal fish used to be really hardy, and now the wild caught ones often die (they’ve isolated a virus as a cause of that).

Another possibility is that changes in the supply chain may have caused this - Hawaii shutting down means fewer literatus nasos in the market, so more elegant naso are caught to meet the demand. That in turn has meant new areas, further away from shipping centers are being used.

Jay

 

[melhe]

I don’t think it is cyanide, nasos are most often caught in barrier/fence nets.

It could be a new virus - like how Banggai cardinal fish used to be really hardy, and now the wild caught ones often die (they’ve isolated a virus as a cause of that).

Another possibility is that changes in the supply chain may have caused this - Hawaii shutting down means fewer literatus nasos in the market, so more elegant naso are caught to meet the demand. That in turn has meant new areas, further away from shipping centers are being used.

Jay

But both of my blonde naso seems fine for 3-4 months then all the sudden deteriorating without affecting other fish . If virus or shipping stress being the cause , would u expecting they get sick much sooner ?

Also both naso bought completely from different source . I bought 2nd one after 1st one died . But both had same fate

 

[Jay Hemdal]

But both of my blonde naso seems fine for 3-4 months then all the sudden deteriorating without affecting other fish . If virus or shipping stress being the cause , would u expecting they get sick much sooner ?

Also both naso bought completely from different source . I bought 2nd one after 1st one died . But both had same fate

4 months is a bit long, but 3 is certainly within the timeline we see for these dying.
Two different sources may not be all that different - these fish all originate from a few areas, so dealers rely on the same exporters, or ones using the same supply chain.

 

[mrpontiac80]

I bought a beautiful blonde Naso almost 2 months ago from my lfs. It was in the store for a few weeks.
It was doing fantastic in my qt with no meds for about 7 days and then when I got home from work that day I found him dead. I had purchased a yellow belly hippo at the same time and store. The hippo is fine and in my display now. I had heard the blonde Naso was not very hardy lately but this one looked so good for weeks.. I was heartbroken. It’s my dream fish.