New naso tang with white dust patches

[Sakosreef]

Hi guys, I picked up a naso tang from my LFS and in the store it looked fine, I brought it home and put it in my 75gal qt which currently has copper under 1.0ppm. I don’t notice any heavy breathing or very alarming behavior, however, it developed this white dust looking patches on its head. Also it’s color is pretty dark for a naso tang. Can anyone that has some experience with naso tangs help me out with tips on getting it adjusted to the aquarium, feeding, and identifying what that stuff on its face is? This is day 2 in quarantine.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

You should get the copper up to a full dose right away (which one are you using?).
Tough to say what that is for sure, but it looks like excess mucus, not sure why it’s localized on the head like that. Is the fish eating ok?
Jay

 

[Billldg]

I agree with @Jay Hemdal, is the fish eating. The reason I ask is that they are very very prone to stress marks, above any other tang, but it is usually in the body.

 

[Sakosreef]

You should get the copper up to a full dose right away (which one are you using?).
Tough to say what that is for sure, but it looks like excess mucus, not sure why it’s localized on the head like that. Is the fish eating ok?
Jay

I fed mega marine algae yesterday, didn’t eat that but this morning I fed some selcon and garlic soaked green seaweed as well as purple, it picked at the green one but was spitting it back out, I put some purple on the clip and came back a few hours later and some of it is gone but can’t see it floating around the tank so I think I he might have ate it or it made it’s way down into the sump.

 

[Sakosreef]

I agree with @Jay Hemdal, is the fish eating. The reason I ask is that they are very very prone to stress marks, above any other tang, but it is usually in the body.

I was thinking it’s stress marks because he didn’t have anything on him at the store and I know they can be tricky to acclimate to an aquarium. No luck with food yet besides picking at seaweed here and there but not really eating it, I might sounds crazy but he just seems depressed and upset.

 

[Billldg]

I was thinking it’s stress marks because he didn’t have anything on him at the store and I know they can be tricky to acclimate to an aquarium. No luck with food yet besides picking at seaweed here and there but not really eating it, I might sounds crazy but he just seems depressed and upset.

Then I would address @Jay Hemdal. I can only go by what I have experienced, which was the stress marks. Jay know his stuff. What are you feeding beside any nori?

I have only seen stress marks in the body, and they were streaks and smears and such.

 

[Sakosreef]

Then I would address @Jay Hemdal. I can only go by what I have experienced, which was the stress marks. Jay know his stuff. What are you feeding beside any nori?

I fed mega marine algae and he didn't pick at anything yesterday but i fed him only a few hours after I put him into the qt, haven't fed anything today besides seaweed. I have a variety of foods, what would you suggest I feed?

 

[Sakosreef]

You should get the copper up to a full dose right away (which one are you using?).
Tough to say what that is for sure, but it looks like excess mucus, not sure why it’s localized on the head like that. Is the fish eating ok?
Jay

I forgot to mention I use copper power

 

[Billldg]

I fed mega marine algae and he didn't pick at anything yesterday but i fed him only a few hours after I put him into the qt, haven't fed anything today besides seaweed. I have a variety of foods, what would you suggest I feed?

I would try Sprilinina Brine Shrimp. I also started to feed that and found that the fish were pickier.

I use Copperpower also, and watch out for heavy breathing. Copperpower is more prone to produce a diatom outbreak and thus rob the water of oxygen. That is how I lost my Naso tang in QT, I didn't know at that time. I don't think this is the issue though.

 

[Billldg]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Billldg]

Try to find Bloodworms, they are crack for tangs. You need to get it feeding.

 

[Sakosreef]

I would try Sprilinina Brine Shrimp. I also started to feed that and found that the fish were pickier.

I use Copperpower also, and watch out for heavy breathing. Copperpower is more prone to produce a diatom outbreak and thus rob the water of oxygen. That is how I lost my Naso tang in QT, I didn't know at that time. I don't think this is the issue though.

Will definitely give that a try, as I'm observing the naso now he is eating purple seaweed soaked in selcon and garlic, however, not aggressively. I will try garlic and selcon soaked spirulina brine, he is breathing a little on the heavier side as well as a little faster than my other tangs so I added an airstone as well as pointed all the powerheads and return to the surface.

 

[Sakosreef]

Try to find Bloodworms, they are crack for tangs. You need to get it feeding.

Do they need to be live? I've got jumbo and regular bloodworms

 

[Billldg]

Do they need to be live? I've got jumbo and regular bloodworms

I believe so. They are a fresh water worm, so saltwater diseases are a none issue.

 

[Billldg]

You mentioned other tangs, are they all in the QT tank. I lost my Naso and it was with another tang in QT. You may need to put it in its own tank to get comfortable and not feel stressed. Once its eating then its all good, but until then.

 

[Billldg]

Again though, listen to @Jay Hemdal, as this is his area of expertise.

 

[Sakosreef]

You mentioned other tangs, are they all in the QT tank. I lost my Naso and it was with another tang in QT. You may need to put it in its own tank to get comfortable and not feel stressed. Once its eating then its all good, but until then.

No the tangs are in my DT. I have other fish in QT with it but nothing that should stress it out. I have 2 frostbite clowns, yellow choris, radiant wrasse, pencil wrasse, flasher wrasse, and a coral beauty angel.

 

[Sakosreef]

I believe so. They are a fresh water worm, so saltwater diseases are a none issue.

I cant get live bloodworms but I can get live black worms and live brine shrimps. I'm preparing jumbo bloodworms soaked in selcon and garlic so hopefully it'll eat it, if not I can try to find live blood worms, if I cant find those, you think live black worms would do the trick?

 

[Billldg]

No the tangs are in my DT. I have other fish in QT with it but nothing that should stress it out. I have 2 frostbite clowns, yellow choris, radiant wrasse, pencil wrasse, flasher wrasse, and a coral beauty angel.

Then try the bloodworms, I would go with the size fitting to the size of the Naso. You have got to get it feeding.

 

[Sakosreef]

Then try the bloodworms, I would go with the size fitting to the size of the Naso. You have got to get it feeding.

No luck with the jumbo bloodworms, spit it back out. You think till eat the smaller ones or should I just transition into spirulina brine?