New Tang not eating and staying in one spot

[reefkeeper369]

Beautiful fish - hope it settles in soon.
I have a tang now that will only eat Rods frozen and hikari spirulina wafers and nori. Turns away from everything else. Absolutely loves the wafers though. You might just have to try more foods to find something it can't resist. It has a healthy weight at least, so you have some time to figure it out

I came out to check on her last night and might have woken her up, she was kind of dragging amongst the bottom and I noticed she was inhaling sand and then spitting it back out, not sure if it means anything but found it odd. It was also in the middle of the night and she had just awoken for a brief moment so not worried. She hasn’t done that since, this morning she is just hanging out, just not eating

 

[Tanglover1]

I came out to check on her last night and might have woken her up, she was kind of dragging amongst the bottom and I noticed she was inhaling sand and then spitting it back out, not sure if it means anything but found it odd. It was also in the middle of the night and she had just awoken for a brief moment so not worried. She hasn’t done that since, this morning she is just hanging out, just not eating

It means when food falls, it eats it or eating detritus or something like that as food. It is full so don't worry. Keep an eye on it. One thing that tang do when sick is itching so keep an eye for that

 

[reefkeeper369]

It means when food falls, it eats it or eating detritus or something like that as food. It is full so don't worry. Keep an eye on it. One thing that tang do when sick is itching so keep an eye for that

Good to know, the lfs said she was a pig and always ate plentiful with no hesitation… no itching so that’s good

 

[vetteguy53081]

There is more going on here than just a new fish.
How was fish acclimated and for how long?
I suspect you are using API test kit, Take a water sample to a trusted pet store that does NOT use Api test kits and have them check your ammonia-nitrate-temp and salinity reading to verify against your results so you know if numbers are accurate. Api often shows lower number than they actually are.

Try adding in brine shrimp or mysis shrimp and step back as they may be timid at first and eat when you are not around. Keep light intensity low for a couple of days and slowly build up therafter
Body mass looks good at this time

 

[TurboTang]

Also could try increasing aeration. If you don't already have it, put an air stone in sump / small power head breaking surface. Increasing aeration could reduce stress

 

[reefkeeper369]

There is more going on here than just a new fish.
How was fish acclimated and for how long?
I suspect you are using API test kit, Take a water sample to a trusted pet store that does NOT use Api test kits and have them check your ammonia-nitrate-temp and salinity reading to verify against your results so you know if numbers are accurate. Api often shows lower number than they actually are.

Try adding in brine shrimp or mysis shrimp and step back as they may be timid at first and eat when you are not around. Keep light intensity low for a couple of days and slowly build up therafter
Body mass looks good at this time

Floated for approximately 10 minutes then drip acclimated for about 20-25 minutes. Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10
Salinity 1.028
Temp 78°

 

[vetteguy53081]

Floated for approximately 10 minutes then drip acclimated for about 20-25 minutes. Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10
Salinity 1.028
Temp 78°

Salinity high - Bring down to 1.025-1.026
Acclimation quite short. Im not a fan of drip method but it works if done right. Did you equalize the salinity with that of tank and verify temperature?
Here is my method (one of many)

I generally:
Float for 20-30 minutes
Transfer fish and water into a clean bucket
Then . . . .
Measure the Ph, salinity and temperature of the bag water. If you can, make up some water in a container that has exactly the same measurements as the bag readings and move the fish right over, then you can add a cup of tank water to bucket every 15 mins 6 times (almost 1.5 hours)
Then check salinity in bucket and compare to tank. If no match or very close, add a cup of water every few mins until youve reached salinity and trap fish in same cup and pour off water and release into display. Release under LOW light before lights out. Fish in shipped bags produce carbon dioxide and ammonia.

 

[reefkeeper369]

Salinity high - Bring down to 1.025-1.026
Acclimation quite short. Im not a fan of drip method but it works if done right. Did you equalize the salinity with that of tank and verify temperature?
Here is my method (one of many)

I generally:
Float for 20-30 minutes
Transfer fish and water into a clean bucket
Then . . . .
Measure the Ph, salinity and temperature of the bag water. If you can, make up some water in a container that has exactly the same measurements as the bag readings and move the fish right over, then you can add a cup of tank water to bucket every 15 mins 6 times (almost 1.5 hours)
Then check salinity in bucket and compare to tank. If no match or very close, add a cup of water every few mins until youve reached salinity and trap fish in same cup and pour off water and release into display. Release under LOW light before lights out. Fish in shipped bags produce carbon dioxide and ammonia.

Thanks for the tip and the info… salinity at lfs was a perfect match @ 1.028… temp was 2° warmer @80°… a bit controversial information I have received on lowering salinity… how much distilled water should I add and how often? The fish will react poorly given a rapid increase or decrease in salinity. What is the proper way to complete this process and how should I continually do so to combat evaporation?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the tip and the info… salinity at lfs was a perfect match @ 1.028… temp was 2° warmer @80°… a bit controversial information I have received on lowering salinity… how much distilled water should I add and how often? The fish will react poorly given a rapid increase or decrease in salinity. What is the proper way to complete this process and how should I continually do so to combat evaporation?

Good that you asked. You can bring down salinity fairly quick- But to raise has to be slow and gradual

 

[52728299]

For evaporation you will want rodi water. You may find it convenient to use an automatic top off system. Use rodi so salinity doesn't keep rising as you replace evaporated water. Most hobbiests aim for about 1.025 sg. Lowering salinity for a fish generally isn't as stressful as raising it imo.

 

[reefkeeper369]

Good that you asked. You can bring down salinity fairly quick- But to raise has to be slow and gradual

Ahhh perfect… how much do you recommend I add to bring it down? Also, thanks again for the info… I hate that most times in this hobby everybody has something different to say contradicting the needed adjustments of certain things. I like to get straight to the point not go back and forth all day long, thanks for the accurate and timely knowledge

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ahhh perfect… how much do you recommend I add to bring it down? Also, thanks again for the info… I hate that most times in this hobby everybody has something different to say contradicting the needed adjustments of certain things. I like to get straight to the point not go back and forth all day long, thanks for the accurate and timely knowledge

Safe is to remove a quart (I use chinese food container) and add a quart of RODI water and check. Repeat until you get to desired salinity - I recommend 1.025

 

[reefkeeper369]

Safe is to remove a quart (I use chinese food container) and add a quart of RODI water and check. Repeat until you get to desired salinity - I recommend 1.025

Drop it down immediately until desired measurement? Correct?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Drop it down immediately until desired measurement? Correct?

Yes. I space it 5 min at a time as you want to check salinity as you reduce salinity

 

[reefkeeper369]

Yes. I space it 5 min at a time as you want to check salinity as you reduce salinity

Will do. Thanks

 

[reefkeeper369]

Yes. I space it 5 min at a time as you want to check salinity as you reduce salinity

Couple hours have passed. She has been laying on her side for about an hour now. Breathing also slightly elevated.

 

[reefkeeper369]

Couple hours have passed. She has been laying on her side for about an hour now. Breathing also slightly elevated.

She is now laying completely flat on the bottom. My Juvenile Emperor which I have had for a while and is doing extremely well has came over and propped her back into position. Amazing to witness, however am worried as to my Tangs well being.

 

[vetteguy53081]

She is now laying completely flat on the bottom. My Juvenile Emperor which I have had for a while and is doing extremely well has came over and propped her back into position. Amazing to witness, however am worried as to my Tangs well being.

Are the dots on fish sand or on the fish itself?
Rapid breathing is low oxygen, gill flukes, high temperature or elevated ammonia. This breathing is not good. Are you able to add airstone, if you havent already ?
How are you testing water - What test method?

 

[reefkeeper369]

Are the dots on fish sand or on the fish itself?
Rapid breathing is low oxygen, gill flukes, high temperature or elevated ammonia. This breathing is not good. Are you able to add airstone, if you havent already ?
How are you testing water - What test method?

It is sand. The fish looks flawless. Breathing is still a bit elevated. I have an air stone running just in case but I doubt that was the problem as all my other fish are fine and have been for long time. I tested this morning using API and just got back from my LFS with perfect results.
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10
Ph 8.2
I am lowering salinity a tad as we speak

 

[vetteguy53081]

It is sand. The fish looks flawless. Breathing is still a bit elevated. I have an air stone running just in case but I doubt that was the problem as all my other fish are fine and have been for long time. I tested this morning using API and just got back from my LFS with perfect results.
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10
Ph 8.2
I am lowering salinity a tad as we speak

By chance was that LFS also using Api?
What is age of tank?