Unknown disease(s) on ‘captive’ bred tang

[aqua_phil]

Hey folks, was hoping someone could help me identify what’s wrong with my blue tang. I am a newbie and have been in this hobby for about a year.

I got two blue tangs like 5 months ago from
Blue zoo aquatics and put them in my 750xxl. The first one died within a month. The second one was doing fine and one day it disappeared. It then reappeared a month or two later. Then it disappeared again. Then it reappeared. It’s about 1.5 inches. When I tell you he disappeared I mean it. I looked everywhere, concluded he was dead and then somehow, he would reappear. About a month back I found him sliding himself like a book in between rocks and literally sitting still. Just breathing. I thought he was gonna die, and I couldn’t catch him. Then he disappeared again. 6 weeks later, today, I find him under a rock today. Breathing and still. 45 minutes later, I lifted the rock out of my tank and grabbed him by the tail and plopped him into the 70 gallon that’s connected to the 750. Here I was finally able to observe his behavior:

1) lil guy was starving. Spot fed him. He ate a ton!
2) he looks like he’s scratching, and is trying to find a rock to crawl in and just chill. He probably has ich but I don’t know anything.
3) he looks diseased.

So, I don’t think this guy has much time left in this tank even though he’s somehow found a way to survive.

Any help is appreciated! Here are some pictures:

 

[fishguy242]

#fishmedic

 

[aqua_phil]

Here is a vid.

I know these guys are ich conventions but he may have other things wrong. I’ve got a hospital tank I could set up.

He looks like he’s got powder all over him, but velvet would’ve killed him ages ago. So I’m stumped.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Here is a vid.

I know these guys are ich conventions but he may have other things wrong. I’ve got a hospital tank I could set up.

He looks like he’s got powder all over him, but velvet would’ve killed him ages ago. So I’m stumped.

Here is a thought - the tang has an abrasion on its side, has a couple of fin tears and has been hiding for months. I’d say that tankmate aggression is a contributing factor here. The purple tang circling in the background with its fins held erect is one suspect. What other fish are in with it?

A protozoan disease like velvet or ich would have gone acute by now. Flukes could be a co-issue here.

Jay

 

[aqua_phil]

Jay, wow you are fast man. Thanks.

I just moved him to this new tank - as in an hour ago - right before I posted. He’s just meeting his temp tank mate, a baby purple tang, 2 baby blennies, 2 baby clowns a handful of nems, and one dragon goby.

In the previous tank he had some aggressive tank mates, 1 purple tang that died, 2 yellow tangs (one which used to be the tank bully) 1 fox face, 1 damsel, and a handful of gobies, a clown, and mixed corals, urchins, and some stars.

 

[aqua_phil]

The abrasion could have been caused in my attempt to catch him. But the tangs were showing significant levels of aggression (mostly the yellow tang), between the zebrasomas. There was a third yellow tang that died a month or so ago.

 

[aqua_phil]

Jay, in your opinion, other than good nutrition and good water conditions, is there anything else you would do?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Jay, in your opinion, other than good nutrition and good water conditions, is there anything else you would do?

If you see rapid breathing and/scratching, then flukes might be an issue. Prazipro can be used gor that - but in both tanks this fish was in. Otherwise, you might want to wait to see how it settles in for a day or two.

 

[Reefering1]

Might be worth adding that grabbing a surgeon fish by its tail can be good way to find out why they're called that...

 

[aqua_phil]

Hey folks, he didn't make it, died a few days ago. I feel like the stress of changing tanks was worse than just leaving him there. This one was one rookie mistake after another. Thanks for your help folks