Urgent, yellow tang acting unusual?

[jonvo324]

Recently got a small yellow tang and noticed it continuously swimming in circles and swimming aimlessly, as if it was blind. For the first few days it hid like I would expect a tang to, but then once it stopped hiding it would do this aimless swimming. Also a concern is that it’s not eating frozen/pellets/nori, doesn’t even seem to see the food. Thought it was a new tang getting acclimated to its new home but this “blind” swimming along with not eating is something I’ve never dealt with in a tang.

It ate well at the lfs and ate the first day being in the tank. Stopped the next day. Clear fins/eyes/body so I’m not sure if there are parasites but maybe internal? Seems almost neurological maybe? Any suggestions?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Recently got a small yellow tang and noticed it continuously swimming in circles and swimming aimlessly, as if it was blind. For the first few days it hid like I would expect a tang to, but then once it stopped hiding it would do this aimless swimming. Also a concern is that it’s not eating frozen/pellets/nori, doesn’t even seem to see the food. Thought it was a new tang getting acclimated to its new home but this “blind” swimming along with not eating is something I’ve never dealt with in a tang.

It ate well at the lfs and ate the first day being in the tank. Stopped the next day. Clear fins/eyes/body so I’m not sure if there are parasites but maybe internal? Seems almost neurological maybe? Any suggestions?

Looks to be a biota version and also the fish is thin. It needs proper food and not eating is a concern and may have issues such as neurological or other . Quarantine here may be essential.
Was it eating at time of purchase?

 

[Doctorgori]

Looks to be a biota version and also the fish is thin

^^^ I can’t even see the video and I swear this was the 1st thing that came to my mind….
I think the time is at hand to spread this info, Expanding a lil:

I got a Biota yellow. Seems regardless of diet the fish is simply thin. You can actually see the food contents in the stomach lining. My fish eat and eats, but grows slow and does NOT get the expected typical fat deposit on its forehead above and between the eyes…

EVERY single tank raised tang I’ve seen is thin, off yellow, and IMO shaped a lil funny (at least at first

challenges and contrary observations welcome

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The tang is thin, but it is also breathing too fast. The spiral swimming is a really bad sign, major stress, or an indication that it is dying.

Does you tank water test out good?
Are there other fish in the tank? Are they o.k.?
Did you get the tang direct from Biota, or did it go through a pet store's tanks first?

 

[jonvo324]

To answer everyone’s questions:
Yes it was a captive bred one. However when I asked the lfs, they told me it was captive bred from hawaii but not biota (I still think it’s from someone associated with biota and the university)

It was eating fine at the store and not thin for a juvenile. Belly was actually full-looking when I bought it. It was just after the second day that I noticed this behavior, breathing fast, swimming aimlessly, and not eating.

Acclimation was normal with any fish I’d get: temperature acclimation and salinity matched, then into tank. Other tankmates are fine (pair of clowns and a neon goby) are eating and swimming normal. Haven’t checked nitrates/phosphates yet, but the tank has been set up for months using cycled media from an established tank

I would want to quarantine it but I’m just unsure what to do or what medications to use. I’ve never experienced this with tangs before, let alone any fish.

 

[jonvo324]

^^^ I can’t even see the video and I swear this was the 1st thing that came to my mind….
I think the time is at hand to spread this info, Expanding a lil:

I got a Biota yellow. Seems regardless of diet the fish is simply thin. You can actually see the food contents in the stomach lining. My fish eat and eats, but grows slow and does NOT get the expected typical fat deposit on its forehead above and between the eyes…

EVERY single tank raised tang I’ve seen is thin, off yellow, and IMO shaped a lil funny (at least at first

challenges and contrary observations welcome

This is my second biota/captive bred yellow tang and I can’t seem to disagree with you. They just seem to lose weight easily and never be as bright (even comparing them to similar sized juvenile wild yellows). My first one passed from intestinal blockage and bloating. I thought seeing a seemingly healthy and eating captive bred one in store would help with getting a good specimen.

Also the video I think you can only view on a computer web browser, not too sure?

 

[jonvo324]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/n...p-wont-stop-swimming-in-sharp-circles.599047/

This seems to be similar to what my tang is going through

 

[Lavey29]

What size is the tank

 

[jonvo324]

What size is the tank

A 15 gallon grow out for a larger tank.

Just to update: it unfortunately did pass away. One day before it died, it actually swam around normally and reacted to stimuli which made me hopeful. However next day it was on the sand bed

 

[Lavey29]

A 15 gallon grow out for a larger tank.

Just to update: it unfortunately did pass away. One day before it died, it actually swam around normally and reacted to stimuli which made me hopeful. However next day it was on the sand bed

A yellow tang in a 15g (10g with rocks) tank? I think you need to educate yourself to the hobby so you stop killing fish.

 

[Tamberav]

Did you get either tang directly from Biota?

These tiny captive fish don't handle any missed meals, disease, copper/medications, etc at all.

So you need a healthy specimen that hasn't been mixed with wild fish or put in copper at the LFS and a LFS that is feeding them the right foods often.

I order my biota fish directly from Biota because of this. They also come with 7 day guarantee.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Did you get either tang directly from Biota?

These tiny captive fish don't handle any missed meals, disease, copper/medications, etc at all.

So you need a healthy specimen that hasn't been mixed with wild fish or put in copper at the LFS and a LFS that is feeding them the right foods often.

I order my biota fish directly from Biota because of this. They also come with 7 day guarantee.

Another issue is that very small marine fish do not handle a rise in salinity well at all. It has something to do with their high surface/volume ratio. This is the same cause of them being more sensitive to medications.....