Why is my blue tang losing color?

[namlessdude]

I have this blue tang that recently has been losing color. Here's some context:

I brought her from a store that supposedly had her for a few months and she's been fine. I dropped her into my tank after some drip acclimating but she developed ICK almost within an hour. I wasn't sure what that is so i left her in the tank for a day until i researched it and found out that i should qt her. I did qt her and treat her in her own tank but ICK still spread around my tank and killed 3 fish .
Anyways, she survived and recovered and was moved into a second qt tank with 1 ick surviving clown fish. A few days ago i saw thay her colors have faded like the pic. She still swam and ate fine and was happy and healthy. I added a new rock to the qt tank and she got scared it seemed and scratched herself from both sides on that rock. I removed that rock and monitored her for a bit but she still was stressed from the constat change in the tank which is normal, but her scratch marks didnt grow and one of them recovered pretty well very quickly.

Anyways, her colors are looking like this atm. I am not sure why. Tank tested 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate (it is a cycled qt tank). She has been eating flakes in her qt, and the occasional frozen food (maybe twice in the two weeks ive had her).

I have put a lot of work to help her recover, i want her to be healthy again.

Any help?

 

[LiverockRocks]

Looks like a tiny blue tang from the photo!
Bumping this thread for more thoughts.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Is this your 40 gallon tank that you added the tank? The tank is way too small for a tang, and adding a tang into a small tank will almost always result in disease or aggression. From your previous posts you're new to the hobby, and this is a slightly more advanced fish that generally does better with experienced hobbyists.

 

[namlessdude]

Is this your 40 gallon tank that you added the tank? The tank is way too small for a tang, and adding a tang into a small tank will almost always result in disease or aggression. From your previous posts you're new to the hobby, and this is a slightly more advanced fish that generally does better with experienced hobbyists.

I wasn't aware that he is more advanced or that he needs bigger tanks when i got him and its too late to go back now... also, the 40g tank is perfectly fine for him right now as he's only about an inch wide. I will be upgrading tanks in the future.

Any idea what disease causes these colors fainting

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Any idea what disease causes these colors fainting

I would guess some pretty extreme stress, but let's see if the #fishmedic crew has some thoughts for you. What foods have you been feeding, how much, and how often?

 

[namlessdude]

I would guess some pretty extreme stress, but let's see if the #fishmedic crew has some thoughts for you. What foods have you been feeding, how much, and how often?

Flakes and the occasional frozen food. Once a day in the morning.

 

[Tamberav]

She looks stressed to me, I can't tell much else in the photo.

 

[LiverockRocks]

As for the basics:

• Feed tiny amounts of varied food throughout the day, not once a day.
• Keep water quality as high as possible.
• Reduce stress by providing hiding spaces (in qt can be pvc and plastic plants) (in observation use live rock).

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Can you post a video of the fish in the tank, not in a plastic bag? I need to get some idea as to its respiration rate.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Flakes and the occasional frozen food. Once a day in the morning.

I mean what foods specifically- what are the names of the flake food and frozen food?

As mentioned, it's generally better to feed multiple times a day - I generally recommend 3-4 feedings. The foods you feed and the amount fed make a huge difference in the health of a fish - if you feed low-quality (nutritionally) foods, then your fish will be much more prone to illness and much less likely to spawn.

 

[namlessdude]

Can you post a video of the fish in the tank, not in a plastic bag? I need to get some idea as to its respiration rate.

I will post the food and the fish later today when I am back from work and post a video of the fish swimming around as well!

 

[namlessdude]

Here's a video of the tang and pics of the food.

 

[namlessdude]

A link to the video

 

[Jay Hemdal]

A link to the video

Oh - I'm really sorry, but your tang is very near death from malnutrition. You may be able to bring it back from this point, but it's going to be difficult. First, you'll need more nutritious foods, high in fat. I'd suggest frozen mysids, cut up with a razor blade so the fish can swallow them. You can also try some high quality, small sinking pellets like New Life Spectrum. You'll need to feed the tang 4 or 5 times a day, as much as it will accept. If it stops eating, then you should stop adding food. If it is spitting the food out, try something smaller and/or softer.

I do need to mention that when a fish gets this thin, it may have utilized its liver for energy - at that point, it simply won't be able to recover.

 

[namlessdude]

Oh - I'm really sorry, but your tang is very near death from malnutrition. You may be able to bring it back from this point, but it's going to be difficult. First, you'll need more nutritious foods, high in fat. I'd suggest frozen mysids, cut up with a razor blade so the fish can swallow them. You can also try some high quality, small sinking pellets like New Life Spectrum. You'll need to feed the tang 4 or 5 times a day, as much as it will accept. If it stops eating, then you should stop adding food. If it is spitting the food out, try something smaller and/or softer.

I do need to mention that when a fish gets this thin, it may have utilized its liver for energy - at that point, it simply won't be able to recover.

I really appreciate the advice and the polite way you have put this. I will go to my local store and buy food for her and hopefully bring her back. I feel terrible for not knowing...

 

[BristleWormHater]

I wasn't aware that he is more advanced or that he needs bigger tanks when i got him and its too late to go back now... also, the 40g tank is perfectly fine for him right now as he's only about an inch wide. I will be upgrading tanks in the future.

Any idea what disease causes these colors fainting

It's not the size that's the problem, it's the swimming behavior of tangs that makes them unsuitable for a smaller tank. I would think lack of space would cause the stress that @ISpeakForTheSeas talking about.
Edit: I read through the responses and lack of space is not the cause I'll throw another vote in for malnutrition like @Jay Hemdal said he's the fish medic after all. That upgrade should still come sooner than later though!

 

[namlessdude]

It's not the size that's the problem, it's the swimming behavior of tangs that makes them unsuitable for a smaller tank. I would think lack of space would cause the stress that @ISpeakForTheSeas talking about.

I will be upgrading with time. I am already working on cycling a 55 gallon atm but from what ive learned so far my tang might not last to see the new 55 gallon. We'll see i guess.

 

[TBSB2019]

Sheets of garlic soaked nori should help also. I keep in in both my tanks.

 

[BristleWormHater]

I will be upgrading with time. I am already working on cycling a 55 gallon atm but from what ive learned so far my tang might not last to see the new 55 gallon. We'll see i guess.

I'm sorry, I'm trying not to pile on the bad news but 55gallons is still not big enough for a blue tang, they need 100+. If he survives you'll have to trade him in when he gets bigger, best of luck!

 

[namlessdude]

Sheets of garlic soaked nori should help also. I keep in in both my tanks.

That's a good idea! I saw videos of people hanging their nori and the tang would come up to eat as much as it needs which will be good to see her eat!

As for the comment about 55 being too small, i am also aware! The tang is currently an inch big and will take time (if she survived) to outgrow the 55. At that point i would've either loved the hobby enough to expand to a permanent 100+ gallon, or shut down the hobby.

Thank you all for the advice!