sick yellowtang

[tangman1]

I have a 55gallon tank. Umm my tang is very underfed skin and bones. I know my fault. Just started putting algea stuff and brine shrimp in the other day but he does not seem to be attempting to eat it. Is there anything that i can do. I aslo have 2 false pecula they are fine they where eating the flakes(they tend to get the food before it leaves the top). But i see it float right by tang and he does not even try to eat at it. This is unlike when i got him and he was not sick. I tried puting tang into a seperate tank to feed but still did not help. Any advice. Thank a mill

 

[Anonymous]

don't know how long you've had him, but here are a few possibilities:
your tang was caught with cyanide(the resulting damage to his g.i.tract prevents him from eating.)
internal parasites have brought him to the same situation
malnutrition or underfeeding " " " " .
once they get pinch bellied, and stop eating,the chance for a turnaround is slim.(don't mean to be bearer of news) the problem is also that the tang is a high metabolism fish.alot are also caught with cyanide-not eating while appearing to be healthy is a classic symptom(if the tanks parameters can be ruled out as a cause).constant bullying by another fish can also cause a hunger strike from stress, but that's usually not the case unless you see him hiding alot or acting really 'nervous'.because of the high metabolism,it's fatty reserves get used up FAST, and once the stomach 'shrinks' he can't, and won't, eat.
as a last resort,(if you can find tubing thin enough), is to try forced syringe feeding-this will be quite difficult with that snoot.where did he come from? (according to your lfs)was he eating when you bought him?

 

[danmhippo]

I think whatever took place, your tang is extremely stressed out! Let us know more about your tank setup. How long has it been setup? How much LR is in the tank? Is it LR or Base rock? Do you have any algae growing on the rocks? Have you tried Nori yet? How about tank parameter, what level are your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, temp and salinity? What are you dosing to the tank on regular basis? Do you have skimmer? What model? Do you do waterchanges? How often and how much volume?

 

[Jeff Hood]

Try soaking some nori or seaweed selects in selcon and Zoe. My tang seems to eat with more gusto when I soak it in this stuff once per week. I just use regular unsoaked algae every day the rest of the week. They like to graze. Once eating he may start taking other foods offered to the tank.

Get it eating and you may be OK. Once eating feed every day. If all of your algae gets eaten put more in. They like to graze all day long.

Good luck.

Jeff

 

[naesco]

Hood is right.
Sometime if you soak the food in garlic extract it acts as an attractant and the fish starts to eat again.
Do not give up. Continue trying to feed her.
Good Luck

 

[tangman1]

ummm 55gallon tank has been setup for around 6 months now. Had the tang for maybe 2?? No skimmer. nitrite and amonia are fine. nitrate are around 6-7. Ph 7.9, salinity 1.021. He is really skinny and not eatting so i guess it is a lost cause.

 

[Sandyreef]

Nitrate should be 0 also, your tank is being stressed. Your salinity is way low. Do a major water change to get your tank back in line. Salinity needs to be up around 1.025/26. Good luck.

Sandy

 

[EmilyB]

Try to get some live brine to stimulate him to feed. Try some OSI spirulina flake ( you always hold the flake under the water so it will sink, not float ).

 

[JohnD]

I second Emily's comments about live brine shrimp (or anything live - live like blood worms). Before you feed the brine shrimp (or blood worm), soak them in either selcon or vita-chem for at least one-half hour. That way the live food soaks up some nutrients first, before being eaten.

HTH