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Is my Tang dying?

saucz

saucz

Experienced Reefer
Location
Astoria
Rating - 0%
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Well, i went to fishtown yesterday. Wasn't going to buy anything other than a clean up crew but my girlfriend decided that she HAD to have a Tang after seeing it. I tried to explain that my water wasn't fully ready, and that it might die. She wouldn't take no for an answer and she bought it while i was browsing the store. So now, we bring it home, and all night, it looks realllll scared. I just kept hiding behind my rock everytime i would come near the tank. It would come out and peck on the rocks or just swim around when i was away. Well, last night, it went into it's hiding spot so i bid it goodnight and went to sleep. This morning, it was in the same spot and it didn't seem to be moving. So i freaked out and moved the rock but when i moved the rock started moving it's fins but still wouldn't move out of that spot. It's been like that since last night and i don't think it's comin out. Is this normal or is it just looking for a quiet place to die?!?!

Last time i checked my water which was last thurs or fri, my water hadn't compeletely cycled but it was close. I don't think my water quality is the best because i don't have a skimmer or a refugium yet but since i have enough LR in there, i thought it'd be fine to have 1 fish in there. What's goin on? :banghead:
 
joe

joe

Senior Member
Location
manhatten
Rating - 95.8%
23   1   0
you prpbebley should have resisited, though i know its hard to say no to girls. ive never heard of a tang being used as a cyling fosh or even the first fish too get after the cycle.
though it could just be scared,
 
cali_reef

cali_reef

Fish and Coral Killer
Location
On the waste coast, again.
Rating - 97.3%
36   1   0
inkblue said:
iF it shoWs signs of dying, take it out and put it in a bucket with regular saltWater :sigh1:
Click to expand...

Why?? I think this is his only fish in the tank. It?s the same thing as someone suggested on other threads to put cocktail shrimps to "cycle" a new tank, dead fish and dead shrimp will cause the same ammonia spike and the following bio process. I personally don?t think you need to leave a dead fish in the tank but I see no harm leaving it in the tank until it?s confirmed dead.



How big is your tank? Keep an eye on the PH, temperature, ammonia, salinity, and nitrate. Change water only if the ammonia or nitrate level becomes toxic according to your test kit, don?t change the water unless you test. Make sure your temperature is stable, tangs will catch ich easily with temp fluxtuations. Do not try to feed it anything unless it is swimming around picking on rocks, I know your GF might think a little food will fix everything, its not!!



You need to buy a skimmer and read more about tank cycling process before you take your GF to FishTown again:lol:.
 
saucz

saucz

Experienced Reefer
Location
Astoria
Rating - 0%
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No i mean i definately know everything i need to know about cycling a tank before stocking my tank. Don't get me wrong, the tank is ALMOST done cycling and i am NOT using the tang to cycle my tank. I've had LR in there for about 3-4 weeks now. I'm just asking if this hiding behavior is normal for tangs or is it something that i should be worried about. And i did say no but she went and had the guy get it outta the tank for her while i was in the back looking at the koi pond. But you know, :banghead: (I must say, the yellow hawaiin tang is beautiful though)
 
C

Chiefmcfuz

Guest
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A wise man once said " A man who admits he knows nothing knows everything, A man who states he knows everything infact knows nothing."
 
Deanos

Deanos

Old School Reefer
Location
Bronx, NY 10475
Rating - 100%
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saucz said:
No i mean i definately know everything i need to know about cycling a tank before stocking my tank. Don't get me wrong, the tank is ALMOST done cycling and i am NOT using the tang to cycle my tank. I've had LR in there for about 3-4 weeks now. I'm just asking if this hiding behavior is normal for tangs or is it something that i should be worried about. And i did say no but she went and had the guy get it outta the tank for her while i was in the back looking at the koi pond. But you know, :banghead: (I must say, the yellow hawaiin tang is beautiful though)
Click to expand...

Elevated ammonia/nitrite levels would definitely stress a fish out causing it to act abnormal; regardless how "tough" they are reputed to be. If you put the tang in the tank knowing the ammonia and nitrite levels weren't zero, well....
 
Tonyscoots84

Tonyscoots84

REEF ON!
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Howell, NJ
Rating - 100%
64   0   0
he is prob. scared at his own reflection right now. just give him his time to adjust. in the meanwhile test the ph ammonia nitrites, nitrates and temp as they have stated above. if nitrates are above 10 i would do a small water change. if he is somehow dying u can avoid him dying by keeping the water fresh. dont worry hes prob jus scared thats.
 
joseney21

joseney21

FDNY MEDIC
Location
Bronx, New York
Rating - 100%
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keep your hands out of the tank???lol, you saying this 'cuz you know it's a new tank jim??i know you put your hands in the tank, lol.

we tested andy's water a few days ago, i went over to give him some frags.we used the cheap color test kits from aquarium pharm. so the tests might not be the most accurate.according to the test
ammonia and nitrite were zero
ph was between 8.2-8.4
salinity was a little low, couldn't have been by too much, but i couldn't tell you exactly how much it was off by. i use a hydrometer (so does andy) and i tested mine against the standard solutions dean posted in an earlier thread before.
forgot to check Alk, and didn't check for calc because he didn't really have anything in there that needed it at the time.
most of his live rock (about 99%)looked lifeless (meaning probably no decaying matter other than dying bacteria, maybe lol).appears they sold andy some base rock that was kept in a tank with some saltwater at most(maybe, hopefully for some time).

seeing as how the water appeared to be fine then i would think the tang is just stressed and hiding out.i would suggest putting a piece of romain lettuce on a veggie clip to feed the tang.

Andy how are the corals doing???did you put any other critters in there other than the tang???
 
cali_reef

cali_reef

Fish and Coral Killer
Location
On the waste coast, again.
Rating - 97.3%
36   1   0
Most fish will hide when first introduced to a new tank. It is normal and leave it along like House said.

Don't bother putting any food in the tank, it is not going to eat it for a day or two. romain lettuce is not a natural food for them, you should get some frozen mysis to feed it with in a few days.

Your tank is not "cycled" until the bacteria is in balance with the final live stock\bio load and is processing all the nitrogen produced. A skimmer will help the process greatly.
 
D

DEEPWATER

Guest
Rating - 97.3%
36   1   0
Time will tell ,as long as your water levels are good ,then your are fine ,all fish fish when 1st placed in the tank ,dont worry ,mistake we al make ,even if it was for a good reasons,wait it out for a day or 2 ,dont go crazy abou tit hiding ,
oh yeah ,,when you do fed ,mysis shrimp ,nori sheet(seaweed) will do fine ,

think of wha tthis poor fish just went through to get in your tank ,
i would hide 2 if i went for an ocean to a tank ,he has to be saying ,where are my parents,frineds etc ,,lol:bigeyes2:
 
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