My Yellow Tang is Dying I think

[sshewchuk]

Hello, I have been running a 33gal salt water tank for about a year now with 1 small damsel in it. Last week I put a nice Yellow tang in it. Seemed to take well with almost no shock. But 2 days ago it he started to like lay on the bottom until he sees you then he swims around just fine with the top fin up. (It is down when he is just sitting there.) Any help ASAP would be appreciated as I will be out $45can.

Thanks

[Michael_Lambert]

Sshewchuk,

First of all, Welcome!

Now to your issue,

just some info needed,

Is he eatting? Whats his color looking like? does he show any signs of stress such as white spots, coloration changes to white or pale..

and what size is he as a 33G i assume it a long tank 36 inches long? might be too small for it.

But now its not totally uncommon for some tangs to lay down, is there rock in the tank for it to hide?

As well what is your water peramiters at?
SG, Temp, Nitrate, Nitrites and ammonias

Thanks
Mike.

[sshewchuk]

He doesnt seem to be eating, I have a leaf of Romaine in there, add frozen brine shrimp daily and just dry pellets for the Damsel. The SG is at .024 the temp is at 76 and nitrite is less than 0.3. The tank is 36" long. There is one rock for him to hide behind and thats where he seems to lay now. Could it be this weekend (fri, Sat) I had all the lights on in the basement till 5am and maybe kept him up and stressed him?? Ill try and get a pic of when he is laying down cuz when he sees me he swims normally.

Thanks

[Chrismo]

You need to get some Nori, from a chineese or japaneese store, or from a pet store. Romaine lettuce isnt too nutritious. At Big Gay Als a package will cost ya ten bucks and last a month or 2. Get a food clip too maybe ($4)

Spirulina flakes are good too. If he is freaked out and scared of you, he might be trying to hide by laying low, but when he sees you gets ready to run.

Make sure you have places for him to hide where he cant see you, it will give him an escape, and time to get used to you and his new freaky world.. If you dont have any or much live rock, stick a few big tarracotta pots (the reddish clay ones) in there. Eventually replace with live rock.

Also, you could up your temp to 78.


Chris

[Michael_Lambert]

I agree with Chris!

Change the food! .. and he needs places to hide! .. a single rock will not do it! .. atleat go to homedepo and buy a 6 inch peice of 3inch PVC he can hide in that !

[afss]

Try the Nori

I would raise the temp a few degrees over the next few days

Definitely get the tangs some more hiding places.

Also how big is the tang. For tangs it is generally recommended to have at least 4 feet of tank length. Thing could just be stressed out from lack of space.

Scott

[sshewchuk]

Thanks for the wonderful advice, Ill pickup that stuff tommorrow. He is about 5" long.

[afss]

IMO it is probably a size issue. a 5 inch tang would nmore than likely find a 33 gal too small.

If it survives or not i don't recomend you adding another any sized tang to a tank of that size.


Good luck

Scott

[sshewchuk]

Now he is laying on the bottom and starting to discolor. Anyway to save him?

[Michael_Lambert]

If he is 5 inches and in a 33G tank he is going to die of stress !

Remove him get him into a larger Aquarium !

[Sohal Tang]

agreed with Tooloud.....
the tank is too small for the fish DEFINITELY.
ideally a 125 gallon or bigger for tangs is recommended
but some get away with 90 gallon....but that size tank
is defintely going to stress that fish out.

I would think the NOri will help but...persoanlly I love
mysis for protein and right now a shot of protein might
help him...although it may be too late...give him some hiding spots, slightly increase the temp slowly to perhaps 80ish....,
and make sure no other fish is bugging him...take the
romaine out immediately.... brine shrimp I would use
to try to get him back eating....

is their current in the tank? Is the top of the water moving
or is it collecting a film? I believe you need to BREAK the
top of the water perhaps with a power head etc....
make the water have a slight BOILING EFFECT to the top
of the water is something I always believe in.....

What is the filter?
How long tank set up?
Any other fish in tank?

Tim
:sorry:

[sshewchuk]

The filter is an Auqaclear 200, The tank has been running iccident free for a year. And there is one damsel about an inch long in the tank with it.

Thanks

[Michael_Lambert]

The fish is stressed out to the point of dieing! ..

You really need to get it out of that tank Into a tank more sutible for it.. the fish need the room to swim an a smaller tank like that for a fish that size is just killing it.

As well what are you nitrates, nitrites and ammonias at right now?