Reef Discussion

[Scottrotton]

Hi all,

Bought a yellow tang cheap as I knew it was sick. I though it's fins had just been badly nipped and it was very skinny.

Been in there a week and fins are good. No competition for food or aggressive fish around but developed a bacterial belly/fin infection by the looks of it.

Hasn't changed much over the last few days still eating a lot a swimming well

Anyone see it before. Doesn't look like any of the disease I come across before due to redness

 

[MagicJ]

@Agent M - I seem to remember you knowing what this might be ??

 

[Agent M]

@Agent M - I seem to remember you knowing what this might be ??

Its hard to know what it is without knowing what has happened to the fish. The redness is a bacterial infection as @Scottrotton has figured out. Looks like there is redness on the beak and on the face under the eye as well? or am I seeing that incorrectly?

Doesn't look like there is any food in the fish stomach either. If you can't get your hands on an appropriate antibiotic - which I think is a dice roll without in this case - then focus on getting the tang to eat. One way to encourage appetite is to lower the salinity level. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I4/hyposalinity/OST.htm

I've just done a little research online and nori and red algaes provide anti-inflammatory benefits. How effectively I don't know but by feeding the correct diet you may be able to address the infection somewhat at the same time.

 

[Susan Bates]

I could be wrong as i am new to this, but what about soaking food in a few drop of garlic and adding some prime 2 tank??

 

[Lesley]

We received our two yellows from marine direct looking like this but a lot worse. They had a little more meat on them (just a little, still skinny) but the discoloration was vast. All over their bodies and face and mouth.
We didn't know what it was, but they continued to eat well and swim fine.So we didn't worry about it, we actually thought it may have been bruising from them fighting at the LFS
We just kept overfeeding and watching and it took about 6-8 weeks and it was gone, didn't spread to any other fish and has not re occurred at all. They both have lovely color now and very fat bellies.
Just keep offering good quality variety of foods and give it a little time, I am hopeful that he will improve on his own. Our two certainly did any way.

 

[Savage Henry]

At least it hasn't gotten white spot so you know it can't be in too bad condition.

I'd buy it the best nori (from Japan of course) you can get and also get algae scrapings from an established tank to supplement it.

 

[Scottrotton]

Thanks guys thats good to know some have pulled through, ive been away for a few days but come back and isnt any worse, infact the redness is a little better, ive been auto dosing cylopeeze, thera A+ and a mix of other foods.

Will get some nori this weekend, i also got some very poor condition fish from marine direct before, but the prices are so cheap i couldnt resist!!!


Will keep the posted update

 

[Lesley]

Thanks guys thats good to know some have pulled through, ive been away for a few days but come back and isnt any worse, infact the redness is a little better, ive been auto dosing cylopeeze, thera A+ and a mix of other foods.

Will get some nori this weekend, i also got some very poor condition fish from marine direct before, but the prices are so cheap i couldnt resist!!!


Will keep the posted update

I have to say in defense of marine direct, that we received a total of 16 fish from them and all were a picture of health except the discoloration of the yellow and one very thin powder brown.
But I would suggest your fella will be fine if he keeps eating well, and make a full recovery like ours did.

 

[Agent M]

Yes free and cheap is very tempting when it comes to pets but in my experience you either end up spending more on trying to save them or spending hours rehabilitating.

 

[macca_75]

My only feedback on this @Scottrotton would be it maybe should have gone in a Q tank. Looks you you will be lucky, but in a Q tank at least food would be exclusive, water quality is easier to maintain, no aggression, easier to make calm (no lights), etc.

BTW - I don't practice what I preach but wish I could. If I was buying a sickly looking fish as a bargain I'd setup a makeshift tub somewhere with an airstone.

 

[macca_75]

PS. Good luck with it and hope it is still doing well and getting fatter/healthier

 

[Savage Henry]

I would expect that with a fish like a Yellow Tang that if it's going to go down it's going to go down quickly. I reckon yours mustn't be too bad if it's living and most importantly, still eating.

As an aside, it always pays to look at the health of all the fish in an aquarium store before you buy a fish, i.e. look at all the marine tanks they have on display. Your selected fish might look fine and all the others in the same tank might look fine too, but who know whether your fish has just been transferred from the tank next door where everything else died.

When I visited them after viewing their website, Marine Direct never had in stock what I was after and I was not tempted by what they i have in stock, so I have never bought anything from them.

 

[Scottrotton]

Quick update, colour is back, fins slightly better, fatter, seems to be on the mend. thanks all

 

[Agent M]

Quick update, colour is back, fins slightly better, fatter, seems to be on the mend. thanks all

Thats good news :)