My yellow tang...disease?

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Jayroi

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May 14, 2005
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Hey, i noticed that my yellow tang today is looking a little pale than normal. I doubt it's my water qualtiy, i had a water check over the weekend and my Nitrite was just a bar away from caution. Everything else in my tank is fine. Oh ya, my tank is fish only, with some fake plants and sand and lava rock. I'll post a picture tomorrow. If anyone has any suggestions please reply, i really love my yellow tang and would hate the loss.Thanks!


-jayrol
 

Oliver

Oliver
Jan 17, 2005
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if the nitrites are high, change the water! He is probebly pale becuase his diet isn't consistant. feed him a WIDE veriety of things, like frozen mysis and brine (as a treat, it is like eating mcdonald's) nori which is the seaweed used it sushi and maby some flakes. this way his coulour would shine and he would be happy. also make sure there is some algae on your rock for grazing.
 

OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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How big is the tank? Companions? Time of day? Yellow tangs will turn pale at night, then brighten up once the lights have been on a while, perfectly normal. If the paleness is associated with refusal to eat, scratching, hiding more than normal, or lasts all day, it's a concern.
 
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Jayroi

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May 14, 2005
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Alright, new problem... same fish but he is acting ery different today. I did a water change the yesterday about 5 gallons of my 30 gallon. should i do another?

WIth the yellow tang there is a Bicolor angel, clarky clwon and royal gramma.Just today the angel fish has been picking on him, or picking at him and following him around. The tang is also now scratchting on my rocks in the aqaurium. And my clown fish has now started hanging out just at the very top of the tank. I need some big help here. Somthing is going wrong in my tank and i don't now what it is.

and my tang, i feed him flakes, shrimp and algae, so i do nto believe thats the problem.

BTW this is a fish only tank. The rocks and plants are fake.

thanks
-jayrol
 

FloridaBoy

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Jan 10, 2005
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Your fish are under stress. How long has it been set up?
There should be zero nitrites in an established community tank.
zip, zilch, nada. (I said nitrITE per your post, not nitrATE)
Nitrites are harmful to your fish and inverts, usually indicates a tank that is not completely cycled or having poor biofiltration issues; I suggest 25-30 percent water changes daily until they are zero, and adding some live bacteria from a healthy established tank asap. BTW, your tank is a bit overcrowded my friend; consider lightening the bio load and get a quarantine tank for long term success. That way when something starts acting unusual you can move it to QT for closer observation/treatment.

Oliver is correct, you need to have healthy green algae growing in a FO tank with tangs and angels. You can always start a culture in a large sun-exposed jar with an airstone just use some water from your water change.
Your FO tank will also benefit from a few cured live rocks but add them slowly and let things settle before adding anything else at this point.
 
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Max

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Jan 26, 2004
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Your tank is way over stocked to man. The tang need at least a 75 and if it's near adult size I'd say you have way too much organic material in the water colum. I'd listen to the advise about l.r. and see if your lfs will take in your tang./
 

Jayroi

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May 14, 2005
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thanks guys. Yea i'm saving up money, and almost have enough to get my 75gallon i wanted. The reason why hes' in such a small tank is because my dad couldn't take care of em, so i had to take them out of his house and take them here. But thanks for all you rhelp. Hopefully he'll stay alive long enough so i can give him a better home:D
 

Max

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Well, in a case like this I'd just do large frequent ,"2-3 times a week", water changes to keep pollutant levels down. That will help also try looking in the want adds there are people getting out of the hobby all the time. There's nothing wrong with a used tank if all you want is f.o. Be careful for inverts though.
HTH
Chris
 

Jayroi

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May 14, 2005
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New development for my tang... He now has white flakish stuff around his eyes and black dots on his fins. He's itching on objects on the aquarium and the bi-color is still picking at him. Need some help!
 

FloridaBoy

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Jan 10, 2005
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Trying to help you, listen and take my advice.
Did you make the first daily water change and seed with a bacteria booster culture from an established, healthy tank as I said? Since the tang is getting worse, you need to remove the YT; per my previous post, now is the time to invest in a quarantine tank and you can observe it/treat as needed there.
If you cannot add QT, call your LFS and ask if they have a hospital tank you can move the yellow tang into, if it continues to be pecked/stressed it will likely expire. Keep a close eye on all other fish; if they show signs of white spot or marine ich you may need to treat your FO display with copper, but this would be a last resort. Again, quarantine tank is essential for long term success in this hobby.
 
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