Yellow Tang Rescue - Fin rot

[Rea17]

Hello everyone. I rescued a couple of yellow tangs about a week ago from a local fish store... in terrible condition. They have severe cases of fin rot - no doubt due to a confined area, poor diet, bullying, etc. Anyway, I put these guys into quarantine and gave them a Furan-2 treatment for their fins. It took some time to teach them what nori was, but they are eating well now. I am also feeding them a healthy variety of foods soaked in garlic, selcon, and kent marine zoe for a good boost to their immune systems. Their appetite has me hopeful, but I'm wondering how long it should be until I see improvements in their condition? When I got them, the bases of their fins were inflamed and looked to be bleeding. This is no longer the case, but there has been no fin regeneration as far as I can tell. What is the best course of action at this point to get their fins to grow back and get these fish healthy again? Picture is attached.

 

[NC2WA]

Melafix might work...

 

[pandora32]

I hate seeing fish like that. Its illegal to beat a cat, but its ok for a store or person let fish get this way. Unreal. Anyways. Im done ranting now. Good save. Id keep doing what youre doing and give them time.

 

[user 26995]

good for you for what you have done so far.
Maracyn II will help with fin rot. However they are looking pretty good considering what you described them as when you got them.
It will take time, but you should notice improvement within the next week. Its hard to notice small improvements when you see them daily. Take another pic in a week and post it. Compare it to the previous pic. I bet you will see a good change.

 

[Rea17]

Do you think a bare quarantine tank will be a suitable recovery area for them? Or should I get something in between set up? Right now they are in a little 10g for the Furan 2 treatment. The 10 has also been good for getting them eating. I have a 55 qt running and waiting to be a recovery tank. Also, before someone asks, they get along fine and don't seem to be causing each other any stress. I will separate them at the first sign of that but at this point I don't think it will be a problem.

 

[NC2WA]

Rea,

Yes. A bigger QT would be nice, as it would cut down on stress..10g QT for these tangs is just too small IMO....

 

[user 26995]

I would move them to the 55. That will help reduce any stress they might still be having. A 10 is pretty small.

 

[Rea17]

I know the 10 is small, it was very temporary. I performed the last part of the Furan 2 treatment last night so I will get them set up in the 55 again tonight. I had them in the 55 originally, but they wouldn't take food at that point and I hadn't decided what to medicate them with. I didn't have everything necessary to do the treatment in that tank either... so that combination of factors led to the 10. Anyway...

 

[user 26995]

You're doing a great job. I think they will be just fine.
Those are a couple lucky fish.
Keep up the good work.

 

[jill]

Ami, you are an angel. I saw those tangs when they were at the store and wish I would have rescued them like you did. I am so glad to hear that they are doing better.

 

[TJL]

+1 on doing a great job of doing the 'Right Thing' KUDOS to you. Those lucky fish will be in great shape soon, you'd be amazed at what they can recover from once in good hands/water conditions. I really wish there were some kind of International Certification neccessary for the retailing, wholesaling, transhipping and collection of Marine Livestock. I won't even go into a Petco for the fear of losing my PC-ness... I've heard that there are some exceptions, just never seen one yet in all the years they have been around.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Have not read the entire thread, but well done. I have had excellent sucess saving distressed tangs with a mixed diet, that focused on Selcon soaked nori sheets. Other suppliments high in HUFAs are also good. Years back I was quite happy with Vita-Chem marine by Boyd's. I assume it is still good.

 

[Rea17]

Thanks guys. I am really hoping they pull through, they have improved since I got them so hopefully that trend will continue. The day I brought them home, one of them was on his side all night and half of the next day. I thought he was a goner for sure. And Todd, they were from Petco, how did you guess?

They aren't very active right now. I don't really expect them to be doing much, I imagine it is difficult to swim around with no fins What is your opinion on getting a small clownfish or something active/non-aggressive to share QT with them? I have had great success with this in the past. When I had to put my tank through a fallow period almost a year ago I had a couple clowns that shared QT with new shy tangs. Of course this wouldn't be permanent for the clown, as I have plenty of room in my DT for another. In my experience the smaller fish teaches them that it is safe to swim in the open and where the food is. (The tangs are eating with some help, I have to tear seaweed off the clip and they take it out of the water column.) I imagine if they get hungry enough they will be less shy with the clip, but I don't want them to get to that point. The more they eat right now, the better.

I suppose I just need to be patient. Now it is just a matter of waiting on the healing process, right?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

If there is improvement, don't make any major changes such as adding occupants to a small tank. When they have started to re-grow fins which happens amazingly quick in clean water with a good diet, then upgrade the size tank for them. The main thing is keep them calm, feeling safe, and focusing on eating. The water can go downhill fast in little tanks, frequent small water changes will me a must. Do so as calmly and mellow as possible.

Thanks guys. I am really hoping they pull through, they have improved since I got them so hopefully that trend will continue. The day I brought them home, one of them was on his side all night and half of the next day. I thought he was a goner for sure. And Todd, they were from Petco, how did you guess?

They aren't very active right now. I don't really expect them to be doing much, I imagine it is difficult to swim around with no fins What is your opinion on getting a small clownfish or something active/non-aggressive to share QT with them? I have had great success with this in the past. When I had to put my tank through a fallow period almost a year ago I had a couple clowns that shared QT with new shy tangs. Of course this wouldn't be permanent for the clown, as I have plenty of room in my DT for another. In my experience the smaller fish teaches them that it is safe to swim in the open and where the food is. (The tangs are eating with some help, I have to tear seaweed off the clip and they take it out of the water column.) I imagine if they get hungry enough they will be less shy with the clip, but I don't want them to get to that point. The more they eat right now, the better.

I suppose I just need to be patient. Now it is just a matter of waiting on the healing process, right?

 

[Rea17]

I have been doing 25% water changes every couple of days, using good stable water out of my display tank. I can tone it down to 10% every day or something, if you think that 25% is too much. I will just continue what I'm doing and wait on any major changes, like you said. I will try and take some good pictures weekly for before, after, and in between.

Thanks for all of the advice and support. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I can be for them.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Whatever you are comfortable with is fine. Are you confident the water in your display is clean and 100% disease free? I would think a water change would be done with 24 hour aged fresh mix. I also hope you know that saving sick fish from Petco reinforces their bad behavior. I REALLY REALLY hope you didn't pay to adopt these abused fish or if so not very much. . .

I have been doing 25% water changes every couple of days, using good stable water out of my display tank. I can tone it down to 10% every day or something, if you think that 25% is too much. I will just continue what I'm doing and wait on any major changes, like you said. I will try and take some good pictures weekly for before, after, and in between.

Thanks for all of the advice and support. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I can be for them.

 

[Rea17]

Yes, my display is pretty pristine. I work hard to keep it that way. I also put a lot of work into quarantining and treating every fish before they go in.

I know it does... but it doesn't seem fair to let the fish die there to help prove a point. They tried to sell them to me at a 30% discount for "cosmetic" reasons, and I about lost it with them. They claim that corporate won't let them treat the fish with anything. I doubt feeding them is against the rules too.... I feel strongly about this and could rant for quite a while, but I won't.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I know it does... but it doesn't seem fair to let the fish die there to help prove a point. They tried to sell them to me at a 30% discount for "cosmetic" reasons, and I about lost it with them. They claim that corporate won't let them treat the fish with anything. I doubt feeding them is against the rules too.... I feel strongly about this and could rant for quite a while, but I won't.

You are a kind soul and I admire that about you. If these fish were paid for at even a 50% discount, then they made money or at least broke even. Stores that change for the better do so for financial reasons. They will only get educated when staying stupid becomes too costly. "Education is expensive. If it ain't been expensive, then you ain't been educated"

 

[Rea17]

Well thank you. I'm surprised they still have a saltwater section, I'm sure the vast majority of what they order dies in their system. I told the kid working there how the tangs need to be fed and how to improve their stay there. I saw him relay the info to his manager and he got shrugged off. Honestly, I got the fish at 50% off. I wasn't happy about it but it was worth it to me. I'm new to fin rot and bacterial infections, so I did some cramming on the subject after I got them home and into QT. If I adopt fish like this from them in the future, it will be for free and I will tell them why.

What scares me is that THEY tell customers how to care for these fish, and people see them as pet professionals and take their advice to heart.

 

[Rea17]

I thought I would post some updated pictures of these guys. They are eating great and transitioned well into the larger 55 gallon QT. There has been a noticeable amount of fin growth on both of them, though it is more easier to see on the one that was missing most of the webbing between the dorsal spines. They have also colored up quite a bit and their tummies aren't pinched in anymore. I reposted the original picture for comparison's sake, and I embedded it right So here ya go

One week ago:



Today:






The newer pictures show some of the redness better than the old one, but it has almost completely gone away. We are optimistic and these guys seem to be improving in every way right now.