A very unpleasant experience I hope never happens again.

[Ed Hahn]

Hello Lee,
I had a Large Male Naso tang(little over 9 inches with streamers) in my 300 gallon aquarium. He was happy as could be all the time. He would not let me look at a coral without the coming right up to my face. Last Sunday he had a sudden shift of behavior. He was cowering under a rock. Monday he was swimming with his head pointing down. I decided to do a fresh water dip. I could not see any physical damage to him until I did a fresh water dip to him. His eyes were clear. Just lethargic behavior compared to his normal behavior. He had what looked like a spider web like broken glass on his base of tail. The mark like a tattoo of what looked like someone had thrown a base ball or rock into a wind shield. I want to say shattered glass look. I had never witnessed this before. I lost him last night. I tried to take pictures of mark with my camera. It would not show in pictures other than swelling.
All my other fish seem fine. I have a large Foxface, a large yellow tang, a regal (hipo) tang, 4 clown fish, A few large RBAs, Pistol shrimp a few large ones. SPS and LPS Corals seem fine. I am completely baffled on this one.
Any ideas would be awesome. I hate to see this happen to someone else.

Thanks for your time in advance,
Ed

 

[returnofsid]

Ed that really sucks!! I'm sorry. I sure hope Lee can offer advice and answers, so we can all learn from your tragic loss!!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Not familiar with symptoms, but sounds like a bacterial infection that went systemic. There is always the chance it got stung by the fox, but not sure how that acts.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Rabbitfish (genus Siganus) fins contain multiple spiny processes, all associated with venom glands. To be exact, there are 13 dorsal, 4 pelvic, and 7 anal spines. The spines have two deep grooves that contain venom glands along the distal third of the spine. The spine is covered with an epidermal layer that is ruptured by trauma, releasing the venom in much the same way as with stingrays.

(in humans) The pain is sudden and severe lasting for hours to several days and producing considerable distress. Like surgeonfish, the wound swells, becomes numb and pain radiates to the regional lymph nodes. The immediate area can become cyanotic with a surrounding red area.

 

[leebca]

Sorry for the loss.

Nasos have been known to get along with humans quite well, neither exhibiting fear nor concern with the human presence after a time of acclimation.

How long did you have this fish?

Have you observed the fish at night, per chance? Where did it stay? On the bottom? swimming about slowly? or ?

Have you watched the tank for consecutive hours at one time? Have you noticed (by doing this) the interactions of the fish? Any enemies, tank mate issues, chases, etc.?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Thank you both for your kindness. I am ready to get rid of foxface. Foxface is maybe 6 inches. Foxface was getting agressive as far as puffing up his fins close to Naso. Naso just ignored him. I just want to make sure that is what is was.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Lee,
As a reply of the above about a Year. He was most personalable fish I ever had. He loved ya so much it was irritable to try to look at a coral. Fish slept in the rocks in the back of tank somewhere. I would get up at 430am and see him out greeting me because he acted like he never ate. He would eat 24/7 if he could.

First sign was him not greeting me and cowering below my back rock shelf. He was level first time I saw him. He just looked lethargic. He actually ate that night. But it took some encouraging compared to his normal routine. The following day he had his head down like a bowling pin like he was looking at something on bottom. I could not see any visible signs of damage, that was until I did a fw dip. Mark was on base of tail. It was infront of his two spikes. Mark was black on his grey body. It looked like veins to me. The mark was maybe a Inch in diameter maybe more. Circulur with what looked like veins. He returned to tank to hide inbetween a rock, breathing fast. He later died.

 

[colleen]

Darn it Ed,
I'm really really sorry to hear about your Naso, he was such a beauty, with personality too. He obviously knew he was cool - that's why he'd swim right up to people's faces -- figured we must all be admiring him, not looking at the corals !

Its frustrating to see something is wrong and not know what caused it or how to help. So sorry to hear the news.

 

[matts125]

sorry to hear that Ed, I lost my beloved naso late last year, I know it is hard. my fish went quick too with the same symptoms...

matt

 

[jezzeaepi]

Sorry Ed, sounds like a tremendous loss =(

 

[leebca]

It seems like the Foxface was not tolerant of the Naso. I would say that is the most likely the root of the cause of death.

 

[matts125]

It seems like the Foxface was not tolerant of the Naso. I would say that is the most likely the root of the cause of death.

i fear this is what happend to my naso too, i had a scribble rabbit with mine, but is it possible for the fish to live with the lathargic symptons for 3 days after a fatal sting?

matt

 

[leebca]

The speed of death depends upon several factors, the least of which are:
1) Size of fish stung;
2) Where fish was stung;
3) Size of fish doing the stinging'
4) (Ultimately how much poison was injected); and
5) How much other stress the stung fish has to contend with.

I have seen stung fishes live for a week then expire.

 

[noonesname124]

My naso died 3 days after I put a fox face in the tank!! He stopped eating one morning, died that night!! Its been a few months, I'm trading the FF for another Naso soon.

They're amazing, sorry for your loss. You named your fish mark?