Hi,
I have a question regarding my Hepatus/Regal Tang. I just got him last Friday along with a Kole Tang. The Kole tang never ate and didn't stop breathing heavy and only lasted 3 days. At first my regal Tang was fine. Swimming, picking algae, looked just fine. The day after my Kole died my Regal started hovering at the top corner of the tank with his mouth open(his mouth now never closes). Now at day 3. He will swim around, when I feed - he'll eat and swim, but after a while he'll go back to the corner. He keeps going by my cleaner shrimp but for the most part the shrimp wont go on him. So, at moments he looks fine and then other times, almost floating at the top corner.
Being new at this I've done a lot of reading and even hired someone to set up my tank and do the maintence on it for a while while I learn. He's great. I called him regarding the fish and he said it sounds like velvet. Since the parasites are so small the shrimp may not see it, which would explain the shrimp not going on him. He also was just over to do a water change and tested everything - everything (tank wise) was great. He said from the sound of what was going on with the Kole and now the Regal, he's pretty sure it's velvet.
Now - solution?
He said my tang will most likely die, but that I could try and do a freshwater dip for 10 min (15 min if he can take it) and then put him in my hospital tank for 21 days and treat with copper.
He was realistic and not positive. He said if my fish handles/survives the treatment(probably wont), once I put him back in the tank he will probably get it again :doubt:
I've checked the water a few times - all levels are ok, all my other fish are ok.
So...my dilema. Does it sound like velvet (not scratching, no white spots, does however kind of look like he has a film on him, but I'm not sure - don't quote me on that)? If you think it's velvet - is it worth it - treatment wise. I'm all about doing everything I can - he's not just a fish, it's a life, however, is it really humane. Which is worse - letting him suffocate or dosing him with freshwater and then copper for that long.
Also can all my other fish get it or was it probably in the water and my other fish are just immune (4 clowns, 5 blue/green chromis, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 molly miller (combtooth) blenny, 1 pistol shrimp and 1 cleaner shimp, with live rock, 125 gallons).
Thank you all in advance for your time.
Tracy
I have a question regarding my Hepatus/Regal Tang. I just got him last Friday along with a Kole Tang. The Kole tang never ate and didn't stop breathing heavy and only lasted 3 days. At first my regal Tang was fine. Swimming, picking algae, looked just fine. The day after my Kole died my Regal started hovering at the top corner of the tank with his mouth open(his mouth now never closes). Now at day 3. He will swim around, when I feed - he'll eat and swim, but after a while he'll go back to the corner. He keeps going by my cleaner shrimp but for the most part the shrimp wont go on him. So, at moments he looks fine and then other times, almost floating at the top corner.
Being new at this I've done a lot of reading and even hired someone to set up my tank and do the maintence on it for a while while I learn. He's great. I called him regarding the fish and he said it sounds like velvet. Since the parasites are so small the shrimp may not see it, which would explain the shrimp not going on him. He also was just over to do a water change and tested everything - everything (tank wise) was great. He said from the sound of what was going on with the Kole and now the Regal, he's pretty sure it's velvet.
Now - solution?
He said my tang will most likely die, but that I could try and do a freshwater dip for 10 min (15 min if he can take it) and then put him in my hospital tank for 21 days and treat with copper.
He was realistic and not positive. He said if my fish handles/survives the treatment(probably wont), once I put him back in the tank he will probably get it again :doubt:
I've checked the water a few times - all levels are ok, all my other fish are ok.
So...my dilema. Does it sound like velvet (not scratching, no white spots, does however kind of look like he has a film on him, but I'm not sure - don't quote me on that)? If you think it's velvet - is it worth it - treatment wise. I'm all about doing everything I can - he's not just a fish, it's a life, however, is it really humane. Which is worse - letting him suffocate or dosing him with freshwater and then copper for that long.
Also can all my other fish get it or was it probably in the water and my other fish are just immune (4 clowns, 5 blue/green chromis, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 molly miller (combtooth) blenny, 1 pistol shrimp and 1 cleaner shimp, with live rock, 125 gallons).
Thank you all in advance for your time.
Tracy
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