sick pb...need help..FAST!

[tdomingues]

I added a powder blue tang to my tank 6 days ago. 2 days ago, i noticed 1 or 2 darker spots on his side. I thought he might have scratched himself while diving into his hidey hole. Now, there are a few more spots. From reading other posts & info on ich/velvet, i'm not sure that this is what it is. I want to do something quickly so as to avoid losing this fish. I got a close look at him tonight & don't see any white spots or "salt grains" on him, but there are definately raised bumps but not necessarily where the darker spots are & he doesn't appear to be having any respiratory problems & swimming habits seem fine. Here are the particulars on my tank: 150 gal, 1 tomato clown, 1 diamond goby & 1 green mandarin. (these fish are doing fine) I test my tanks weekly & all levels look good. (except pH, this week was 7.8). But nitrates are about 5ppm, ammonia & nitrites are 0. temp is 80. I would appreciate any help! I have pictures, but they're not the greatest, but might help somewhat.

 

[matts125]

I am no expert on fish diseases but That looks like sores to me and that 7.8 ph will kill a PB very fast, they are very touchy fish and that is a dangerously low ph for that fish, I think if you raise the ph to 8.3 then you might see him improve very fast...

Matt

 

[matts125]

By the way Welcome to reef frontiers!!!!

 

[tdomingues]

last time i tested my pH (4/2/07) it was 8.3, when i tested it yesterday & saw it was 7.8 i was surprised. I did not have enough proper pH 8.2 to treat the tank, so am making a trip to the LPS tomorrow. The spots are flush to his side, not concave at all - which is what i would expect a sore to look like. Could it be a sore & still be flush with the skin?

 

[CCR]

Any change you make. Do it slooooow! They are very touchy. Is he/she eating? If so what are you feeding?

 

[tdomingues]

btw, thanks for the welcome & the advice! I am so worked up about my sick fish & anxious to heal him that i forgot my manners! i am definately going to correct the pH tomorrow though. thanks!

 

[tdomingues]

CCR - i feed them the frozen saltwater multi-pack, & spirulina pellets. i also have lettuce on a clip for him. he doesn't seem to interested inany of that, but i do see him grazing on the live rock. what else could i offer him?

 

[LakeEd]

Don't use Lettuce (or most "land" based foods) in your tank. Tangs are heavy green eaters... but feed them Nori or other Seaweeds, not land based foods. Lettuce has very little if any nutrients in it.

It is possible to feed broccoli nubblets, if you have blanched them, and even frozen them for a few days to help break down the cell tissue. Other than this veggie, definately stay away from land based foods though.

 

[leebca]

I'd say the greatest probability is that the fish is loosing its mucous coating and there are opportunistic microbes trying to gain a foothold.

Tangs have a rather thin and 'poor' mucous coating to begin with. A sudden drop in pH seriously destroys their mucous coating. Drop? Of 0.2 or more.

Make pH changes VERY slowly. Find out why there was such a previous drop. Check test kit/pH probe, etc. as well as possible sources for the drop. Have you had pH drops before? Test pH twice a day (morning and afternoon) as a minimum, along with daily ammonia and nitrite 1 hour after a heavy feeding, until the matter is resolved.

The fish should have been put in a quarantine tank for a quarantine procedure, but I think you'd expect me to say that.

To boost the coating you want to provide proper nutrition. LakeEd has given you some good pointers. Switch to macro algae and keep offering it even if the fish ignores it. Read the stickies here in this forum on fish feeding and fish nutrition. Include vitamin and fat supplements.

Lastly, review the other things in your aquarium. Any possible means that the fish was stung or otherwise harmed by anything in the aquarium?

Water quality (including poisons and pH), nutrition, and environment all play a role in the fish's ability to maintain a strong and effective mucous coating.

The spots don't look good now, IMHO. I would set up a hospital tank immediately and prepare to move the fish there for antibiotic and coating treatments. Whatever microbe is trying to set up housekeeping needs to be stopped. While getting this ready, do daily water changes of at least 50%.

Ask if you have ? or need any additional help.