Yellow Tang fin problems

[Damsel13]

Hi Lee,

I have had this Tang for 2 1/2 years. About a year ago my tank and fish went through stress. I was out of town for a month, fish were fed Formula 2 flake only for a month. Top off water was accidently SALT raising the SG to 1.028 over a period of 2 months and staying there for another 2 months. Nitrates were high 80-100. I started working on solving all these problems about 5 months ago. Nitrates are 20-40 now with Salifert test. Fish are getting Two little fishes green and purple seaweed sheet (1 four inch. piece per day, sometimes 2), are fed 2 -3 times a day, cyclopeze in morning along with the seaweed. Omega One marine pellets in the evening, and frozen formula 2 sometime everyother day. I have been doing regular water changes and SG is now down to 1.026. Filtration is done with live rock, Backpac skimmer and I run carbon.

I know this fish is too big for this tank and space stress is probably a serious factor in the fishes condition but "he" is part of my family now and I am keeping him. His tank mates are a pair of A. Occellaris, coral beauty angel, 1 bluegreen chromis all of which he has been with for at least 2 years and a yellow goby(think that is what it's called, maybe yellow spotted goby)who has been a part of the neighborhood for about a year.

Can I reverse this condition with the fins on my Tang while he is living in this situation? And if so what would you do first other than get a bigger tank . I respect the information I have learned since I started my reef tank but I got the Tang before I new better.

2008

2006
Thanks for a look at my situation.
Respectfully,

 

[Curtswearing]

Long time no see Deb

The fins should grow back should you continue improving the environment. I.e. clean water, food to graze on all day like the nori, etc. While cyclopeeze is high in HUFA's, I would consider adding additional HUFA's such as Selco or Super-Selco or Selcon as well as some vitamins like Vita-Chem.

 

[leebca]

Fins are one of the easiest things for the fish to return to health.

As long as you're sure there is no other fish(es) or marine life forms bothering this Tang, then the Tang is lacking the ability to repair the fins. The list of possible stressors include:

space
nutrition
water quality
environment

Since you are not doing anything about the space stressor, then the others must be top notch. The nutrition has improved, but maybe not as much as it could. I don't see where you listed you are providing any vitamin supplement. I would add that to the foods, every other day.

Keeping in mind that this fish, as it ages, depends more and more on vegetable matter -- make sure you vary the macro algae (color and source) it gets and make sure that, at each feeding, it still has left over small bits of the macro algae an hour after feeding. Having a small quantity of the algae leftover an hour after feeding assures the fish is getting what it needs. The algae is something the fish nibbles at over time. Make sure each of the 2 or 3 daily feeds of macro algae follow the same pattern for quantity. Adjust the quantity up or down to maintain that availability.

Although the water is being brought back under control, there are other features to the water that should be of concern -- those we don't/can't measure for in our homes. One such is the bacterial population.

Start by reducing the bacterial population in the water. Find and remove all detritus gathering anywhere in the system. Remove all uneaten foods and dead things. Make sure your skimmer is working top notch and is properly sized. Change your carbon every other week, or half of it weekly. If you aren't using one, install a mechanical filter. If you are using one, clean it every other day at the least.

Next, to eliminate or reduce a possible poison added in your absence, perform an extremely large water change (80% or more). To the reef, it will be just 'low tide.' I'd do this change monthly for 2-3 months.

Environment includes other marine life forms. Just be sure the fish is not being bothered, even subtly, by any other fish. Sometimes, after a pair of Anemonefishes stake out their claim to space, this reduces the available space to the other fish. This then adds even greater space stress and there are subtle or obvious clashes between fishes. Thus the environment is tied to space stress as well.

That is about all I can think of.

 

[Damsel13]

O.K. Thank you! I did a DIY upgrade on the skimmer by adding an airstone as per some instructions I got here. I need to replace that and that detris is (sigh) still a major problem but I will really get on that as well. I was growing some macroalgae in the hangon skimmer but it did not thrive. I am looking for a couple of cups of chaeto as my tang actually likes it alot and seems able to digest it quite well (looks different comming out). I am not sure how to administer vitamins. There is vitamin C in the frozen forumla 2 and I notice that food is held together with a gel. Is this good?

One last question, if I understand you correctly you are saying the tang could repair his fins if he was in overall good health and the reason they are not improving is because of the stressors-nutrition issues?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Make sure that the Clownfish aren't more seriously now pairing up and currently nipping at it

 

[leebca]

. . .you are saying the tang could repair his fins if he was in overall good health and the reason they are not improving is because of the stressors-nutrition issues?

Correct.


Find a liquid, complete vitamin for marine fishes. Even if the food you are feeding is frozen and/or gel, then chop it into bit-sized pieces and soak in the vitamin for 15 minutes before feeding (or follow directions on the vitamin container). Drain off the excess vitamin liquid and then feed as usual.

Gelled foods are pretty good in that they 'hang the nutrients together' however, no food is any better than the actual ingredients. If they are right-on, then a gelled food is good.

Read through this post: Different Marine Fish Food Forms

 

[Damsel13]

I want to report that I did an 80% water change about 3 weeks ago and put some macro algae in my little refugium. Started feeding 3 times a day and got loads and loads of detritus out. EVERYTHING is doing so much better. The Tang's fins are growing back. the bottom fin had a nick out of it(see pic. above) and that has almost completely disappeared. The Top fin is on the mend but still has a ways to go. I am going to do another 80% water change today. Oh also I put some fresh macro algae (calpura) in my display tank. It and the little bit of cheato I had in there was finished off yesterday. Do you think it would be a good idea to put some more in?
Thank you Lee and my fish thank you and my rock critters thank you .
The A. Ocellaris have had the same territory since the week I introduced them. So no stress there.

 

[Curtswearing]

Deb, please don't put Caulerpa into your display tank.

All it takes is one piece that the tang misses to float into the current and land in a crevice in your rock and then you have a mess on your hands.

 

[Damsel13]

OH! Ok. Thanks for the heads up Curt. By the way I think that little (about this size the last time I saw him ----------------- ) green mantis is still in my tank. I haven't heard any clicking sounds now but lots of empty shells on the bottom. When I first got my yellow watchman goby there was a territory war! Clicking all day long for weeks but the goby moved to the other side of the tank and I haven't heard a click since. This info is all leading up to a question. I got a new rock a couple of weeks ago and found a crab shell in my tank the other day. I am going to go take a picture of it and post it. I am wondering if the mantis ate it or it molted?

Sorry Lee I will post this new info. in the General Discussion Forum.

 

[leebca]

Thank you Deb for the update. Most often I never hear any more from the poster. I suspect either they don't take the suggestions, or it didn't work, or it worked and they don't provide a follow up post. Always a mystery.

If your fish eats macro algae, putting some macro algae from the refugium into the display should be fine. As pointed out by Curtswearing, if your fish doesn't eat it, it will flourish and begin to take over.

I put about a bowling ball clump of Caulerpa/Tang Algae into my displays every month. It doesn't last more than a couple of days before it is consumed. However, I would think twice about putting in any Chaeto since most fish don't like it and I wouldn't risk my fish no longer wanting to eat it.

Check this out: Macro Algae for Tangs

Good luck!