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sailfin tang

1

1201139

i have a sailfin tang and lately if i stop running my protein skimmer for a copule hours he will get big almostost whole body bleaching spots on him, he has a very fast breathing rate that will slow down only by a small amount and has been very defensive toward what appears to be nothing cuz he will just charge foward toward nothing and then back up. there is a yellow tang in the tank but they dont really bother each other. what should i do?

please note this only happens when the protein skimmer is off onec i trun it on within 5 minutes he has full color
 
MadReefer

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
What about the other fish in the tank? Do they seem okay when the skimmer is off?
 
1

1201139

everybody else is fine. the yellow tang gets alittle stressed every once in a while but its not bad at all with him
 
MadReefer

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
That is strange. First thing that came to mind is flow but the skimmer shouldn't affect that. Second was oxygen or to much crap in the water. Good luck and let us know what happens.
 
1

1201139

if flow is the problem there are a few spots in the tank with lower flow from rock so its his choice where he is. im gonna get a hydor wavemaker #1 and maybe a small bubbler and see how that gos
 
M

Mbodell

If you had any way to qt him, he may have a gill parasite or some sort. It isn't normal to have that kind of behavior and he is obviously sick. I can't imagine the oxygen leaving the water that fast that he would struggle like that.
 
S

Scottyrock

i think the parasite theory makes alot of sense actually.... good call. set up a qt tank, dont gotta be anything elaborate and treat that baby! even if ya throw a crappy hob filter on a 20 long, good enough
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

Could it also be that he is the largest fish in the tank and one of the most active? Do you have surface turbulence for O2 exchange? If other fish are hurting even to a lesser degree that is a problem.
 
M

Mbodell

The oxygen wouldn't be eliminated that fast, it would take a long time. It has to be some kind of parasite like ich or something.
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

You are probably right but he didn't tell us tank size, fish size, ect.

He did say
stop running my protein skimmer for a copule hours
Click to expand...
.

Just trying to point out additional possibilities.
 
1

1201139

its a 29 gallon bowfront, there is a pygme lion, niger trigger, a small false perc and a wrasse but nobody seems to bother him and they are all really close in size so its not like hes the smallest and they are all really active with no problems.i do have surface turbulence and always have. they are well feed and i give them flakes with garlic in them. i dont have any left over food in the bootom after i feed that is all cleaned up by hermit crabs.

i came home today turned the skimmer on about 20 minutes ago he was completely bleach spotted with almost no color left and now almost all his color is back
 
N

njstillwell

Guest
1201139 said:
its a 29 gallon bowfront, there is a pygme lion, niger trigger, a small false perc and a wrasse but nobody seems to bother him and they are all really close in size so its not like hes the smallest and they are all really active with no problems.i do have surface turbulence and always have. they are well feed and i give them flakes with garlic in them. i dont have any left over food in the bootom after i feed that is all cleaned up by hermit crabs.

i came home today turned the skimmer on about 20 minutes ago he was completely bleach spotted with almost no color left and now almost all his color is back
Click to expand...
you have all these in a 29 gallon... you need to upgrade or down size in the amount of fish...i can see oxygen being sucked out of the water fast with all these fish in the tank but there must be a parasite. You can try treating the system and doing a huge water change afterwards. try adding some vitamin c to your food to also help them in the fight but a 29 is waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy to small
 
1

1201139

i have been told this is the max for my tank. the only reason for that is i have a filter meant for a tank that is meant for a tank like 3 times bigger and alot of very life rock with a hiding place around every corner.im gonna upgrade soon hopefully to a 60 gallon custom acrylic tank or a 75 gallon.... just gotta get permission for this one.
 
1

1201139

tomorrow is friday so i should be getting rid of one of the fish that i have been planning on bring to my lfs. and adding the wave maker for the oxygen so i can eliminate that as a problem and if the problem still exist then i will treat for parasites
 
1

1201139

well i am one fish down alittle prematurly now in the tank.... i just lost my lionfish who was one off the best health wise in the tank and was eating great but i think he died cuz he got stuck in a very small crack off some rock since thats where i found him :(
 
N

njstillwell

Guest
Try going down to macna and get a nice new tank if you wanted or go to craigs list lots of tanks for sale..due to economy
 
1

1201139

the acrylic one is at my lfs that comes with a metal built on hood, a stand and the hood has 2 t12 florescents. its japanese made i think
 
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