Why did my Yellos Tang Die?

[rodbuilder]

So I'm a noob to saltwater. I've spent the last few months setting up and cycling a 75 gallon reef tank with a 20 gallon sump, actual is probably 12 gallons. I've slowly added a few fish and corals, tank seems very well cycled now, with critical parameters in good order. The tang was quarantined for about 3 weeks, and placed in the display 3 weeks ago. Seamless transition with the tang eating within a couple hours of acclimation. Everything has been going great until this morning, when he was laying on the sand bed. He seemed fine and was eating when I went to bed. Two changes lately. I've been dosing purple up for a few days in hopes of accelerating coraline production, and I added a couple peppermint shrimp a couple days ago. Idea's?

 

[Highgrade]

So I'm a noob to saltwater. I've spent the last few months setting up and cycling a 75 gallon reef tank with a 20 gallon sump, actual is probably 12 gallons. I've slowly added a few fish and corals, tank seems very well cycled now, with critical parameters in good order. The tang was quarantined for about 3 weeks, and placed in the display 3 weeks ago. Seamless transition with the tang eating within a couple hours of acclimation. Everything has been going great until this morning, when he was laying on the sand bed. He seemed fine and was eating when I went to bed. Two changes lately. I've been dosing purple up for a few days in hopes of accelerating coraline production, and I added a couple peppermint shrimp a couple days ago. Idea's?

Hard to say but maybe the peppermint shrimp brought in Velvet,brook or Ich. Do you have any before/after pics of the tang? Also when you QT what did you treat with? 3 weeks is a rather short time to QT.

 

[Diesel]

3 weeks in QT isn't enough in the first place, did you treat your fish for something or you just let it be in quarantine for 3 weeks?
Maybe you brought in a decease from the peppers.
What were the other fish you added?
















#reefsquad

 

[melypr1985]

Can you post a good clear picture of him (no blues)? I agree with Diesel and also want to know what your QT protocol was. Did you observe only or did you treat prophylacitcally? If so, then what did you treat for and with? Is the tang breathing heavy, have white spots or red streaks?

 

[rodbuilder]

I knew I had the 3 weeks isn't long enough coming. No excuses, everything was going great in qt, so I rushed it. I did a prophylactic Prazi Pro regimen for his time in QT. Lesson learned. I am puzzled by this overnight death, when everything seemed to be going well. I have 4 damsels in the tank as well, and while aggressive toward each other, they haven't bothered the tang. The tang was never aggressive toward them, and they all seemed to be getting along with him. I decided sometime back that I'll be trading the damsels in to the LFS though, as they don't fit in with what I'm wanting to do.

 

[rodbuilder]

No marks or spots that I can find.

 

[rodbuilder]

 

[rodbuilder]

When I got the pics I did notice a pretty pronounced red area along his dorsal and tail, where they meet the body. Don't have any before's.

 

[Highgrade]

When I got the pics I did notice a pretty pronounced red area along his dorsal and tail, where they meet the body. Don't have any before's.

Possible Bacterial infection

 

[drawman]

Also he looks to be a little thin from the picture but it could just be the angle. How was he eating and what were you feeding?

I wouldn't recommend using purple up. Just keep alkalinity and calcium stable and test for it that's much better.

 

[rodbuilder]

He was eating anything that went in the tank...pellets, frozen, and nori. Matter of fact, he seemed insatiable.

 

[melypr1985]

Possible Bacterial infection

possible. Impropper acclimation can cause red streaks but they don't usually show up in this amount. @rodbuilder did you ever see him poop? Was it white and stringy or brown?

 

[rodbuilder]

possible. Impropper acclimation can cause red streaks but they don't usually show up in this amount. @rodbuilder did you ever see him poop? Was it white and stringy or brown?

Brown, never white

 

[mcarroll]

Curious where he came from into your system? Local retailer?

 

[rodbuilder]

Curious where he came from into your system? Local retailer?

Yes, a local retailer that actually advertises here as well. I have lots of choices where're to shop, and this guy keeps his stuff spotless. Many stores have lots to s choose from, but the level of care is seriously lacking...

 

[rodbuilder]

How does he look from the pics?

 

[bios]

Maybe uronema marinum

 

[melypr1985]

How does he look from the pics?

So, it's not easy to come up with a diagnosis based on that picture and the little info we have on him so far. But my educated guess is some sort of infection. It was probably secondary to another problem like parasites. Sorry

 

[GoVols]

I knew I had the 3 weeks isn't long enough coming. No excuses, everything was going great in qt, so I rushed it. I did a prophylactic Prazi Pro regimen for his time in QT. Lesson learned. I am puzzled by this overnight death, when everything seemed to be going well. I have 4 damsels in the tank as well, and while aggressive toward each other, they haven't bothered the tang. The tang was never aggressive toward them, and they all seemed to be getting along with him. I decided sometime back that I'll be trading the damsels in to the LFS though, as they don't fit in with what I'm wanting to do.

what kind of food were you feeding it?

 

[rodbuilder]

what kind of food were you feeding it?

Was feeding Nori, PE Mysis pellets, Ocean Nutrition II Pellets, and occasionally frozen mysis. I felt like I was over feeding, but the food never lasted long in reality. Just seems like more than just a few small damsels and the tang would need.