Regal Tang Freaking Out

[StephenA]

I came home from out of town and found my Regal freaking out. He's hanging near the top sitting vertical, washed out, breathing real hard. He's spitting water out of the tank. He has a little ick. Temp is 80, Sal is 1.025, Ph is 7.9-8.0, Amm is 0. Everything else is ok. I changed some water and turned off the light. He has calmed down some.

Any Ideas?

[BA]

Lower the salinity a lot. You can do it fast, and low.

[captexas]

Any power heads in the tank or submerged pumps/heaters in the sump? Could be stray voltage in the tank. Just an idea though.

[Instar]

What are the other fish doing?
Sounds like a water quality issue or the voltage. The other thing is they like to wedge themselves into a cave or between 2 pieces of coral or rock just like a trigger. Does he have a place he can hide for that?

[StephenA]

Pretty sure I don't have a voltage issue. All the other fish are fine! He has several places he can go hide. I had a voltage leak a while back from a bum heater. You could feel it when you were grounded and touched the water. That heaters been tossed.

[Instar]

Was there a power failure while you were out today?

[Henry]

How is the gas exchange on the system? I could be a lot of different things, what are the other fish in the tank? Since these are very active fish, if the O2 is low they are the first to show it. But like Larry said it could be a water quality issue as well.

[Instar]

Forget what BA said. You can't do things like that fast and you can't lower salinity in a reef. Most fish can take some reduction in salinity but many can not go "low".

[RobertG]

I agree with Instar. I noticed all kinds of crazy things when my tank salinity accidently droped. Not good, could cause shock. My fish were tripping out. Luckly I got home early that day, I was able to do a water change using high salinity. Over my 150G it was OK. Top off sensor had got moved, I left myself open to this had accidentaly bumped the bracket holding the sensor. AHHH!!! Not to happy, but what do you do. I am much more attentive now. Sensor more secure, I assure you. Experience is everything!!!

[StephenA]

No power failure, The O2 exchange could be better. I also added the air hose to my powerhead to help that out. It does have a skimmer. However, there is no overflow or sump either.

[StephenA]

He died over night. He has dark red spots on his body.

[GaryP]

It sounds like he may have had sort of infection on his gills. The ich or a secondary infection probably caused the gasping you observed.

Gary

[StephenA]

I really feel like giving up after this.

Thanks for the info

[GaryP]

Tangs are always going to be suseptible to Ich. It comes with the territory. I think that Ich may often be an indication of other problems in the tank, primarily stress and diet. Keep an eye on swings in temperature in your tank, especially this time of year when many of us have our windows open. Most tanks are cooled by evaportative cooling and when the humidity is high during the day the temp may be to high and can result in stress as well as allowing Ich to reproduce more effectively. Finally, make sure Tangs are getting a lot to eat. They are high metabolism fish. Caulerpa and Nori are good choices for stuff for them to browse on between feedings.

Gary

[drehere]

This is a Regal you just got, right? One of several somebody had just brought into Aquatek? Kinds sound like a stress thing that finally got to him. Couple of tank changes in a short time and who knows what they went through going to the store.

I know that 'want to give up' feeling. Too bad man.

[Instar]

Sight unseen I'lll say this: The red spots indicate that he was septic with bacterial septicemia. Those spots are hemorages (sp.) or peticiae (tiny little hemorages). Don't quit, learn from this. You moved a large fish into a temporary tank without circulation, sump, overflow, etc. Thats a 100 gallon tank thats half full. Fish, especially fast open water swimmers need lots of circulation and need that sump going. Oxygen deprivation, pH and temperature fluxuations will contribute to internal membranes becoming suceptable to invasion. Once bacteria crosses the gill membranes, kidneys, spinal cord or elsewhere and things are not premo, the fish is in trouble. Regals will grow as large as the one you had there and grow into their tank and maybe even out of it. When you get your permanent tank setup, if you can not find some smaller good regal tangs, I'll help you get one or however many you want. They grow pretty fast. The little ones I got a couple months ago are starting to push near 3 inches already.

Another thing to learn from this is that the LFS (and their commissioned employees) will sell you anything even knowing you will have to put it in the bathtub when you get home. Its stock turnover for them and cash profit. Always remember this when seeking advice in a retail establishment and take it with a grain of salt. You are not always talking to the owner who might know something thats actually factual.

[StephenA]

drehere, Yep it's the one I just got.

Instar, Thanks for the help and support.