New Yellow Tang not eating still, but poops!

[rexmobile]

Hi all. I bought a Yellow Tang last Sunday.I tried to QT him (along with a flame angel) on Sunday. FA dies in a few hours so I panicked and took YT out and drip acclimated him to my DT.

He only ate once, 8 days ago in the QT. Hasn't eaten since despite trying EVERYTHING (mysis,brine,nori,pellets,flakes,clam,etc.), different times, light or no light...even turned off one of my powerheads.

Tank is 75g, been running 2 months. The YT was the 1st fish I put in. 100lbs of live rock. When my flame angel died I brought him back and LFS replaced him. The FA was also drip acclimated, and has been fine in the tank, eating, for the past week. So currently just FA, YT, cleaner shrimp, cleanup crew.

The YT mostly stays in the corner. I feel like he is blind because he doesnt eat food that drifts past him, and when he comes out of the corner he sometimes bumps into rock. Otherwise, he looks really good - color is great and he doesn't look ill outwardly. I even saw him poop twice today (greenish) and was kinda surprised b/c was wondering what he ate in the past 8 days!!

Water is good - 0 ammonia/nitrite. 10 nitrate. pH 7.9. SG 1.024. Temp 77.

Any ideas? thx

 

[Jzhou]

How are you feeding him? What are your parameters like? does the yt have any sunken cheeks? Some of my yt seems like they never eat because they never go after the free loating food i put in the tank, but i can ussually see them grazing on nori that has been tie to a piece o tile.

 

[rexmobile]

How are you feeding him? What are your parameters like? does the yt have any sunken cheeks? Some of my yt seems like they never eat because they never go after the free loating food i put in the tank, but i can ussually see them grazing on nori that has been tie to a piece o tile.

Usually I defrost some frozen food in tank water after soaking in some garlic extreme, and pour into tank. I have also tried Nori on a clip, next to him. Even tried a fresh clam on the half shell.

Parameter are 0 ammonia,0 nitrites, 10 nitrates, 7.9pH, 77 temp, 1.024 SG. Alk is 13.

 

[KathyC]

Is there any algae growing in the tank that he could be picking at..after all you say the poop is green?

Have you tried to make a sudden motion by the tank that convinces you he isn't seeing anything?
Did you watch him eat at the store prior to purchase?

 

[Jzhou]

Though tangs do enjoy meaty food, they are more herbivors. May I ask if you had previous experience with Salt water fish?

 

[rexmobile]

Though tangs do enjoy meaty food, they are more herbivors. May I ask if you had previous experience with Salt water fish?

I had a lionfish many years ago, so just got back into hobby recently.

I threw the clam in there because I literally have been trying every bit of food I could try, based on reading forums such as this.

To answer previous post I do have some diatoms in the tank, which is obviously brown.

And, when I make sudden moves at him, I get absolutely no reaction. I did not watch the tang eat at the LFS, but he did eat on the 1st date in the QT.

 

[KathyC]

If you haven't already, I would remove the clam so it doesn't foul your water.
Do keep nori in there 24/7, preferably on a veggie clip so he can find it.

Can we get a pic of the fish/tank?

 

[rexmobile]

If you haven't already, I would remove the clam so it doesn't foul your water.
Do keep nori in there 24/7, preferably on a veggie clip so he can find it.

Can we get a pic of the fish/tank?

Pics of my fish and tank

 

[mic_1011]

do you ever see him picking at the glass? or rocks? i have a harlequin tusk who seemed blind when i had firs got him. he would bump into things and would not eat either. i had to stick feed him to keep him going. i would put a piece of krill at the end of a stick and put it right in front of his face. he would sort of lunge at it and would often miss. but he eventually got better. his sight is still not great but he manages to grab pellets and even eats nori now. in my experience with tangs that would not eat, i used gracilaria. it's a red seaweed that they go crazy for and it must be fresh. i too tried everything at first but that was what worked for me. good luck with it!

 

[rexmobile]

do you ever see him picking at the glass? or rocks? i have a harlequin tusk who seemed blind when i had firs got him. he would bump into things and would not eat either. i had to stick feed him to keep him going. i would put a piece of krill at the end of a stick and put it right in front of his face. he would sort of lunge at it and would often miss. but he eventually got better. his sight is still not great but he manages to grab pellets and even eats nori now. in my experience with tangs that would not eat, i used gracilaria. it's a red seaweed that they go crazy for and it must be fresh. i too tried everything at first but that was what worked for me. good luck with it!

Thanks - will try the direct feeding technique.

Where does one get "gracilarioa"? I can see liveaquaria selling it but is this commonly found?

thx

 

[mic_1011]

i know by me petgoods on central park ave sometimes has in stock. it can be hard to find but i would call your lfs and ask if they have or can get and fast! you can also post in the marketplace that you want to buy some most of the members here are eager to help and would probably just offer it to you if they have it

 

[KathyC]

Thanks - will try the direct feeding technique.

Where does one get "gracilarioa"? I can see liveaquaria selling it but is this commonly found?

thx

You should be able to find it in a good LFS
http://reefnutrition.com/macro_feast.html

 

[Chris31]

Honestly your ph is low it should be between 8.2-8.4 and I would boost up your temp a lil at like 80

 

[fishman1069]

Your all is pretty high also at 13. It should be lower at 8-10 dkh. The fish looks healthy in the pic. Be might just be gazing on the rocks at night.

 

[rexmobile]

Still alive

I tried adding buffer, for like 1 and 1/2 weeks, and pH stayed at max 8.1, measured at night.

My Alk was then 14+, so I stopped buffering and just doing 5g weekly water changes.

Funny thing is Tang is now perikier than ever, but I still haven't seen him eat anything! When I was buffering, Tang was not as perky - but that could just be the fact that he was still new to the tank.

BTW - searched everywhere within a 30mile radius of Stamford, CT to find gracilaria, but nothing. Best I could find was some grape caulerpa, which I tied to a rock but haven't seen any reaction from Tang.

Anyway, Tang is still alive, no outward signs of illness or starvation, but still haven't seen him eat anything at all!

 

[fishman1069]

Watch that grape culerpa, it will spread all over your tank and its a pita to get out!

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

Hi all. I bought a Yellow Tang last Sunday.I tried to QT him (along with a flame angel) on Sunday. FA dies in a few hours so I panicked and took YT out and drip acclimated him to my DT.

He only ate once, 8 days ago in the QT. Hasn't eaten since despite trying EVERYTHING (mysis,brine,nori,pellets,flakes,clam,etc.), different times, light or no light...even turned off one of my powerheads.
.......

Yellow Tangs are herbivores and should be fed seaweed or similar algae pellets or wafers... you should be careful to research what type of food a species eats before buying it to make sure you have appropriate food.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+43+392&pcatid=392

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

I tried adding buffer, for like 1 and 1/2 weeks, and pH stayed at max 8.1, measured at night.

My Alk was then 14+, so I stopped buffering and just doing 5g weekly water changes.

Funny thing is Tang is now perikier than ever, but I still haven't seen him eat anything! When I was buffering, Tang was not as perky - but that could just be the fact that he was still new to the tank.

BTW - searched everywhere within a 30mile radius of Stamford, CT to find gracilaria, but nothing. Best I could find was some grape caulerpa, which I tied to a rock but haven't seen any reaction from Tang.

Anyway, Tang is still alive, no outward signs of illness or starvation, but still haven't seen him eat anything at all!

John over at reefcleaners.org is very good. Just got some in the mail from him yesterday...

 

[polywise]

rexmobile,
The tang looks healthy
Two things I see.. I would put the alge clip up higher to the top of the tank, and when you feed flakes, I would put the flakes in a cup, with some tank water, swish it around and then dump it in, so the flakes float around in the water v.s. on top. Do you turn off your pumps for feeding?