Help!! Blonde Naso Tang dying..

[DebbieC]

Possibilities:

1. Ever since I bought a new batch of red seaweed, she has not been eating much. The same day I bought the new red seaweed...I bought a very small Dragon Wrasse and a Sand Sifter. The Sand Sifter has re-arranged the entire aquarium floor. Could this be stressing her out. I've checked Ammonia, ph, Nitrite and Nitrate. All was good except Nitrate was very high. I changed 40% of water last night - added Stress Zyme. She would not eat last night at all. This morning she was propping herself up in the corner.... tonight she is doing the same. She has turned dark and looks a bit sunken in. She was fine for months until I bought the new fish and seaweed. All other fish are fine. I did loose my Blue Carpet anemone the same week that I added the two other fish. I have been scraping hair algae and changing water every weekend for over a month. My soft corals seem to be thriving. ??

 

[davelin315]

It could be that your anemone dying fouled the water, but I can't say for sure. Here's a tip for the future, though, don't ever add products like stresszyme to your water. They add unnecessary chemicals that we work to remove from our water all the time. The benefit to the fish is a detriment to the system IMO. Almost all of the products out there that help out fish are meant for fish only set ups, and I don't know if the ones out there that are "reef-safe" really are.

By the way, if your fish looks like it has caved in, it's a possibility that it has some worms that are not allowing it to digest foods and you may want to treat it in a hospital tank. However, if it is already gasping at the bottom, removing it might be the added stress that kills it. I would maybe take a chance on a freshwater dip followed by treatment if you think it's strong enough to survive it.

 

[DebbieC]

Thank you for your reply. I don't think she is going to make it...so a fresh water dip probably wouldn't hurt any worse if there is a possibility that could help. Do I just hold her under the faucet? (Just kidding.) I'm assuming that I need to fill a cannister with filtered fresh water....the same temperature as the aquarium. So...don't put any StressZyme or Stress Coat in this fresh water either? How long should I keep her in it....just a couple of seconds? 15 seconds? She has been resting on the bottom. I thought she just had debris on her from laying around....but while trying to help her ..I've found the white stuff won't come off. I'm so afraid she has gotten Ich from stressing out. Yikes!!! Will Ich also kill live corals? I think I know the answer.

 

[DebbieC]

Thank you for your reply. I don't think she is going to make it...so a fresh water dip probably wouldn't hurt any worse if there is a possibility that could help. Do I just hold her under the faucet? (Just kidding.) I'm assuming that I need to fill a cannister with filtered fresh water....the same temperature as the aquarium. So...don't put any StressZyme or Stress Coat in this fresh water either? How long should I keep her in it....just a couple of seconds? 15 seconds? She has been resting on the bottom. I thought she just had debris on her from laying around....but while trying to help her ..I've found the white stuff won't come off. I'm so afraid she has gotten Ich from stressing out. Yikes!!! Will Ich also kill live corals? I think I know the answer.

 

[naesco]

Tangs can be finicky especially in smaller tanks and the Naso is finicky anyway.
Assuming there is no evidence of ich or anything, I would suggest that you try the following.
Close the lights for a couple of days.
Stay away from the tank as your constant 'concern' may be stressing your tang.
Put an airline diffuser in the corner of the tank to add more oxygen.
Hopefully, when feeding resumes feed garlic soaked nori as ich follows stress often with tangs.
I agree with Dave never add stuff like that to your tank.
Good Luck