Healthy yellow tang?

[s_stinger]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if you have any tips on choosing a healthy fish? I saw this ~2 inches yellow tank at the LFS. The fish has been there for about 4 weeks, and i saw it eating quite well this afternoon. However its color is a bit dull (not as bright yellow as you would normally see). Is it still a healthy fish?

Thanks

 

[liquid]

The best thing to do before purchasing a fish is to have the LFS employee feed it for you. If it doesn't take food, then that's a sign that there might be something wrong. However, in your case it sounds like the fish is eating pretty well, so I'd say it's probably in pretty good condition. It could be dull in color due to it's diet. It's a yellow tang, correct? If so, it needs a good diet of seaweed sheets (I like Dulse sheets or similar from the Asian market). I also fed mine mysis, Formula 1, etc, soaked in Selco or Selcon (a fatty acid supplement).

hth

Shane

 

[monkeyboy]

Check and see if it's gut is "pinched" in. If the color is off, it's pinched in (and likely showing ribs), but still eats it may have internal parasites. Otherwise, you should be all set if it eats.

 

[s_stinger]

Thanks for the replies,

As far as i remember it's not skinny (I've seen a skinny yellow tank before, with the ribs clearly showing) so i dont think the gut is "pinched". What's this internal parasites do to the fish anyway?

And is there any other input?

 

[klingsa]

Internal parasites consume the nutrients before the fish is able to do so in the intestines. Kinda like tapeworms in dogs. So, they may eat three times as much, but they're not getting the nutrients they need.

Does anyone know what, if anything, you can do about this? I've been told mine is skinny, so maybe that's the problem.

Sara

 

[Anonymous]

i feed my fish spectrum anti parasite, dont really know if it
does what its supposed to, but it cant hurt.

 

[liquid]

Hi the Beak and

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks!!

 

[klingsa]

Beak - Is that a food supplement? Like a liquid dip for algae sheets? Good to know, I'll look into it. Oh, is Spectrum the brand?

Thanks for the info, and welccome!

Sara

 

[monkeyboy]

New life spectrum makes a pellet called Thera-A (i think that's what it's called, im too lazy to check in the fridge...) which helps clean them out internally. It doesn't use any medication though. Jungle makes a product called "pepso food" which is medicated for the same purpose. Trying one or both of these wouldn't hurt even if you're not sure that the fish has parasites.

 

[klingsa]

Thanks, Monkeyboy. I'll look into it.

Sara

 

[s_stinger]

just wondering, is there another way to get rid of the parasites, maybe medication that's reef safe? coz there is no Spectrum brand The Beak has mentioned down here

 

[Anonymous]

That's a good question...I'm curious as well. I have a blenny that might have an internal parasite...is there any way to get rid of it without transfering him to a q tank?

Chris

 

[monkeyboy]

You can safely use either the "pepso food" or new life spectrums stuff right in your reef (I have on several occasions). NLS's food doesn't contain any medication, but apparently it's still anti-parasitic. I wouldn't go out of my way to get any of the pepso food eaten by coral, but it shouldn't hurt anything (its such a super low dose). HTH

 

[Anonymous]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info, MonkeyBoy!

Chris

 

[s_stinger]

will the fish die because of the parasites eventually if not treated correctly? The reason being is how can we be sure that it has internal parasites