What happened to my gem tang?

[sunny]

I am not sure where to put this, but I do believe this is not your everyday story so putting it in this forum.

Many people here and on other forums have been asking where is the gem tang.

So about 3 months ago my gem tang who was a pig when it came to eating, just stopped accepting any food all together.
No aggression, no nips no sign of any disease but she would just not eat. I kept a close eye on her and I know there was no one harassing her. In about 2 weeks I started to see a little growth coming out from her side. It was small like 2 - 3 mm. I thought she ran into a coral of got stung by one.

A few days later that thing started growing and I could see the hole on her side was getting bigger. It was almost like intestine ruptured the side and was coming out. In another few days this thing was about 2 inches coming of her side and she was still not eating.

This is when I realized that it was NOT intestine but a rubber band. Yes, she swallowed a rubber band and it was now coming out of her body by poking a hole on her side

I was somehow able to catch her and I pulled the rubber band out of her body. I started medicating it in my 90G.
Slowly she started nipping at the nori again. However, the hole on her side never healed.

After 3 months of battle she passed a few days back.

So learn it from me - use rubber bands at your own risk.

RIP - She was a beauty.

Sunny

 

[duromega]

wow really I'm sorry
incredible how such a great fish died because of that :sad2:

 

[charliethetuna88]

Would have never thought that man ..its not ur fault u tryied mistakes happen and we learn from them thanks for sharing I def wont be using rubberband with my nori anymore .

 

[TUSI]

So sorry I feel for you Im sure she was one of your favourites I know they are a costly fish cause I experienced it. You tried your best to save her. Thanks for sharing

 

[reefman]

sorry for your loss. it is strange that the rubber band did not come out from the rectum.

 

[jackson6745]

Sorry Sunny, besides the cost, that's a sad loss of life

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

Wow such a sad way to die, I know not to add rubber with tangs that glaze at everything

 

[lnevo]

That sucks. It was a beautiful fish. Sorry for your loss.

Man if a rubber band can do that to a fish, just imagine what all that plastic in the ocean is doing.

 

[SirReefalot]

Wow sorry! RIP

 

[prattreef]

Wow, sorry to hear this. I'm still trying to figure out how this is physiologically possible? Are you certain it is a rubber band and not a worm/ parasite?

 

[jcdeng]

Wow, sorry to hear this. I'm still trying to figure out how this is physiologically possible? Are you certain it is a rubber band and not a worm/ parasite?

+1, how does a rubber band know to drill a hole at a certain area of the body to make itself escape?? Very strange

 

[MIKE NY]

Wow, sorry to hear this. I'm still trying to figure out how this is physiologically possible? Are you certain it is a rubber band and not a worm/ parasite?

x2...very sorry for your loss...I never experienced a fish eating a rubber band, but I would assume that if it did it would either defecate it or it would cause a blockage...I have heard of worms doing that though....

 

[skene]

Sorry, unfortunately that does not look like a rubberband. It is definitely some type of parasite (probably roundworm) that ate and grew out the side of the tang.

 

[sunny]

Nope. It was a rubber band. I pulled it out and it was still about 1/2 inch inside her body.
I used them to attach nori to magnets. I was lazy in not taking out the ones that broke off in the tank.

I wish I took pictures when it was barely visible ...

 

[lfsmarineguy]

I'd have to go with parasite as well. I don't know of any fish that has bitten a rubberband (especially an herbivore) and swallowed it whole. I don't think the fish would ever be able to get it down like that, nor have I ever seen it happen before and I handle a lot of fish.



Odds are this is a parasite and not a rubberband since rubberbands would create a blockage and quick death from other internal issues but the parasite would drill it's way out slowly keeping it's host alive so it can continue to feed on it.

 

[prattreef]

I gotta agree with Jared here. It sure looks like a rubberband and might even have an elastic quality to it, but rubberbands can't bore holes.

 

[jackson6745]

WOW what are signs that fish may have this internal parasite?

 

[skene]

Rich you need to look out for abnormal swelling (looks like its always full), belly scratching, transparent/opaque stringy poop.

 

[sunny]

I do not want to invite any controversies, but I still tend to disagree.

The pics with anthias and worm are very very close and realistic and I really appreciate all the insights.

I know what I pulled out. It was extendable. When I pulled it t broke in two pieces.

The pic above with anthias suggests round worms. The pic I posted, has a flatter excretion rather than round. I use flat and not round rubber bands

Again, I am very very humbled and grateful for all the possible causes posted. But, I have to go by what I experienced.

Sunny

 

[rookie07]

Do you still have the "rubber band" in question?