my experiance with diseased fish

[pete_ra]

the fish that has been most prone top disease in my tank is my yellow tang. While i am working on a 75-90 gal for him, i need to keep him as unstressed as possible. He has had lice in the past, which are little black spots( a parasite) and some fish will pick them off and eat them, such as my yellow tail damsel. Anyway, my expericance with medicine is bad, first getting the tang out by taking apart the rock, then putting him in a very small 10 gal where he was uncomfortable. After 24 hrs with the meds, he lay down and looked as if he was going to die so i returned him to the regular tank where he recovered. Next time i will use a dip for him(which takes only a few hrs with the tang in a med tank)
With my tang in a 46 bow,i have heard heres what to do to lower stress. he needs as much swimming room, high temps. (80-84), food soaked in garlic, frequent water changes, hiding places, and keep the lights on no more than 12 hrs a day.
If anyone has things to add or correct i would like it.

[AWestphal]

The poor thing is miserable. Why don't you give him back to the LFS and buy a new one when you actually have a tank (setup) for swimming room. I recently added a yellow tang to my 75gallon long and I have never seen a fish soooo happy. He was in a small cubicle at the LFS. How many other fish are in that tank? It may be way too many that are causing them to be sick.

I doubt if this fish will every be very hardy species, based on how sick he gets. Also another thought is if your going to keep big fish you need a big sick/QT tank. At least a 29gallon. I actually utilize three tanks when my fish got sick the first and only time. I had a 10-20-29 gallon tanks for them and I divided them up so they would be more comfortable. I say a 29 gallon because that is what was recommended by a longtime hobbiest on another web "Bob Fenner".

Good luck hopefully your fish will make it.

Happy Reefing!!! :(

[pete_ra]

The only other fish that I have in my 46 bow are a 1 1/2'' skunk clown, a 2 1/2'' freckled hawk, and a 2'' mandarin goby. The 5'' yellow tang has been healthy for about 4 months, no problems recently. I took out 2 damsels and a huma-huma trigger for the sake of the tang, and just common sense! I also recently rearranged the live rock for more swimming room and hiding spots. I am just trying to keep him as happy as possible. I plan to move him to a 90 this summer. Any suggestions in the meantime?

[AWestphal]

Get rid of more fish in the tank. It still has too many. I think that would greatly help out the tang and hopefully he will live till this summer.

Good Luck

[Mikeaveli21]

Hey Pete how is that mandarin doing? How long have you had it? I love those guys.

[pete_ra]

i pick up my mandarin next week

[Mikeaveli21]

How long has your tank been running?

[pete_ra]

It has been running for 8 months

[Pineapple House]

Wow, a 5" tang in a 46 gallon... no wonder. Your tank is too small for housing the tang, regardless of the other fish you got rid of. I would really look into either finding a new home for the tang to be kept, or upgrading to the 90 gallon sooner. I am afriad waiting until the summer may be too late :?

Graham

[pete_ra]

my tang has been fine. I know the tank is too small, but hes been eating and has been perfectly healthy for atleast 5 months. If you read above, the only time he ever was sick was when my tank was young, and i had alot of fish, and he is not sick now. I was quite inexperianced than, and i am lucky he didnt die. I was also very unprepared for a sick fish. Right now is he healthier than he has ever been, and i will put him in a 90 this summer. He would be in a much worse situation at my LFS, or at any other home(my lfs sells them and says its ok to put them in a 30 gal.) So i will post his new home this summer.

[pete_ra]

could someone please tell me what conditions i should keep the tang in the 46 to keep sickness away until this summer?

[gaydec]

Wow, a 5" tang in a 46 gallon... no wonder. Your tank is too small for housing the tang, regardless of the other fish you got rid of. I would really look into either finding a new home for the tang to be kept, or upgrading to the 90 gallon sooner. I am afriad waiting until the summer may be too late :?

Graham

I honestly believe this answered your question. Keep all parameters in your tank as close as you can to NSW.