HELP! Chevron Tang has SORES on his mouth! Breathing fast.

[whosjohnny]

Hi guys, I need your help and need it fast!

My very expensive Chevron Tang has been healthy for 3-4 days in my tank, eating everything, algae, flake food, frozen brine, even macro algae I'm just starting to grow.

However, last night, I noticed he has a swollen LIP and up close I can see SORES on the INSIDE of his mouth, outside, everything looks normal. He is also quicker on breathing than normal but not necessarily scary heavy, just faster than normal.

I don't know if this is an ick or whatever because his body doesn't exhibit any signs of white dots at all.

Does eating ZOOS do this to fish? I'm afraid he eat so voraciously, he might have caught something in his mouth? His mouth is just GAPPING wide open and won't close!

Any CLUES? Thanks!

John

[whosjohnny]

great....

[whosjohnny]

I think the Chevron tang is going to die soon... Maybe I should get a UV Steril.

[whosjohnny]

Chevron tang is dead now. Thanks.

[CaptainCoral]

I'm sorry to hear about this....everyone was at work..........hey so where were all of you (and I know you're there) who check out RC at work. :) If you don't have a quarantine tank yet, now is the time to get one. I saved my favorite yellow tang that way. In the very least, be prepared to create one in a hurry if need be out of a spare tank or plastic bin. Then you can take some tank water out and medicate it. Oh, and have all the meds you may need on hand already. After every loss I get a little better at keeping whats left of my fish.

[mattls]

Sorry for the loss. In the future I would stay away from the Chevron Tang. They are one of hardest tangs to care for in the home aquarium. They are not a great choice(very difficult care) even though they look fantastic.

[prodman]

Sorry for you loss too. Chevrons sre not impossible to keep or a bad choice. I dont know where he gets his info from but ignore what mattls said. If you only had it for a few days it sound like there was not much could do. It probably would have died in qt too.

[GregM779]

I lost my first chevron in the first few days also, sometimes you just get a bad batch of fish. I have had my current one for a few months now.

[CaptainCoral]

My chevron has been through some of my worst dissasters. Very hardy but I'll never replace him when he goes because he's in my softi tank and eats my sargassium matts (had some growing up a dead gorgonian skeleton and was almost at the top and he ate it all)

[jdieck]

Sorry what happened, I am sure it came sick and stressed already. You can keep Chevrons These two have been together for over two years since they were juvis. As you can see the Chevron (on the right) turns a bit dull when growing up.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/523/18470AchillesS.jpg

[CaptainCoral]

As you can see the Chevron (on the right) turns a bit dull when growing up hehe....ya know, I'm still wondering how I got sucked into buying a $99 dollar brown fish :)

[whosjohnny]

Hi guys,

Got a little busy earlier tonight, anyways, just want to thank you guys for your heartfelt condolences. It was so hard to imagine that for the first 2-3 days, the Chevron tang was so active, very alert, always curious and poking at everything, eating algae, and within 36 hours of first sign of "puffy" mouth, it dies! I have never seen such a dramatic downturn of a healthy looking fish.

I have seen VERY sick fish live for a very long time when I expect them to just die! This is the total reverse, everything else in the tank is healthy; suspect the Chevron probably already carries something when I bought him. This has never happen to me before. I guess because Chevron tang are wild caught and very little are known about them.

[Reef55]

sorry for your loss :(

[mattls]

Prodman 1) I never said they were impossible to keep . So pay a little attention to what people write b4 you act like a jackass. 2) Despite what you might think you should do some research yourself. You will find that Chevrons are one of the more difficult of the tangs to keep in the home aquaria. That was all I said. So to tell someone to ignore what I said which is rude search around.

[VolitanLioness]

whosjohnny here is some of the best info. I have found on these tangs. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ctenocha.htm
Hope this helps!

Kaye

[prodman]

mattlls-Its not what I think that prompted me to write what I did. Chevrons are one of the hardier tangs. I know this from research and what I have personaly seen. I think what you mean to say is that tangs in general are at times difficult to keep. And you resulted to name calling not I. I only stated that your opinion should be overlooked because I dont think it was correct.

[mattls]

Ive done research to and I have come up with different answers.
Your response wasn't that nice despite what yopu might think. You guys can talk about your Chevrons I will stay out of this thread. Seams to be to much difference of opinion.

[whosjohnny]

SpecialK,

Thanks for the link, it was very helpful. In fact, I would have dipped in freshwater if I have read that to eliminate any potential "mouth" related bacteria, which is the #1 killer of The "Bristle-Tooth" Surgeonfishes, Genus Ctenochaetus.

I do have adequate space 6" total with lots of open caves of "aged" Live Rocks (Tonga, 180lbs from previous stable tank of 3 yrs) and Live Sand for it to pick off of with over 2,350 gallons per hour of current circulating (1250gph through sump and ASM G3 protein skimming, 1100gph internal). Eating isn't a problem for my Chevron but in the last 24 hours or so, it may not have ate. But since this type of tang is so sensitive, it dies so fast, I have no time to adjust; just no buffer room for error. I also ahve to work so I couldn't watch it or else I would have tried to get it out and perform a freshwater dip. Other tangs like my purple can go 2-3 days without food (well, usually, it eats so much, it's plum and fat to begin with).

Anyways, I'm more concern with the life of the fish than the money lost. That fish was my favorite since it goes everywhere in my tank, exploring, and even like to swim in front towards me to check me out. My purple tang on the other hand is a wimp, always hiding inside but it does eat voraciously in his/her little chamber of protection.

[Ben CC]

Hate to be callous but... does the store you purchased the fish at have a warranty? You may be able get a refund since it died from what was likely a pre-condition and lasted such a short time?

[CaptainCoral]

Anyways, I'm more concern with the life of the fish than the money lost. That fish was my favorite since it goes everywhere in my tank, exploring, and even like to swim in front towards me to check me out That sounds just like mine (and makes up for the brown color) Just an awsome personality, never angry like my yellow tangs can sometimes be.