Strange tang behaviour

Great Barracuda · #1 03/24/2003, 12:34 PM

Hi there, i need help with identifying possible disease of my Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurus). This morning i have noticed very strange swimming behaviour. It's kinda hard to explain, but fish's makes very sharp, fast movements, then calms down, then again. Other symptoms: slightly discolored, rapid breathe. I tried to feed, but tang is seems to me not eating. At least i didn't notice the same appetite like always. This is the oldest fish of my tank. No physical changes were made to the tank (except rescheduling lighting), no other fish was added. Yesterday fish was acting normally. All other tankmates, incluing corals are doing just fine.
Any suggestion will be appreciated.

billsreef · #2 03/24/2003, 08:10 PM

[welcome]

Going to start out asking a couple of questions, the answers will help us figure out likely causes.

First off what are the water test parameters for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, salinity and temperature? What are the the other tankmates? When was the last fish added? Any recent additions of inverts, corals etc? Is the fish doing any scratching?

Great Barracuda · #3 03/25/2003, 03:27 AM

Thanks for reply. To aswer your questions:
1. Tank is an established system with all parameters in control, but being precise: NH3/NH4 = 0 PPM, NO2 = 0 PPM, NO3 = 0 PPM, PH = 8.3, SPECIPIC GRAVITY = 1.025.
Every other tankmates (soft/LPS/ SPS corals, fish, mobile inverts) are OK and acting and eating normally. No new tankmates were added in a past few months. Fish is not scratching. Now fish is eating but seems to me shows less appetite as he used to have. After thinking for awile and trying to understand what may cause the oldest fish in my tank to do such a things, i came with this. Let me know what you think. Possibly, parasite attached to the tang's gills and he is trying to wash this parasite/s away by doing these fast moves. As i currently don't have any quarantine tank and i really don't think i will ever catch this fish, i started feeding my fish with food soaked in Galric Xtreme and look closely to the tang's condition.
Thanks.