My Yellow Eyed Kole Tang is getting very thin.

[Sport507]

My KoleTang was fat and nice until about a 3 weeks to a month ago when noticing weight lose. I have not change feeding habit other than I’m feeding a little more due to this issue. He gets algae strips and very good mixed food diet just like the rest of the tank.

This tang eats like a horse but keeps getting thinner and thinner. I can see his rib cage and spine also he has lost some color. He is still very active but I fear that won’t last long if he gets much thinner.

All the other fish Tomini Tang, Fox Face, Clowns, Coral Beauty and Copper Banded Butterfly are fat and healthy.

I have no clue what's going on with the sudden change.

Any ideas?

90 gal. mixed reef.

[JCareyETexas]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.... I lost my Kole Tang a few weeks ago. He was one of my favorite fish. Mine stopped eating all together as a result of a parasite outbreak in my tank.
If yours is still eating I would guess some kind of parasite in the digestive system. Surely somebody more experienced will chime in.

[Sport507]

This is not a hunger strike by any means, quite the opposite. I've had this tang for 8 months.

[Sport507]

Here is a picture of it on Oct. 20th then today. I just feed some and it grabed ever thing it could get to.

[Lorenz725]

Did you QT it when you got it? If so did you treat it for parasites? Did you get the fish from a fish store? Hope you can work it out very nice looking fish.

[Sport507]

Did you QT it when you got it? If so did you treat it for parasites? Did you get the fish from a fish store? Hope you can work it out very nice looking fish.

No I did not QT and I'm not proud of that and for those learning always QT.

This fish has been in my tank for 8 months and doesn't have a spot on it. Eats like a horse but just keeps getting thinner.

[sandwi54]

this is an indication of internal parasites or worms. i have combated with these a couple of times in the past.

look carefully at his poop. if it looks stringy and stranded or segmented, then he has internal worms. often times you can see worms hanging on the anus as well.

most internal worms (except for nematode) can be killed with prazipro. i would start with prazipro. for worms, you have to do multiple doses, as eggs cannot be killed. i would do three doses total, with 4 days each dose, as praziquantel starts disintegrating after 3-4 days. between each dose, leave the carbon in the sump for 3-4 hours to remove the left-over medicine. then redose.

during the treatment, remove carbon and turn off the skimmer.

[Sport507]

this is an indication of internal parasites or worms. i have combated with these a couple of times in the past.

look carefully at his poop. if it looks stringy and stranded or segmented, then he has internal worms. often times you can see worms hanging on the anus as well.

most internal worms (except for nematode) can be killed with prazipro. i would start with prazipro. for worms, you have to do multiple doses, as eggs cannot be killed. i would do three doses total, with 4 days each dose, as praziquantel starts disintegrating after 3-4 days. between each dose, leave the carbon in the sump for 3-4 hours to remove the left-over medicine. then redose.

during the treatment, remove carbon and turn off the skimmer.

1) Is this reef safe.

2) They is no way that I can see it poop unless I can set in front of my tank 24/7 this fish is very active.

3) I have a BRS carbon filter/reactor with a maxi jet 1200 pump and active carbon for that part.

Is it reef safe though?

Thanks for the help. Must admit the meds cost more than the fish.

[Daniel Reef]

You may want to read this thread in the Reef Fishes forum (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2093800) where the OP is having a similar problem. They also recommended medicated fish food. Expense is always a factor when it comes to the health of an animal. Just like with dogs and cats, the cure costs more than the pet. But that's the sacrifices we make in order to keep our pets. The alternative in having to purchase the same fish multiple times is just as costly. JMHO

[sandwi54]

1) Is this reef safe.

2) They is no way that I can see it poop unless I can set in front of my tank 24/7 this fish is very active.

3) I have a BRS carbon filter/reactor with a maxi jet 1200 pump and active carbon for that part.

Is it reef safe though?

Thanks for the help. Must admit the meds cost more than the fish.

prazipro is generally reef-safe except for worms. if you have feather dusters, coco worms, etc., you have to remove them first. it would also kill bristleworms too. of course you can put the tang in a QT to treat. however, the worms are probably in your DT so unless you treat the DT, you may not completely get rid of them.

first of all, you have to determine what you have. try to up the feeding so it poops more and maybe you have more opportunities to observe the poop. if it's not clear, stringy, and segmented looking, then you not dealing with internal worms. this then will likely be other internal parasites and metronidazole would be the next medication to try. seachem makes a version of powdered metronidazole but it is hard to dissolve in the water. you have to keep stirring until it completely dissolves.

feeding medicated food is the best way to deal with internal parasites. however, some fish just don't eat the food. if your kole tang eats anything and everything you throw at it, then give that a try. it'll work much better than dosing the water.

[Sk8r]

Pull him out to quarantine and treat for parasites. Go to the Fish Disease Forum, read the stickies, and prepare to have him under treatment for a while. He may have been carrying them for a while. In absence of symptoms from other fish, you can cross your fingers and hope he's the only one. Treat them as you see symptoms.

[Sport507]

Oh, my Sk8r ye no not what ye ask……..catching this active fish in this tank would require risking the whole DT.

I hate tuff choices like this but it is part of the hobby. It’s a real quandary folks. I will process every post and sleep on it, the tang is still eating like a horse.

Like the new avatar kitty too Sk8r.

What ever happens I would like to thank all that posted in this thread for the help. It means alot to me to have that kind of support.

[reefwisher]

Not telling you what to do,but if it was me I would get it started on Seachem medications of MetroPlex and Focus. The thing you got going for you is, it is still eating. This meds. is good for soaking food so the fish will get it directly into itself. The Focus is a binder plus med that keep the Metroplex on the food and not in the water I have used this stuffs a few time and it work wonder as long as the fish will eat.

[jmg416]

1) Is this reef safe.

2) They is no way that I can see it poop unless I can set in front of my tank 24/7 this fish is very active.

3) I have a BRS carbon filter/reactor with a maxi jet 1200 pump and active carbon for that part.

Is it reef safe though?

Thanks for the help. Must admit the meds cost more than the fish.

If you were really dedicated you would throw a diaper on him to catch the poop.:lolspin:

[Sport507]

If you were really dedicated you would throw a diaper on him to catch the poop.:lolspin:

Cute LOL


I think I have figured out a way to catch this tang using Sk8r’s egg crate partition idea in the earlier morning before lights on.

Now I’m wondering if this fish has internal parasites how long before the others have a problem and it starts all over again.

Maybe I should just treat the whole tank and get it over with.

Opinions welcome, thanks in advance.

[Sport507]

Seachem Metronidazole and Focus.


I have some of this coming in today. Can someone tell me if it's Reef Safe?

[Toddrtrex]

I can only speak about prazi -- I have used it in a full reef tank (( SPS, clams, anemones, etc )) and didn't notice any die offs -- even the few tube worms that I have were fine.

[Sk8r]

Where it comes to tangs I'd take Todd's advice. He knows this species more than I do. I do know that Metronidizole (also a human and dog/cat med) is a bit rough stuff, though you can give it as soaked food. Todd's saying that he did use Prazipro in a DT and came out ok, and if the fish is still eating well and other things are equal, it might be a good thing to try.

[Sport507]

Thanks Todd & Sk8r.

I have the prazipro on order too but it won't be in until next week. I'll keep searching for someone that's used the Seachem products in a reef but I can't and will not risk my corals. I have way to much to lose.

[Sport507]

Where it comes to tangs I'd take Todd's advice. He knows this species more than I do. I do know that Metronidizole (also a human and dog/cat med) is a bit rough stuff, though you can give it as soaked food. Todd's saying that he did use Prazipro in a DT and came out ok, and if the fish is still eating well and other things are equal, it might be a good thing to try.

Well I called Seachem and talk to tech support, very nice young lady (well she sounded young). I told them I had a full reef tank and as you said Sk8r, they advised that I use it in the food, bind it with the Focus and use garlic in the mix. The tang is still picking at everything in the tank and always hungry.

So here is my plan of attack. I will keep that going daily, then when the Prazipro arrives I will run a course of that through the water column and try to slay this dragon in time for a merry Christmas.

If anyone sees something I’m over looking or thinks this is not a good idea to execute this plan, please speak out.

[evilvelle]

I have been lucky with my kole he developed a few white spots but always ate so I soaked all food with garlic nori spectum and frozen mysis blend vary their diet is important. I

[Haffs09]

Sport, how did you fare with the prazipro and metro? I may have a similar issue going through my tank. I lost a purple tang and now my hippo is getting very thin.