Yellow tang acting funny and not eating - constipation?

homebrewdude · 01/04/2007, 09:09 PM

I notice this yesterday but didn't think much of it.
I put some nori in the tank on a clip.
This is the yellow tangs favorite, but it didn't want any. The purple ate it all up.

Today I noticed the tang hanging around the front corner of the tank. With not much movement. This is odd..
No visible issues that I can see.
The other fish are not picking on it.

I checked my parameters, cause I got lazy this week.
I left my sponges into long and they were pretty clogged up.
So tonight I removed all sponges.. not using them anymore.
I also let my sump run near dry from evaporation.

So
Salinity was a bit high 1.0255
Ammonia 0
Nitrite was very low close to 0
Nitrate was 5 (this is the highest it has ever been)

So I tried to feed more favorite foods.
frozen shrimp and cyclopeze
Nothing.. just sitting in the bottom corner.
It is breathing fast, but looks to be the same as the purple tang.

I did notice a large amount of poop stuck.
It looked like it was eating chaeto, cause it is like a plug in its butt.

I used my magnet to push the fish around, it moved away and perked right up, then returned to the corner?

Is my fish constipated??

reefshadow · 01/04/2007, 10:47 PM

Have you checked your alk and PH?

Specific gravity is not that high, 1.025-1.026 is accepted norm for reef.

If nitrite was 'close to norm' [if you have ANY reading] it sounds like you experienced a mini cycle for whatever reason. You should have no detectable nitrite. This could have driven PH down, so I would check that, and alk along with it.

I would really doubt constipation.

reefshadow · 01/04/2007, 10:48 PM

Oh yeah, if PH is normal at this time, check it before the lights come on in the morn.

homebrewdude · 01/04/2007, 10:52 PM

I checked pH and alk 4 days ago, they were fine.

None of the other fish are having problems.
Polyps mushrooms and anenome look fine.

I really think it is the plug of poo

reefshadow · 01/04/2007, 11:36 PM

I hear you, but four days ago is not right now. These parameters can change pretty swiftly, and it seems certain you had a cycle of some kind, with a detectable nitrite reading.

homebrewdude · 01/05/2007, 03:30 PM

I am checking the pH now.
How could the calcium change so much?? Just wondering.

The fish still has stuck poop.

homebrewdude · 01/05/2007, 04:44 PM

This is what I did today:
Caught the tang in my net. Pulled the poop out (got most of it)
Tang is now hiding in the rocks
pH is 8.2
Alk 3.5 meq/L
Calcium 375 ppm

I did a 10% water change today
I sucked most of the gunk out in my sump/skimmer/overflow area.

I did recently add a MJ1200 mod to my tank.
I put this in the back behind the live rock, this drew a considerable amount of debris out which was then caught in the socks and sponges..

Maybe this explains my nitrite and nitrate readings?

I still think the stuck poop was a problem.
His bung hole is now rather swolen

ronjeremy · 01/05/2007, 08:07 PM

i hesitate to ask how you removed the poop!!!!! LOL

homebrewdude · 01/06/2007, 08:58 AM

The tang did not make it through the night.
Bummer...

01/04/2007, 09:09 PM	#1
homebrewdude Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dyer Posts: 902	Yellow tang acting funny and not eating - constipation? I notice this yesterday but didn't think much of it. I put some nori in the tank on a clip. This is the yellow tangs favorite, but it didn't want any. The purple ate it all up. Today I noticed the tang hanging around the front corner of the tank. With not much movement. This is odd.. No visible issues that I can see. The other fish are not picking on it. I checked my parameters, cause I got lazy this week. I left my sponges into long and they were pretty clogged up. So tonight I removed all sponges.. not using them anymore. I also let my sump run near dry from evaporation. So Salinity was a bit high 1.0255 Ammonia 0 Nitrite was very low close to 0 Nitrate was 5 (this is the highest it has ever been) So I tried to feed more favorite foods. frozen shrimp and cyclopeze Nothing.. just sitting in the bottom corner. It is breathing fast, but looks to be the same as the purple tang. I did notice a large amount of poop stuck. It looked like it was eating chaeto, cause it is like a plug in its butt. I used my magnet to push the fish around, it moved away and perked right up, then returned to the corner? Is my fish constipated??

01/04/2007, 10:47 PM	#2
reefshadow Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central Washington Posts: 1,775	Have you checked your alk and PH? Specific gravity is not that high, 1.025-1.026 is accepted norm for reef. If nitrite was 'close to norm' [if you have ANY reading] it sounds like you experienced a mini cycle for whatever reason. You should have no detectable nitrite. This could have driven PH down, so I would check that, and alk along with it. I would really doubt constipation. __________________ All Your Coral Are Belong To Us Current Tank Info: 30 gallon rimless cube in progress

01/04/2007, 10:48 PM	#3
reefshadow Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central Washington Posts: 1,775	Oh yeah, if PH is normal at this time, check it before the lights come on in the morn. __________________ All Your Coral Are Belong To Us Current Tank Info: 30 gallon rimless cube in progress

01/04/2007, 11:36 PM	#5
reefshadow Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central Washington Posts: 1,775	I hear you, but four days ago is not right now. These parameters can change pretty swiftly, and it seems certain you had a cycle of some kind, with a detectable nitrite reading. __________________ All Your Coral Are Belong To Us Current Tank Info: 30 gallon rimless cube in progress

01/04/2007, 10:52 PM	#4
homebrewdude Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dyer Posts: 902	I checked pH and alk 4 days ago, they were fine. None of the other fish are having problems. Polyps mushrooms and anenome look fine. I really think it is the plug of poo

01/05/2007, 03:30 PM	#6
homebrewdude Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dyer Posts: 902	I am checking the pH now. How could the calcium change so much?? Just wondering. The fish still has stuck poop.

01/05/2007, 04:44 PM	#7
homebrewdude Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dyer Posts: 902	This is what I did today: Caught the tang in my net. Pulled the poop out (got most of it) Tang is now hiding in the rocks pH is 8.2 Alk 3.5 meq/L Calcium 375 ppm I did a 10% water change today I sucked most of the gunk out in my sump/skimmer/overflow area. I did recently add a MJ1200 mod to my tank. I put this in the back behind the live rock, this drew a considerable amount of debris out which was then caught in the socks and sponges.. Maybe this explains my nitrite and nitrate readings? I still think the stuck poop was a problem. His bung hole is now rather swolen

01/05/2007, 08:07 PM	#8
ronjeremy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Destin ,Fl Posts: 439	i hesitate to ask how you removed the poop!!!!! LOL

01/06/2007, 08:58 AM	#9
homebrewdude Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dyer Posts: 902	The tang did not make it through the night. Bummer...