Kole Tang Disease... can you help me?

brianbaler · 03/29/2009, 03:48 PM

Hello,

I have a 55 gal tank with several small reef fish and a few coral frags. About 10 days ago i bought a yellow eyed kole tang. Only about 5 days after being purchased, with was about 5 days ago, I noticed a few darker spots on his side and fin. I inquired at the store that i purchased the fish at and they said its either the water, the stress, or a bacterial infection. I checked my water levels and they are fine, i also did a 15 gal water change a few days ago. I removed my damsel fish from the tank because the tang was chasing it around once in a while. Now that the tang has been sick for a while and is not getting better i am worried. He is normally active and still swims around and is also eating well. What do you think this is and how can i treat him? Anitibiotics? Please help me if you have knowledge in the area.

Attached is the link for the picture of the fish:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Thanks!

-brian

LauraCline · 03/29/2009, 07:40 PM

Looks bacterial to me. I would get him into a QT with some antibiotics and get him fattened up right away. Keep Nori in there for him 24/7. He looks very bad and it's iffy as to whether he will make it. Early and aggressive treatment gives it the best chance for survival.

brianbaler · 03/29/2009, 08:29 PM

thanks for your response, i will buy some antibiotics tomorrow and leave a post here online.

Thanks again!

LauraCline · 03/30/2009, 01:52 PM

Good luck and definately keep us posted Brian.

brianbaler · 03/30/2009, 02:16 PM

i went to the lfs today and talked with the most experienced gentleman. He has 30 years of salt water experience and said that he is fairly certain that the blemishes are from the tang and my blue damsel fighting, as i have seen them chasing each other around once in a while. He said if the spots become more numerous or worsen then it is likely to be infected and antibiotics should be used. But hopefully the fish will become better on its own. I think i will wait a day or two more and see how the tang does on its own.... what do you think?

chetrod · 03/30/2009, 02:20 PM

Did the LFS offer you store credit or anything if he doesn't make it?

When ever I have a fish that is fighting with others I put him in a box I made of eggcrate and leave him in there a few weeks then when I feel it is healthy enough I release it again in the DT. The box IMO helps the other fish adjust to the newby being there. After awhile they ignore it then all is fine.

brianbaler · 03/30/2009, 04:19 PM

No they did not offer me any kind of refund or discount on future purchases. Should they, or should i ask for one if the fish dies? What does IMO mean?

I got rid of the damsel a few days ago so i think that will help. I think that i will use antibiotics if he does not get better in a couple days. The egg crate method seems like a good idea. Although for my tank the only other fish are clowns, small goby, blenny, mandarin, and 2 starfish, so they are all pretty peaceful. Maybe in the future I will do that though. Do you think that the fish has a bacterial infection?

biger · 03/30/2009, 08:13 PM

IMO- in my opinion

chetrod · 03/30/2009, 09:17 PM

The owner of the LFS store I go to is good about working with me on sick fish. It really depends on the health of the fish when you bought it. Also depends on their love of the hobby. I would ask it wouldn't hurt the only thing they will request is to test your water params to make sure they are in order. My kole tang is really dark in color and eats well. Is this one eating at all? Definitely keep an eye on him.

brianbaler · 03/30/2009, 09:33 PM

yes, he is eating well. i think i might go ahead with the antibiotics in a QT tank just in case. The spots dont seem to be getting any better. Do you have experience in using antibiotics on fish?

brianbaler · 04/01/2009, 02:39 PM

anbody have advice on using antibiotics on fish?

03/29/2009, 03:48 PM	#1
brianbaler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	Kole Tang Disease... can you help me? Hello, I have a 55 gal tank with several small reef fish and a few coral frags. About 10 days ago i bought a yellow eyed kole tang. Only about 5 days after being purchased, with was about 5 days ago, I noticed a few darker spots on his side and fin. I inquired at the store that i purchased the fish at and they said its either the water, the stress, or a bacterial infection. I checked my water levels and they are fine, i also did a 15 gal water change a few days ago. I removed my damsel fish from the tank because the tang was chasing it around once in a while. Now that the tang has been sick for a while and is not getting better i am worried. He is normally active and still swims around and is also eating well. What do you think this is and how can i treat him? Anitibiotics? Please help me if you have knowledge in the area. Attached is the link for the picture of the fish: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink Thanks! -brian Last edited by brianbaler; 03/29/2009 at 04:04 PM.

03/29/2009, 07:40 PM	#2
LauraCline Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lutz, FL Posts: 2,017	Looks bacterial to me. I would get him into a QT with some antibiotics and get him fattened up right away. Keep Nori in there for him 24/7. He looks very bad and it's iffy as to whether he will make it. Early and aggressive treatment gives it the best chance for survival. __________________ People, who have lost their dreams, will try to shoot down yours. Guard that door fiercely.

03/30/2009, 01:52 PM	#4
LauraCline Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lutz, FL Posts: 2,017	Good luck and definately keep us posted Brian. __________________ People, who have lost their dreams, will try to shoot down yours. Guard that door fiercely.

03/30/2009, 08:13 PM	#8
biger Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: colorado Posts: 777	IMO- in my opinion __________________ "All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke Current Tank Info: 180 gal in wall

03/29/2009, 08:29 PM	#3
brianbaler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	thanks for your response, i will buy some antibiotics tomorrow and leave a post here online. Thanks again!

03/30/2009, 02:16 PM	#5
brianbaler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	i went to the lfs today and talked with the most experienced gentleman. He has 30 years of salt water experience and said that he is fairly certain that the blemishes are from the tang and my blue damsel fighting, as i have seen them chasing each other around once in a while. He said if the spots become more numerous or worsen then it is likely to be infected and antibiotics should be used. But hopefully the fish will become better on its own. I think i will wait a day or two more and see how the tang does on its own.... what do you think?

03/30/2009, 02:20 PM	#6
chetrod Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tampa Posts: 53	Did the LFS offer you store credit or anything if he doesn't make it? When ever I have a fish that is fighting with others I put him in a box I made of eggcrate and leave him in there a few weeks then when I feel it is healthy enough I release it again in the DT. The box IMO helps the other fish adjust to the newby being there. After awhile they ignore it then all is fine.

03/30/2009, 04:19 PM	#7
brianbaler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	No they did not offer me any kind of refund or discount on future purchases. Should they, or should i ask for one if the fish dies? What does IMO mean? I got rid of the damsel a few days ago so i think that will help. I think that i will use antibiotics if he does not get better in a couple days. The egg crate method seems like a good idea. Although for my tank the only other fish are clowns, small goby, blenny, mandarin, and 2 starfish, so they are all pretty peaceful. Maybe in the future I will do that though. Do you think that the fish has a bacterial infection?

03/30/2009, 09:17 PM	#9
chetrod Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tampa Posts: 53	The owner of the LFS store I go to is good about working with me on sick fish. It really depends on the health of the fish when you bought it. Also depends on their love of the hobby. I would ask it wouldn't hurt the only thing they will request is to test your water params to make sure they are in order. My kole tang is really dark in color and eats well. Is this one eating at all? Definitely keep an eye on him.

03/30/2009, 09:33 PM	#10
brianbaler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	yes, he is eating well. i think i might go ahead with the antibiotics in a QT tank just in case. The spots dont seem to be getting any better. Do you have experience in using antibiotics on fish?

04/01/2009, 02:39 PM	#11
brianbaler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 8	anbody have advice on using antibiotics on fish?