Sick Kole Tang...not sure what to do

[gnashty]

Ive had my Kole for about 2 months now and over the last 3 weeks he has developed a really bad case of ich, covered head to tail....a few other fish have a few spots too but nothing they cant overcome. Ive been feeding food soaked in metro and focus, with vitamins and garlic guard which works great for the others but he is just not interested in that type of food.

When I feed pellets he goes bonkers and goes for them but then I just noticed he isnt actually eating them, just spitting them right back out or swimming right thru them. He wont go near the nori either...He sometimes swims and hovers in front of the power heads too. Ive been feeding so heavy trying to get him to eat my Nitrates are around 5ppm so I am gearing up for a 40% WC now.

He is still picking at the back glass, overflows and rocks so he is getting some sort of food but just hasnt been interested in what I feed (Rods, PE Mysis, several varieties of pellets, and a couple other mixed frozen foods). I watched him eat and pick rocks at the store but maybe he spit that out to when I wasnt looking.

No noticed aggression from tank mates but cant rule that out, he swims around normally except the power head hovering I saw once. I dont think it is so bad I need to remove and treat in my HT quite yet.

any tips, tricks, or suggestions?

 

[dawgface]

I've had terrible results with kole tangs, both I've lost with the exact same symptoms. Only fish that survived icon for me were eating. It is my opinion because of that, that if they are not eating means bad bad news. I would send to the hospital tank immediately if it were me.
Best of luck.

 

[misu]

My kole doesn't like the green pellets but he'll go for the red ones, try some flakes too

If you can catch him I have a quarantine ready and empty that housed my kole about 1 month ago, it's got some live Rick and chaeto for him to graze on

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Kole tangs are "designed" to eat diatomaceous algaes, not filamentous, or fibrous macro algaes. Try some flake for sure, and try some live blackworms. Kole tangs are not especially difficult in general. Metronidazole is a very "distasteful" meds for most animals. Although I confess, I have NO IDEA what a fish would find tasty, most animals are reluctant to eat metro foods. Furthermore, an adequate dosage is complicated to figure and administer in oral meds as such.

Realistically, if the fish is "covered" in cysts, and isnt eating well, I would remove them to QT and treat quickly. Just my opinion.

 

[gnashty]

Thanks guys, I will try flake as its the only thing I havent tried. If he refuses flake I will make plans to catch and treat.

someone borrowed my trap and never returned it :sad:. I think Im done letting ppl borrow my stuff as this isnt the first time. I loaned some books and I had to chase them down 6 months later too.

On another note, not that it will help but I checked my calcium today and it was 580! I took apart my 114 UV and the sleeves were totally calcified. Cleaned them up, just plugged it back in. not expecting it to do much for my ich but hopefully it will clear my water better.

 

[buddyro]

I have been blessed to have not had a outbreak in a long time. But last time I was in ya shoes with a fish not eating, I used Kent Rx-P. http://www.kentmarine.com/products/kent-rxp.htm">http://www.kentmarine.com/products/kent-rxp.htm</a>
I used the dipping method as I didn't wanna treat my whole system. Good Results...
I also have a container I can keep a fish in within my tank,so itwas easy to catch,dip, and observe until healthy again.
Wish you the best bro'...

 

[gnashty]

I went and got some flake, no luck. Looks like Im going to have to pull and treat.

I have 3 options for a Hospital Tank I could use some feedback on. These are in no particular order, Keep in mind this is a 4"+ Kole Tang:

<ol>
<li>Use my 10 gal stock (my dedicated HT) with a biowheel, small powerhead, and small heater.</li>
<li>Use my currently set up QT - 25 gal Eclipse with rock and sand.</li>
<li>Use my 100 Rubbermaid stock tank with large powerhead, large heater. no filtration.</li>
</ol>I think the 10g is too small to treat for up to a month. The LR and sand would be a loss along with the filters and biowheel. The 100 would give him the room to swim but I would have a hard time seeing if he was getting better, and I would use alot more meds. and there is no algae in #1 & #3 for him to graze on which he is currently doing alot of in my DT.

What are some other treatment methods I can try? Ill look at what buddy posted but want some options. I would rather not use harsh meds or copper. Would a dip be of benefit? Its is going to be an event catching him so Id rather jsut get him out and get him well rather than dipping and hoping.

 

[jennm]

RxP is pepper. Harmless to a reef, but probably not much use otherwise either. (BuddyRo, your fish probably got over it on its own).

Gary, you could try some Seachem Entice - that's good to get even the pickiest fish to eat prepared foods. It smells like bananas... how they came up with that I'll never know but fish generally go "bananas" over it... that might mask the taste of the Metronidazole.

Jenn

 

[seth the wine guy]

Dang, I know you just got that Kole not too long ago. I had the same issue as you. Got a Kole and he was good for a month. Then added a Powder Blue and Spot Face at the same time a couple weeks ago and got a major Ich outbreak. It would be impossible for me to catch him and put in a HT. So, I'm stuck hoping they will all ride it out. The Kole is definitely slower to take prepared foods but is very active picking at the rock. So far, I'm keeping them eating by soaking their Nori and other frozen food in Garlic Guard and Metronidazole. I'm running the UV 24/7 and don't care if it blasts pods at night. Keep us updated on the progress. My Kole and Spot Face seem to be doing great. The Powder Blue is the one I'm still really worried about.

 

[gnashty]

Thanks Jenn/Seth. I was watching him a good while yesterday and he was picking at the overflows with vigor but i dont see a ton of algae on them. while looking alot closer I could see his "mouthmarks" as he was doing to so there was a nice film of diatoms he was munching on.

Im starting to 2nd guess yanking him out as if I did, I would be removing his current food source which I thought was hardly anything, turns out its more than I thought.

I will try some entice...

 

[smallblock]

JennM;647418 wrote: RxP is pepper. Harmless to a reef, but probably not much use otherwise either. (BuddyRo, your fish probably got over it on its own).

Gary, you could try some Seachem Entice - that's good to get even the pickiest fish to eat prepared foods. It smells like bananas... how they came up with that I'll never know but fish generally go "bananas" over it... that might mask the taste of the Metronidazole.

Jenn

Is it really pepper or is it a joke that I am missing?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Nope. Practically Tabasco.

 

[gnashty]

gnashty;647407 wrote: I went and got some flake, no luck. Looks like Im going to have to pull and treat.

I have 3 options for a Hospital Tank I could use some feedback on. These are in no particular order, Keep in mind this is a 4"+ Kole Tang:

<ol>
<li>Use my 10 gal stock (my dedicated HT) with a biowheel, small powerhead, and small heater.</li>
<li>Use my currently set up QT - 25 gal Eclipse with rock and sand.</li>
<li>Use my 100 Rubbermaid stock tank with large powerhead, large heater. no filtration.</li>
</ol>I think the 10g is too small to treat for up to a month. The LR and sand would be a loss along with the filters and biowheel. The 100 would give him the room to swim but I would have a hard time seeing if he was getting better, and I would use alot more meds. and there is no algae in #1 & #3 for him to graze on which he is currently doing alot of in my DT.

What are some other treatment methods I can try? Ill look at what buddy posted but want some options. I would rather not use harsh meds or copper. Would a dip be of benefit? Its is going to be an event catching him so Id rather jsut get him out and get him well rather than dipping and hoping.

Anyone have any insight on my questions above in regards to HT methods? Im afraid Ive only got a day or two to make a decision or Im gonna lose him. He is starting to show obvious signs of malnutrition.

I have some paraguard I can do a dip with but Id hate to put him back in the DT after a dip for fear of it not working.

 

[mr difficult]

I have some paraguard I can do a dip with but Id hate to put him back in the DT after a dip for fear of it not working. I have done dips and it seems to bring more stress in my case. I would try to shot Ike as screen name a pm ,and ask what he done he may have had luck.

 

[gnashty]

Update:

The Kole unfortunately did not make it. I am very upset as I take every loss personally. I wish I could have acted sooner.


:bash2:

On a better note all the other fish are very very fat and eating very well.

 

[cr500_af]

Sorry. I know that some people don't care too much other than the money, but I'm like you... I take losing a fish (other than to apparent "old age") hard.