Sohal Not Doing Well

[schwaggs]

UPDATE: The Sohal is not doing so well. Over the last 2 months, he has grown thinner and thinner. I am getting worried that he may not make it. I feed the equivalent of one cube of Ocean Nutrition (1/4 Formula 1, 1/4 Formula 2, 1/4 Prime Reef and 1/4 Pygmy Angel) and approximately 2 cubes worth of PE Mysis every other day and 1/4 sheet of Nori ~ 2 times a week. My other fish are thriving but the Sohal is thinning. Other fish in the tank:

4-5" Purple Tang
Med Coral Beauty
3 Bangaii Cardinals
Long Nose Hawk
Mandarin Goby
2 Watchmen Gobies
2 Ocelaris Clowns
Royal Gramma

The Sohal is eating eagerly. The Purple Tang will shoo the Sohal away from the Nori but the Sohal will come back and get some when the Purple isn't looking. The Sohal gets his fair share when feeding the frozen foods every other day.

Am I not feeding enough?

 

[twocute2b4u]

Another solution may be to get two clips with nori in the tank. Just a thought.

 

[gnashty]

Hope it works out for ya - I got a B naso 2 months ago and still has yet to eat anything other than nori - he eats it like a pig though so I always keep nori on the clip - getting a bit of algae as a result but would rather have a happy guy and weekly WC's than a sick or dead fish

 

[enderg60]

that sounds more like an intestial parasite then just not getting enough food.

Try putting two or three algea clips in at a time, if that doesnt help then he may have parasite.

 

[schwaggs]

EnderG60;557992 wrote: that sounds more like an intestial parasite then just not getting enough food.

I didn't want to hear that...

So that or maybe he was collected with cyanide. Do they use cyanide anymore?

 

[jennm]

Schwaggs;558139 wrote: Do they use cyanide anymore?

:yes:

In the Philippines and Indonesia. Not ALL fish caught there are juiced, but it can be crap shoot. There's no Cyanide Detection Test in place (at least not one that everyone can agree on, and any test involves sacrificing a fish to test its tissues).

Fish from other parts of the world are usually OK but even Caribbean fish are sometimes caught with Quinaldine (state of FL still issues permits for its use).

The best anyone has is someone's word that it's cleanly caught, and usually time will tell if somebody's being careless with the truth after a few weeks.

Try deworming the fish.

Jenn

 

[enderg60]

just realized you said you were feeding 1/4" sheet of nori 2x a week.

I would do ALOT more then that. I put 1/2 sheet in mine every other day for a 6" blue tang and 3" yellow.

 

[schwaggs]

Thanks Jenn. So seeing that this is a Red Sea fish, the chances of Cyanide is pretty low in your opinion?

I have not seen any unusual feces from him but will try and de-worm him anyway. I have read there are some foods you can feed that might work. WHat is the best way to deworm him? Is it safe for my reef tank or do I need to separate him?

 

[schwaggs]

EnderG60;558209 wrote: I would do ALOT more then that. I put 1/2 sheet in mine every other day for a 6" blue tang and 3" yellow.

Will do. I setup 2 Nori feeding stations and it looks like he can eat as much as he wants now. The purple tries to protect both but he can't in my 210. The Sohal (and everyone else in the tank) ate some Spectrum Thera A pellets last night. I don't think that is a cure but it was all I have in the house ATM and will have to do until I figure out a formal treatment plan.

 

[schwaggs]

bratliff;558302 wrote: I still think your problem is you are not feeding enough. Just my opinion.

This could be a possibility if it wasn't for a tank full of healthy fish, including a Purple Tang. Only the Sohal is having problems and he is the newest fish in the tank.

That being said, I have increased the feeding just to ensure he gets more than enough. He agressivly goes after the Nori when I put it in but after a couple minutes, he ignores it. This tells me he is getting enough to eat. In addition to the every-other day frozen foods, I am feeding Spectrum pelets and Nori on the off days.

Is the Nori that good for them or is it mostly vitamins? Should I skip the Nori and just feed the Spectrum pellets which have more fat and protein?

 

[zippgirlrn]

You may also want to try soaking the nori in vitamins, before feeding. I don't know if it will help, but I am sure it can't hurt. I buy the saltwater vitamin, garlic liquid, and usually something with omega fatty acids. I then mix all three and make my on soak, that I use for nori and pellets or any dry food. I don't know this will help your fish, but it might help boost his immune system.

 

[acroholic]

I feed my five tangs Ocean Nutrition Marine Formula II small pellets a lot. It is the green pellets. They love them.

You can buy them at almost any LFS. All my fish eat them, including about 5 different species of wrasse.

 

[corigan]

Acroholic;558555 wrote: I feed my five tangs Ocean Nutrition Marine Formula II small pellets a lot. It is the green pellets. They love them.

You can buy them at almost any LFS. All my fish eat them, including about 5 different species of wrasse.

+1. My Scopas loves these things. So much so the other fish have caught on and eat em up now too.

 

[grouper]

Schwaggs;558219 wrote: Will do. I setup 2 Nori feeding stations and it looks like he can eat as much as he wants now. The purple tries to protect both but he can't in my 210. The Sohal (and everyone else in the tank) ate some Spectrum Thera A pellets last night. I don't think that is a cure but it was all I have in the house ATM and will have to do until I figure out a formal treatment plan.

Try some Pe-Mysis

 

[schwaggs]

As Charlie said, I feed a good amount of PE Mysis every other day.

I just have the green Nori. Is the red any healthier?

After watching the Sohal closely for the last several days, I think the problem is agression from the purple tang. For the first few months, the Sohal would run from the purple but would always come right back. For the last couple weeks, the Sohal is hiding in a cave and will not come out if the purple is anywhere near him. It is almost like the Sohal is waiting for approval to eat... do you think this is the sign of a sick fish or just a bullied fish? Still haven't been able to verify fecies to check for signs or parisites.

 

[crewdawg1981]

Sounds like all the foxfaces my hippo has killed (as in bullied into a corner or a cave).

 

[grouper]

Schwaggs;558880 wrote: As Charlie said, I feed a good amount of PE Mysis every other day.

I just have the green Nori. Is the red any healthier?

After watching the Sohal closely for the last several days, I think the problem is agression from the purple tang. For the first few months, the Sohal would run from the purple but would always come right back. For the last couple weeks, the Sohal is hiding in a cave and will not come out if the purple is anywhere near him. It is almost like the Sohal is waiting for approval to eat... do you think this is the sign of a sick fish or just a bullied fish? Still haven't been able to verify fecies to check for signs or parisites.

PM Sent

 

[acroholic]

You might try isolating him and feeding him well to get him back to strength.

I have a fish trap you can borrow if needed.

 

[schwaggs]

It will be impossible to get him out without a fish trap. Even then, I have no place to go with a 4" tang (only 15 gallon holding tanks, frag tank has a yellow tang in it).

I have taken to feeding pellets a couple times a day in addition to my regular frozen foods every other day. I am skipping the Nori as the purple eats all of it anyway. I would rather "spend" the nutrients on additional pellets. When I feed pellets, the Sohal and Purple tang eat together just fine. I suspect the frenzy of the falling pellets distract the Purple tang enough that the Sohal feels safe.

The Sohal came out quite a bit tonight compared to the last few nights. He ate pellets, mysis and formula frozen foods like a pig, so I suspect he might be feeling better and/or getting stonger but it is too soon to tell for sure. He still looks quite emaciated.

 

[weaglereefer]

Petco has tanks for $1 a gallon. Could get a 40b for QT for $40 and a few dollars more for a powerhead. Probably cost less than the fish and you'll have it for future needs.