Yellow Tang constipated for over a week :(

[jayteerq]

Hi guys, about a week ago, I noticed my yellow tang had a really bloated stomach that wouldn't subside. Noticed he also stopped eating. Struggling to swim, was making movements kind of like flappy bird. I looked into the situation and found that I might of been feeding too much of the wrong foods (krill, fish eggs, other fatty rich foods). So I set him in a QT tank last Wednesday and started dosing Kanaplex as recommended to hopefully help him push out the blockage. I have finished the recommended treatment and he still does not look any better, swimming sideways & upside down. He's still fighting strong but I'm in fear of how little time he may have left. I've read feeding green peas but he wont eat. I've also read about Epsum salt? But unsure if that's worth exploring. Anyone here have any advice that I can try? SeaChem says in severe cases, I can do a second round of dosing & I think I will do a WC and start a second round of dosing. Hopefully it'll be any day now that he takes a #2.

 

[TPhan]

You should do a search on humblefish website maybe u will find something there.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

@Humblefish

 

[Humblefish]

Kanaplex will sometimes induce diarrhea so that was a good move. However, you have to keep dosing it every 48 hours.

Epsom salt (1 tablespoon per 5 gallons) is also worth trying.

Can you post a pic of the fish? It’s possible this is an internal infection and/or swim bladder issue.

 

[jayteerq]

Kanaplex will sometimes induce diarrhea so that was a good move. However, you have to keep dosing it every 48 hours.

Epsom salt (1 tablespoon per 5 gallons) is also worth trying.

Can you post a pic of the fish? It’s possible this is an internal infection and/or swim bladder issue.

Hey thanks so much for the response. I have just finished 4 doses every 48 hr of Kanaplex. I will start Round 2 of dosing tomorrow. Today i started the epsom salt. Should I dose the epsom salt every 48 hr as well? I was think one day salt next day kanaplex, for the next week. Here are some pics of when I first noticed the problem (10 days ago now). Today he still looks the same except he's swimming more upside down and sideways. Looking skinnier except his bottom belly area, still bloated. As oppose to before, he would just swim upright but bob through the water.

 

[Humblefish]

Today i started the epsom salt. Should I dose the epsom salt every 48 hr as well?

Yes

Would you say that his swimming is improving a little bit?

 

[jayteerq]

Yes

Would you say that his swimming is improving a little bit?

No its worst now. Hes staying at the surface with half his belly sticking out the water

 

[PSU4ME]

Poop yet?

 

[jayteerq]

Poop yet?

Nope ): I can’t believe he’s still alive. It’s been almost 14 days without food.

 

[jayteerq]

I’m wondering if I should add drops of selcon or Vita chem in the water I wonder if that would do anything for him to keep him fighting

 

[PSU4ME]

I don’t think I’d do that, @Humblefish anything we can do other than stay the course?

 

[EddieG]

May want to post question on R2R. More traffic and maybe someone had the same issue with their tang

 

[robanister]

Sorry friend my biota did the same. Came white. Colored up yellow. Still ate. Massaged belly. Nothing . Don't overfeeding them. Small amounts only.

 

[jayteerq]

May want to post question on R2R. More traffic and maybe someone had the same issue with their tang

I'll give it a shot, thanks!

 

[Errol]

Interesting that 2 members report the same finding in their biota captive-bred yellow tangs. I was talking with a colleague the other day who suggested these captive-bred tangs are less robust than wild-harvested tangs from Hawaii. One comment stuck in my mind: "You never see and 'old' captive-bred yellow tang; they all die young."

Any thoughts? Does anyone have a captive-bred yellow tang that is a few years old? I hope so because I really like the idea of have a sustainable population of captive-bred fish rather than harvesting them from the wild.

 

[Humblefish]

I don’t think I’d do that, @Humblefish anything we can do other than stay the course?

I think I would attempt lancing the air out at this point: http://www.reefedition.com/emergency-fish-operation-venting-swim-bladder/

The procedure might kill him, but I think he’s going to die without some kind of intervention.

 

[jayteerq]

I think I would attempt lancing the air out at this point: http://www.reefedition.com/emergency-fish-operation-venting-swim-bladder/

The procedure might kill him, but I think he’s going to die without some kind of intervention.

DUDE!!!!!!! YOU JUST SAVED MY FISH!!!! I DID THE PROCEDURE. POKED HIM 3x. SOON AS I PUT HIM BACK IN THE TANK HES SWIMMING NORMAL AGAIN!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

 

[jayteerq]

CHECK THIS OUT!!! HERES THE WHOLE OPERATION!!

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[PSU4ME]

That’s awesome!!! Hopefully he stays right side up!

Way to go Bobby (@Humblefish

 

[Humblefish]

DUDE!!!!!!! YOU JUST SAVED MY FISH!!!! I DID THE PROCEDURE. POKED HIM 3x. SOON AS I PUT HIM BACK IN THE TANK HES SWIMMING NORMAL AGAIN!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Glad to hear it! Just two things to keep in mind:

1. Sometimes where you pricked the fish will turn red, so you may need to dab a little neomycin gel on that area to ward off an infection.
2. It’s not unheard of for the gas bubble to come back and require another surgery.