HELP! Yellow Tang Breathing Fast & Not Eating

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ClarkesReef

New Member
I have a 60 gallon bare bottomed Cycled QT tank. Nothing is in there but fish and a few PVC pipes. He's been in there for about three weeks now everything was good. I did the Cupermine Treatment (14 days) and he was good throughout. yesterday was the last day of the treatment and I'm in the process of pulling the copper out of my QT tank with charcoal. I noticed two days ago he was breathing very fast and has 0 interest in any food I give him. I have been doing 10 gallon water changes every 3-4 days. Ive had him for about 5 years and don't want too loose him. All other fish are unfazed and seem good. I need to keep all fish in the QT tank for about another 2 months to allow the ich die off in my DT. What can I do !?
Tank Has:
1 Blue Hippo Tang
2 Clowns
2 Blue Damsels
1 Pink Demsel
3 Anthias ( one male, two female)
and of course the Yellow tang.

Copper is currently still at 5.0
other parameters are in good standing.
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
ClarkesReef said:
...
Copper is currently still at 5.0
...
Click to expand...

Is that reading correct? Typical copper treatment is done at 0.15 mg/L. If that reading is correct, you are treating with about 3 times the recommended amount.

What other parameters did you test for and what were the exact readings, especially for ammonia and nitrite? 10 gal water changes every 3 - 4 days does not sound like enough to keep ammonia levels down.

Are you getting good circulation and gas exchange in the tank? Under normal conditions you would not place that many fish in a 60 gal tank. I realize that for disease treatment, you often have no choice, but you need to be very careful here.

Think what else might be stressing your tang. It's possible the fish might be stressed out from being in too small a tank. Tangs need "running room".
 
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ClarkesReef

New Member
sorry I mean 0.5 for the cupermine.
nitrate
DaveK said:
Is that reading correct? Typical copper treatment is done at 0.15 mg/L. If that reading is correct, you are treating with about 3 times the recommended amount.

What other parameters did you test for and what were the exact readings, especially for ammonia and nitrite? 10 gal water changes every 3 - 4 days does not sound like enough to keep ammonia levels down.

Are you getting good circulation and gas exchange in the tank? Under normal conditions you would not place that many fish in a 60 gal tank. I realize that for disease treatment, you often have no choice, but you need to be very careful here.

Think what else might be stressing your tang. It's possible the fish might be stressed out from being in too small a tank. Tangs need "running room".
Click to expand...





sorry I mean 0.5mg/l for the cupermine. On the bottle of the cupermine is says to hold it at 0.5mg/l for 14 days. 0.15mg/l is for fresh water- 0.5mg/l is for saltwater
nitrate is at .067 ppm
salinity 1.026
my phosphate test i realized is expired & i don't have a test kit for ammonia at the moment.
I Have a hang on filter rated for a 60 gallon tank and a medium sized power head running. Today I added a air stone in hopes that this will improve his condition.
the fish all get along and he seemed to be fine for the two weeks he has been in QT. I don't know what else unless it is in fact an ammonia spike.
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
You really need to get an ammonia test kit and a nitrite test kit. Note that I said nitrite not nitrate. Treating with copper often kills off the good bacteria you want. This results in a tank that is basically uncycled.
 
Uncle99

Uncle99

Well-Known Member
You could consider lowering the salinity a bit to 1.021-1.023, this will help respirating, just remember you can lower quickly but raise only slow at .001 per day.

Many holding tanks of fish only run 1.019 - 1.021 for this reason which leads to lower stress.

Since you have no corals in your QT, no need to keep it that high.
 
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