I have a mimic lemonpeel tang that has been in my tank for ~2 years. Today I noticed he isn’t eating and his fins are a bit ragged.
Nothing has changed in the tank here are my tank stats and params:
90 gallon FOWLR
1 percula clown (also ~2 years old)
1 6-line wrasse (~1 year in the tank)
1 mimic lemonpeel tang
Nitrate: 10ppm
PH: 8.2
SG: 1.026
Temp: 79.5F
Any ideas on what could be wrong with him? He was eating fine a few days ago, no fin nips or anything. It’s hard to get a picture of him because he’s hiding in the rockwork. No other inhabitants show any signs of stress and they never bothered eachother.
EDIT: the only other thing i can think of (but not sure how or if it even ties in) my fuge was FULL of algae a few weeks ago until i added 2 turbo snails to help cut it down which they decimated but i recently moved them into the main tank instead. Do you think them eating the algae caused something in the display? or caused nitrate levels to creep up a bit?
No idea without pics. Six lines can be buttheads but I doubt it him if he’s been in there for that long. I guess it’s possible the snails may have brought something in with them.
Sneeyatch i’ll try to snap a pic, the tang’s been hiding all day…
I’ll try to get some nori+garlic near where he’s hiding, I read that poor diet can cause fin erosion in tangs.
Try a small peice of bannana or lettuce, what do you normally feed? How often? sg seems a little high1.023-1.025 is what I shoot for. I would lower you temp just a small bit-77 78 max is all you need. (Not the problem just my :TWOCENTS)
Beadlocked, do you think that could contribute to issues? It was previously a reef tank so I never did drop the sg from what it was.
Not completly. I just modifyed my post
I have no way of lowering my temp outside of dropping the temp in my house. I leave the sump doors open and hood off.
I feed formula 2 flakes 2x a day (morning and afternoon) usually 2 pinches or so.
You don’t have a heater?what kind of lights are you using to keep your tank that warm? Do you have any frozen brine or mysis? Try feeding him that?
Any chance you can catch him and put in a separate tank for a little while and maybe use some meds?
I do have a heater. House typically runs 75-76 in the summer heat gain from equipment and lights adds a few degrees I guess?
I have 2 taotronics dimmable led fixtures over the tank (they’re pretty low already) and a cfl over my fuge 24/7.
I do have a heater but that cuts out at 77F
I will try but trying not to tear the tank apart since he’s been hiding. I put some garlic infused nori outside of his hiding place hopefully he’ll eat it.
It’s not looking good, he’s in the rocks face down but still breathing, I think the stress from moving him would definitely kill him. Hoping he comes out when it’s dark and eats some nori.
Whatever happened it happened overnight he was fine yesterday
Edit: Read natural seawater is around 1.026 SG so that shouldn’t be a problem. Also backtracked my original post about this fish and he’s actually closer to 3 years old… i don’t think that’s the end of his natural lifespan though :’(
Could be internal parasite.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AcanthuroidPIX/TangPIX/Zebrasoma/Z.%20flavescens/torntang.JPG
If this is a picture of internal parasites it certainly looks similar to that.
I can’t find the tang anywhere this morning… He may be hiding but I think he died overnight, it’s a shame because he was in the tank for so long… I would have expected to at least see the bones.
Is internal parasites contagious? Should I be worried for the other fish in the tank?
It can be contagious but I doubt it will cause issues. The pinched in gut in the pic is a tell tale sign. The torn find is a secondary reaction due to malnutrition.
I would take the time to try to find it though, a tang is a good sized fish, could cause water quality issues.
Found it under a rock 
Thanks for all of the quick responses
