How is the new livestock Tony?

[Delphinus]

Update: fish still has spots. Is only very politely picking at the nori at best (unlike my yellow tang who devours a sheet in a matter of hours).

Going to look for some spirulina, and I guess figure out how to mash enough oil out of garlic cloves to add to the fish food.

:?

[Bob I]

Have you considered a fresh water dip? I realise that is stressful, but can be very effective.

[Doug]

Hi Tony;
I cant tell in the pic what it is. Red Sea sailfins do get lateral line pretty easy. Of course a good diet fixes that problem. Also the one I had years ago, developed HLL from a dusty carbon. No, ifs, ands or buts, it was the carbon that caused it. Thats why I only use a premium carbon like Black Diamond now.

If ick, try garlic as suggested. If its not far along, then that may help. I just use a liquid filled garlic pill. Cut them open, {stinky}, and mix with spirolina flakes. I also rub it all over a nori sheet.

There are a couple commercial products. Kent Marine makes one called Super Garlic or something and Ocean Nutrition, the makers of Formula I and 2, make a new food called something like, Soft & Moist Marine pellets. They are supposed to have garlic in them and fish seem to gobble them up.

[Delphinus]

I'm going to order some OSI spirulina. The spirulina flakes that I do have, I'm not sure I have 100% confidence in them as they are just some generic brand with the label of one our Calgary LFS's on it. "Wai's Aquarium Flakes with Spirulina." Nobody that I know of (locally that is) carries OSI so I'm going to have to MO. The flakes that I have, the fish hate them. They won't touch it, and if they accidentally swallow a piece, they just spit it out.

The tang is starting to show more interest in nori. I guess the method that I feed nori, might be new to this fish so maybe that is why she (I have decided that my wife is right and she is a "she" and not a "he") is so polite when nibbling at the nori. I feed nori rolled up over a piece of PVC hung on some fishing line, as per that method shown in the DIY forum a few months ago. In my other tank, housing a yellow tang, Half-Pint-O-Tang (named by EmilyB ), he is an absolute pit bull when it comes to nori, grabs huge chunks, shakes his head back and forth to rip of large chunks, and then gobble-gobble-gulp. (He basically eats like me, but let's not go there.... ) Last night, I saw her nibbling at the nori, so that makes me feel a little better. She also goes after the food I've put in the tank so far (with the exception of not approving of the spirulina ... I am going to have to chuck that one I think).

Like all my other fish, she doesn't like to be looked at. If she detects anyone in the room, she hides in the back of the rockwork. Methinks I've put too many hidey holes in the back, because I never see my fish they're all hiding in the back. You have to sit really really still to glimpse any of my fish... (Sheesh, I shower and stuff, should I switch to a different soap maybe ???????)

The really odd thing is, she has decided that my female banggai (who thinks she is an anemone fish) is going to be her buddy, so when she's not hiding from me or anyone else trying to look at her, she's in-like-flint with the banggai (right in the BTA). This morning when I went to check on her I found her sleeping in the BTA. Ok, I was really surprised when the banggai did this (but have since learned it's not abnormal at all if there is no urchin present), but I'm REALLY surprised to see this behaviour in a tang. ??? :? ???

She has unfortunately given herself a scratch on her left side, presumably from rubbing up against rocks. But other than that she doesn't look too, too bad, perhaps showing a few signs of improvement (need to check after work, since the lights weren't on when I left for work today)..

I've made a few mistakes recently, I let my water get too salty (I didn't take out enough water when I took off my reactor to work on it), so, hopefully, I've cleaned up my act a little and maybe now things can start to improve a little, mehopes. It amazes me that after 5 years I can still make stupid newbie mistakes. I've never claimed that I truly know what it is I'm doing though, and I've been doing too much (obviously) lately, I've really let a few things slide, things like testing and diligence and common sense. Don't really want to elaborate on what other stupid things I've done (there is no shortage), but suffice it to say I do benefit from time-to-time from a swift kick in the rear-end. Time to clean up my act a little...