sick kole tang??

[christyf5]

Hey guys,
So I decided to get myself a kole tang. They are pretty cool looking fish and I thought it would be interesting to have a bigger fish in the tank (currently its goby mania). Anyway, I've had the fish for just over a week now and I noticed it has developed what looks like a rubbed off area on its skin. I figured with all the darting around it does maybe it got excited and sideswiped a rock or something. But today I'm looking at the fish again and it has it on the other side too and on its head between its eyes? What is this? Is it bacterial? DOes any one have any idea what I am talking about?? I've never really dealt with tangs before. I did do a fair bit of research on him before I bought him but I didn't do any research on the diseases they get, unfortunately. I'll try to post a pic but he's pretty quick.

TIA
Christy [img]smile.gif[/img]

[EmilyB]

Kole tangs are notorious for their delicate skin. And their idiotic behavior in damaging it.. :rolleyes:

Hence my Kole is named Homer..

Once he knows his rockwork, he'll likely get better on his daily ratio of scrapes. If you'd like me to dig up where I read about the delicate skin, let me know. I couldn't find it right off.

Oh, and Homer and his assorted scrapes has been here three years. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 02 July 2002, 20:25: Message edited by: EmilyB ]

[christyf5]

Thanks EmilyB! I've been sitting here trying to get a picture of the little bugger for the past 20 minutes or so. So far I've got about 50 of his tail and one bad one of his head [img]tongue.gif[/img] I've also been refreshing this page like every 2 minutes impatiently waiting for an answer. Thanks for being so quick and letting me breathe a sigh of relief!

Christy [img]smile.gif[/img]

[DJ88]

Christy,

I had an Atlantic Blue Tang that woudl get itself so wound up when I came to the tank with NOri that it injured itself numerous times. Pop eye once even. That was after it had grown up in the tank for 9 months. It was a bit exciteable. Feed it well and enrich any nori you give it with selcon. [img]smile.gif[/img] Mine always healed up fine in time. Then it would do it all over again. :rolleyes:

[christyf5]

Yeh mine roars around the tank like he owns it. He is definitely challenging my clown goby for the throne (the clown has been sulking ever since I got the tang). As soon as I get near the tank he races in behind the rocks and then comes out to peer at me. I've started to just sneak up on the tank to actually see him so he doesn't freak out and bang into something. Its a bit disconcerting seeing him with all these scrapes and scratches. I hope he gets his bearings soon.

Christy [img]smile.gif[/img]

[EmilyB]

They really like OSI nibblers [img]smile.gif[/img]

[DJ88]

Really? never tried those. Only a sheet of Nori every two days. :rolleyes: and the other food for the rest of the pigs I had. :rolleyes:

[EmilyB]

Oh, for sure. Those big lips just suck the nori, and my Kole actually wouldn't until other tangs showed him how. The nibblers are more for their mouths, they love 'em. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[naesco]

The kole tang tends to get a bit cut up as it darts around when it is new to the tank.
I would not risk the possibility of either ich, a fungus or minor bacterial infection setting in.
Please look at doing the garlic extract feeding until it clears as a preventative measure.
Although kole like a variety of food they need film algae as part of their diet.That is what you see them constantly sucking on rocks and the glass.
Leave part of the back glass "unclean". Also it is a good idea to put some smooth stones in a pile in some corner. As well as the ideal film algae feeding station, it a great place for pods to hide and multiply.

[christyf5]

Thanks Naesco,
I use garlic as part of their regular feeding regimen and well, in my tank, algae grows on the back glass (and everywhere else for that matter) whether I like it or not. I "leave" it there for my lawnmower blenny as well. They usually keep it in check.

Christy [img]smile.gif[/img]