Kole Tang Question, Ctenochaetus acclimation, lack of quarantine   5/28/2008
Dear Crew,
<Andy>
I was reading up on Kole Tangs because I'm thinking of purchasing one for my 110g display and I noticed in the article written by Bob
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/koletang.htm) that he generally advises against quarantining this species and instead using an extended pH adjusted freshwater dip (how long is "extended"?).
<Five or so minutes... w/ constant observation, "swirling" of water or the use of mechanical aeration (a "bubbler")>
Has anything changed/is this still good advice?
As always, thank you!
Andy
<Is still my opinion. This pc. was penned w/in this last year... maybe should have incept. dates... Cheers, Bob Fenner>

- Yellow Eyed Tang with Tail Rot 6/16/06 -
Hi I recently bought a yellow eyed tang and it looked healthy when I bought it. They said it was eating properly (they all say that) and has been doing great. I got him home and noticed his tail is beginning to "rot away" its not that bad but it is noticeable. He swims around fine and is constantly grazing....he has tried the green algae but doesn't seem to like it. I have noticed he likes certain things in the formula one. I did readings and ammonia is 0, alk is 0, ph 8.2, nitrate is 5.0 and nitrite .05 (0ppm) I was think maybe a parasite since he seemed to want my hermit to clean him....so i bought a cleaner shrimp. What are your thoughts.... Thanks mIke
<I think that all things being equal, that the tangs tail will heal. You could add some quality fish vitamins like VitaChem to encourage the process, but there's not really much you can do but be patient.
Cheers, J -- >

Kole tang discolored spot (can't figure this out)    3/27/06
  Hello guys, hate to be a pain, but I can't figure this out.  I have read about every tang disease I can find on your site (and looked at the pictures) and I just can't come to a conclusion about this.  I have had this kole tang for about a month, he is a very small fish 2-2.5 inches max
<Is very small! Am wondering who in HI has a mist/barrier net of such small mesh/draw that would collect such a specimen>
and I feel pretty good about keeping him alive up till this point since I have read any tang under 3 inches is extremely difficult to keep alive.
<In general, for most species, yes>
The tank is a 55 gallon with 1 false percula clown, kole tang, cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, flower anemone, and a neon green bubble tip anemone.
<Two species of anemones in this sized system is "asking for trouble">
A couple weeks ago he developed some small BB sized discolored spots (almost white do not look raised) well after a couple days they completely went away and left no holes or scares or anything, the clown seems to be absolutely fine.  Now today a new spot about the same size has appeared since last night, between his head and dorsal fin.  I work at a LFS and no one seems to know what this is.  I have been
feeding him spectrum pellets...
<Good product... high palatability, nutritional value>
its the only thing I can get him to eat, he has no interest in dried Nori (red or green) and I have very little algae in the tank so he is probably not getting enough "veggies" but I have tried feeding him about everything under the sun and he has no interest.  I have to put the spectrum pellets on a rock to get him to eat because he is so shy.  I have also been letting some natural sunlight on the tank for a couple hours a day which I have read helps HLLE, but I don't think that's what this is.
<Me neither>
All of my water parameters are fine, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 2.5, phosphate < 0.5.  Since I work at a LFS I am able to do plenty of water changes to keep my water at tip top shape.  So, what do you think, is this a vitamin problem?  Sorry about the lengthy email but I wanted to make sure I included everything.  Thank you for your time and a great site.
<Mmm, could "just" be stress... but the two anemones... could definitely be at play here... in efforts to "poison" each other, are likely mal-affecting your fishes. If nothing else, I would remove one of these... and soon. Bob Fenner>

Re: Kole tang discolored spot (can't figure this out)   4/1/06
  Thanks for the quick response sorry I was not able to thank you earlier...working 2 jobs 14 hours a day doesn't leave you much free time.  
<Yikes! Hope your commute is short... to allow sleeping time!>
I have returned the flower anemone to the store I work at and the tiny kole tang looks all better,  once again thanks for the quick response I really appreciate it.
<Ah, very welcome. Bob Fenner, who used to work long, continuous hours, and now plays about as long>

Sick Kole Tang   1/30/06
Hello!
       About two months ago my husband and I purchased a Kole Tang.  Our quarantine tank was set up by placing water from the main display tank into a 20 L.  We placed "used" filter media into the filtration unit and left the bottom bare.  A large PVC elbow was also placed in the tank for cover.   A few days after introducing the Kole to this system the nitrite levels were becoming toxic and obviously stressing our fish.  We did a 60-70% water change and kept monitoring the water quality.  Again the nitrite levels rose and stressed the fish (very rapid breathing, dark color change).  I had observed this fish at the LFS for a week before purchase and he did not exhibit any outward signs of illness/disease.  Even though I knew the stress he was suffering could cause a previous latent disease to manifest itself
<Well-stated>
I still felt that the best option at this point was to place him in the main display.  Six weeks go by in the main tank and by all outward appearances the Kole seemed to be doing
well.  Although finicky, he would eat Sea Veggies and Spirulina flakes with a gusto that matched that of our Oscars.  Formula Two frozen was offered repeatedly but he didn't seem too enthused with it.  In the meantime I tried to find a source of Formula Two flakes.  I typically give everyone (12 tanks) a thorough visual check up at least once a day, often times more.
<Good practice>
  Unfortunately two days went by where I was unable to do this and, being held firmly in the grip of Murphy's Law, this is when disaster struck.  When I saw the Kole he looked like he had been dropped in a pile of dust bunnies.
<Yikes>
  After checking the water parameters in the previously mentioned quarantine tank  I moved him (to quarantine).  Upon very close inspection he had clear, round, raised bumps all over his body in addition to the "cotton like" patches.  After investigating the archives of WWM media I concluded that I should treat him for parasites and fungal infection.  I added Fungus Clear and Parasite Clear (Jungle
Products) to the water.
<These are not efficacious here>
  Over the next few days he started to look better.  By the end of the treatment period indicated on the package, our Kole looked pale but only had a few minute areas of fungus left.  We performed the recommended water change and treated again for fungus.  The package directions indicated that this would be OK.  After the second treatment he looked pale and had less of an appetite but looked free from disease.  Great, I thought, I'll perform a water change and leave him there for a little while.  During these treatments we were testing the water quality with a reagent kit.  PH =8.2,  Ammonia=0, Nitrites=0,  Nitrates=30 were the regular readings.  I thought all was going relatively well until he started to look worse.  The fungus and clear bumps returned with a vengeance.  His skin also started to get dark, sub dermal patches.  Then the ammonia and nitrite levels started to rise.  I had placed a different thermometer in the tank after the last water change and
consequently noticed that there were wide variances in water temperature too.  It seemed as though the main display was the only place where I could keep the tank parameters stable enough to effect a cure. So out goes the live rock, in goes the Kole.  I have read the WWM archives for hours trying to find out what exactly is wrong with our Kole
<Mmm, w/o a microscopic exam. it is not worth definitive speculation... but could be a number of external parasites here... a prophylactic dip/bath enroute to either quarantine and/or your main tank would have been useful here>
and what the best method for treatment is.  I'm confused, frustrated and mostly heartbroken because it seems that my best intentions only lead to the further demise of our Kole.  There are a wide variety of answers by many different people in the WWM archives.  It is a great resource however a novice or amateur aquarist such as myself can find it difficult to know which course of action is the most appropriate.  I'm hoping you can suggest a solution that will help us, it would be much appreciated.   Thank you.
Sincerely,
  Christina
<Thank you for writing so well... clear and thoroughly. At this point, if you have "other water" from a non-contaminated "clean" system, I would move the Kole out of the present treatment system, lightly bleach/wash, sterilize it, add the "used water", prepare a slightly dilute (1.022 spg) bath with ten drops of 37% formalin/formaldehyde (37% solution) per gallon, add aeration and leave the Kole in this for five minutes, moving it to its re-made quarters... Wait three days and begin a copper treatment... chelated will be better than free cupric ion... with testing... for three weeks. Bob Fenner>

Kole Tang - 01/03/2006
Hey guys,
<Hi Tate.>
My Kole that I have had for 5 months started looking a little odd earlier this week, but it did not occur to me that he may be sick. He was just a little bit lighter in color than usual in the early morning and the rest of the day he would be a nice rich color.
<Possibly just the normal, "night" color.>
Today I noticed that he has spots of the discoloration around his head and I am wondering if this is a sign of some sickness, or if he is just simply changing color for some unknown reason.
<Bad signs IMO. Diet is often an issue with these, have you researched HLLE? Other nutrition related disease?>
The only thing that I have changed in the last couple of weeks is the lighting schedule, and that was a fairly sizeable change.
<Probably stressed your livestock as well.>
I will probably do a 20% water change when I get home this evening just to help out.
<Good start, but do research that diet info. Are you heavily feeding greens (like you would a Yellow Tang) by chance?>
Thanks in advance.
Tate
<You're welcome. - Josh>

Re: Kole Tang EMERGENCY  12/24/05
I e-mailed yesterday about a Kole tang that has an ich infestation.
James instructed to catch him and treat him with copper.  Unable to
catch him last night, I added a cleaner shrimp and a dose of Marine Max
- as suggested by my LFS based on his experience with the product.  
Dilemma of the night - he LOOKS better - better color, looks like he may
have eaten, fewer and smaller ich spots,<Fewer ich spots doesn't mean the parasite is waning.  Once they enlarge they burst into many more individual cells that will be looking for a host very soon.> etc.  But, he is resting
upright on the sand against a rock and breathing pretty hard. <Doesn't sound very good to me.>
Will a possible chase tonight be his doom before the ich?  The better
color is a big mixed message! <Yes it is.  As I said earlier, if you don't catch and treat he is going to die anyway, so the choice is yours.  Rarely will non-copper based medications cure a fish infested with ich.>  Still try to catch him and treat with
copper?  I just don't know where he stands at this point.  Please advise
ASAP - I know - it's two days before Christmas - so I really appreciate
your help that much more. <I've been advising but apparently you don't want the hassle of removing him which is going to require removal of most rock so the stress from the catch is minimal. Do quarantine future purchases for at least 30 days. James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks,
Misty