stupid tangs

Hi, so I was just talking with badx about his past (often not good) experiences with tangs after getting my powder blue tang. it's been in my quarantine tank for 9 days now (got it last wednesday) and got around to a water change last night (had originally filled it with my main tank's water). I changed probably 30% of the water last night. I drained the old stuff quickly and added the new water with two airlines (siphon...but really slow) until the last bit that wasn't draining, I poured that in (less than 1/2 gallon). everything seemed fine.

now this morning I get up, flick on the light (stupid september being dark already) and see it kind of crooked on the bottom but starts to swim, so I figure it was just sleeping or something.

I get to work 30 minutes later and get a call from my wife that it's now resting against the pump intake (has a guard over it, so water is still moving)...not ok.

I ask her if she can 'scare' it off the filter...our beta (freshwater) has been known to just chillax against filter intakes. it scared off, but then it came to rest upside down kinda stuck on the bag of carbon...or so she says.

I don't get it. no meds, no evidence of sickness (until this morning), no other inhabitants. some algae (from a decoration I moved a week ago from the main tank), lots of prolifin, plus a mix of garlic pellets (formula one) and algae wafers (broken into pieces...probably 1/2 pellet at a feeding). Temp has been stable 79-80. SG this morning 1.023 (wife measured)

I haven't tested the other params, but after a 30% water change, I would assume they're fine. (a week ago they all came from my main tank which was fine, one 3" fish in a 10 gallon shouldn't throw them out of wack too fast).

lame, that thing was beautiful and freaking expensive too, but I'm sure it'll be toast when I get off

So Sorry to hear about the suddden issues.it would still be a good idea to check perameters just to rule everything out.you would be suprised to see how fast water chemistry changes in a enviroment without alot of biological bacteria. but i hear you on the fact that after the change things should be better.tangs dont like change but it also sounds to me that this is also unlikely.aww the mysterious salt water world.fingers crossed for you man.

ya, I'll probably check the params when I get home, but I'd be surprised, mostly just because it's a barebottom quarantine tank with essentially 0 detritus...I even siphoned the things that are in there and the bottom when I did the water change last night. and with the dripped new water addition, I thought I was totally safe. any other fish, I probably would have just poured the 3 gallons in.

$60 lost in 9 days...not happy

Looks like you're right...tested the tank and founf ammonia and nitrite (0.25 and 0.5). Thought maybe it was because the tabgs was decomposing, so i tested some of the old water (hadn't drained the bucket yet) and found the same levels. I used about 70%tank water when I started the quarantine tank...looks like that wasn't good enough.

Quarantining my fish killed it...makes it hard to remember why we quarantine anything...

Sorry for your loss! We've all been there.

sorry to hear about your tang. Weve all watched a newly acquired fish wither before our eyes at some point. A good way to avoid the ammonia and nitrite is to have a sponge filter bubbling behind your rock work or in a sump. That way when you get a new fish all you have to do is put the sponge filter in and you have an instant established filter! Then when the fish is introduced into the dt wash it off and start the cycle again. sorry again for your loss.