My tang is blind?

[bigdeeezy]

i actually picked up a clown tang over at aquarium showroom yesterday and it seems like it is blind because its swimming around bumping into rocks and the glass and will not flinch wen i tap on the glass...i used the drip method to acclimate it for about an hour and water condition was same as the tank's...then put him in the display with no lighting...is this a common thing? anything i can do to really check if it is really blind or not? ???

 

[bigdeeezy]

no one knows?

 

[zambavi]

IMO i'd say it's less likely that he is blind and more likely that he has some sort of parasite or sickness that's causing him to behave that way. But... I'm no expert. :-

 

[Lyn]

When my Kole tang got really sick with Ich (he was litterally on deaths door), there was a point when he started swimming in circles with eyes fixed. It looked like he was blind, but there was no cloudyness to his eyes. I attributed it to brain damage from oxygen deprivation because his gills were so impacted from the Ich. I should tell you that prior to his circling, he layed flat on his side, barely moving for 2 days (except for the rapid gilling, of course). Then after circling for a bit, he lay down again for another day.

I also once brought home a tang from the LFS. The sales person put it in a tiny bag without O2, only air. I had my doubts about the bagging because I know that tangs are very active fish and probably use lots of oxygen. We didn't get home right away, and sure enough, that tang died the next day. Prior to that, whenever he did try to swim, he would bump into whatever was in front of him.

I'm sorry for your tang. I do hope it recovers.

 

[bigdeeezy]

[quote author=Lyn link=topic=5838.msg73266#msg73266 date=1231391367]
When my Kole tang got really sick with Ich (he was litterally on deaths door), there was a point when he started swimming in circles with eyes fixed. It looked like he was blind, but there was no cloudyness to his eyes. I attributed it to brain damage from oxygen deprivation because his gills were so impacted from the Ich. I should tell you that prior to his circling, he layed flat on his side, barely moving for 2 days (except for the rapid gilling, of course). Then after circling for a bit, he lay down again for another day.

I also once brought home a tang from the LFS. The sales person put it in a tiny bag without O2, only air. I had my doubts about the bagging because I know that tangs are very active fish and probably use lots of oxygen. We didn't get home right away, and sure enough, that tang died the next day. Prior to that, whenever he did try to swim, he would bump into whatever was in front of him.

I'm sorry for your tang. I do hope it recovers.
[/quote]

yea the thing is my tang does not show any kind of signs of ich and he hasnt been laying down anywhere...he actually has been swimming around all night last night and is still swimming around as of now like an energizer bunny...LoL hes been knocking over a couple of my corals today...hopefully he gets better...if not Max said he was going to take care of it...<---- Great guy right there!!!

 

[Lyn]

"Max said he was going to take care of it...<---- Great guy right there!!!"

I love responsible people, don't you?

 

[bigdeeezy]

i sure do!!! just hope the tang pulls through so i dont have to bring it back

 

[sfsuphysics]

eye flukes perhaps?

 

[Lyn]

How is your tang today?

 

[zambavi]

A quick thought. This is in your 75g right? It may be best to let Max take him back for it's health in general. IMHO it is my understanding that these guys need like 150-200g + to be happy and healthy. I believe they are also considered difficult to keep and very aggresive... especially towards any other tangs. I by no means want to be labeled as "Tang Police" here but he may have a very difficult time staying healthy at your current tank size. I know I'd love to have one but wouldn't put him in my 120g. Just a thought... good luck with him. I hope he pulls through.

 

[bigdeeezy]

[quote author=Lyn link=topic=5838.msg73390#msg73390 date=1231449011]
How is your tang today?
[/quote]

he looks to be doing a little bit better...less bumping into stuff but he is still bumping into things. Ill try to give it a couple of more days or so or until he starts eating then ill be satisfied.

 

[bigdeeezy]

[quote author=zambavi link=topic=5838.msg73392#msg73392 date=1231449525]
A quick thought. This is in your 75g right? It may be best to let Max take him back for it's health in general. IMHO it is my understanding that these guys need like 150-200g + to be happy and healthy. I believe they are also considered difficult to keep and very aggresive... especially towards any other tangs. I by no means want to be labeled as "Tang Police" here but he may have a very difficult time staying healthy at your current tank size. I know I'd love to have one but wouldn't put him in my 120g. Just a thought... good luck with him. I hope he pulls through.
[/quote]

you know what you actually got a good point...i really never looked into the basic necessities that this tang needs and or look up its temperament and what not. I read on a site just now that the minimum tank size should be 90g...this guy is pretty small so i hope he'll get better if not than looks like i have to trade him in for that tomini tang that Max had at his store

 

[Euphyllia]

When I did freshwater, I had a blind corydoras catfish. You can tell they are blind by looking at their eyes. Is it white, no pupil, kinda puffy (not REALLY puffy, but like the size of another eye in front of that eye). My catfish had an eye it could see out of so he didn't bump into stuff. I have also read that tangs need a big aquarium. The smaller ones (5"-9") can do well in 75-100g, but bigger ones need about 150-200g (not an expert, but I do read the Pet Solution's magazine which gives this info)... That is pretty much all I know about tangs in general.

 

[bigdeeezy]

his eyes looks perfectly fine no cloudy or puffy eyes...you can clearly see the pupil etc...yea this guy is about 4-5 inches

 

[Lyn]

The problem with small tangs is that they GROW...

 

[johnnyairtime]

his eyes looks perfectly fine no cloudy or puffy eyes...you can clearly see the pupil etc...yea this guy is about 4-5 inches

I know this is old... but, I signed in... JUST TO ASK for an update!

I introduced a Clown Tang to my 240gal Reef last night, with 3 or 4 other fish. He swam around, and bumped into everything. Corals, fish, walls, rocks...etc.etc. Looked dark (his coloring) this morning, and was more or less sitting down on the sand bed... and maybe afraid to cruise around, being his head was all beat up from bumping into everything. He seems, to be 100% blind. No reaction to my hand, glass tapping, flashlight in his face... nothing.

PLEASE tell me this is temporary!!! I'd love to hear you had a good outcome!!!

(just so you know he's got lots of room... here's my tank a few months ago; http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/johnnyairtime/Fish-Tank/240%20gallon/HALIDES%20VS%20LEDS/da09b99a.jpg

 

[JAR]

Welcome.
Don't worry. What would you do if someone took from your house and put you in a 240 gallon tank
Leave the lights off and try not to stress the fish out.
Give em a few days to get used to it Johnny.