Sick Powder Brown Tang (Ich and Popeye)

[ryangorney]

I have a Powder Brown Tang which had Ich last week. I treated the fish and it cleared up however it appears that it developed what I believe is called popeye.

Some history:
90 Gallon Tank with Live Rock
In the process of converting bottom from crushed coral to sand.

I started replacing the coral on Thursday. I put the fish into a smaller tank while the cloudyness setteled down. After I returned the fish to the tank the Tang kept bumping into the rock and the lion fish. A day later her eye looked much larger and formed a white film. I did a fresh water dip with Formalin and Methlene Blue. The eye looked a little better last night but about back to bad this afternoon. She is also not eating. Tried flake, brine, broccoli, and a piece of raw shrimp. All levels in the tank are normal but I am going to do a 20% change anyway. Not sure of next steps.

 

[dustin_P74]

pop eye usually clears its self on its own, and to get the PBT to eat again try soaking the food in garlic extract to stimulate a feeding response

 

[Bifferwine]

Dustin is right, popeye will usually go away by itself with no lasting effects. It can, however, be fatal if it impairs the fish's vision enough that it stops eating. Your fish isn't eating, so you really need to get that happening. Soaking the food in garlic extract will help. What was it eating before it got sick? Try some dried seaweed sheets and mysis too (or other varieties of frozen food). Flake foods just aren't that appetizing -- frozen is much yummier.

If that doesn't work, you may want to try catching the fish and quarantining it, if you have a hospital tank. There are several medications that purport to "cure" popeye -- you could try one of those out in the hospital tank.

If the fish doesn't start eating, it's not looking good for him, unfortunately. The truth is, those fish are very sensitive and sickly, and come down with stuff very easily. They are not easy fish to keep healthy.

 

[ryangorney]

Thank you both for the suggestions. Unfortunately the fish died today :(. Any suggestions on a good and "sturdy" tang replacement?

 

[yote]

Sorry about the loss.
I like the Atlantic Blue Tangs.

 

[dustin_P74]

any of the zebrasoma tangs are great fish