rossco Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 This SW stuff is tough! Just when I thought I was getting on top of my white spot my yellow tang goes off his food a few days ago and today puts his toes up. He was the second yellow tang I've lost in as many months so the pathologist came out in me...(not that I am actually one). I was very surprised to find that his stomach contents was one huge fur ball! About the size of my little finger nail. We have the usual cats and dogs around. I am pretty sure this was the cause of his demise. No other sign of ill health other than being off his food. Also consistent with him from day one being a great grazer and hairs in the tank would be more attractive to an algae eater? Lesson for me: - keep my hair (mine and others) covered arms out of the fish tank - keep tank covered as much as possible - be ultra careful not to introduce hairs etc when doing water changes etc Am I 'grasping at hairs' or do you guys think there could be some logic to what I am concluding....? Wifey wasn't pleased when I said we have to get rid of the cat! :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 Are sure it wasn't worms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted November 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 Yup pretty sure they be hairs/fibres, The analyst also came out in me - I can identify cat hairs, dog hairs, and fibres. Even the odd human hair - definitely nothing short & curly. Too hard for the tang to swallow...About 60% is actually various fibres such as the carpet. Thinking back, silly me use to drop the towel on the carpet and regularly wiped the drips off my arms when I was working in the tank. Probably put more hair/fibres in to the tank than water that I wiped off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 That could be a very useful post Rossco! Looks like the poor little guy gradually got a gutful & couldn't pass them. Maybe something we should all be mindful of. Perhaps it would be worth others who lose fish to open them & see what's in their stomach so we can find if this is a common problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 interesting stuff...... what made you want to cut him open? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted November 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 Hi Cracker Must have been the farming background coming out in me. If you have 'unexplained' deaths in stock an autopsy is one of the first considerations - usually by a trained vet though! worm burdens can also be a cause of death in other animals but also eating the wrong sort of stuff. As I understand it, cattle can become quite ill and die through the accumulation of chewing and eating stuff like plastic rubbish, bailing twine and the like. Even bits of metal debris ingested while grazing. It ends up in a ball that blocks passage of food and digestion and/or causes peritonitis (inflammation of gut wall). As you will find out in this forum, I hate speculating, I want to know WHY so I can deal with things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 Just as well you are nosey Now you can fix the cause!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 i dont think the fish will be ok Fay..... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted November 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 The tank just isn't the same without an 'ich magnet'. Now I just have to work out how to build a lint trap into my system... or keep my lint magnets out of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 i dont think the fish will be ok Fay..... THE OTHER FISH DUMMY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 The tank just isn't the same without an 'ich magnet'. Now I just have to work out how to build a lint trap into my system... or keep my lint magnets out of it... Hey Rossco, Are you feeding the Tangs Nori sheets everyday or two? I think you'll find the roughage from Nori will push anything through their system. I feed Nori every other day. they love it. Quite an important food source for them. you can get it from your local chinese goods shop for next to nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 SOME FISH ARE ONLY "ICH" MAGENTS IF THEY ARE CARRYING IT, OR IF YOUR TANK IS A CARRIER. IF NOT, THEY WILL NOT GET ICH. I AM GOING TO PROVE THIS OVER THE NEXT 6 TO 8 MONTHS. WATCH THIS SPACE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted November 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Looking forward to following your progress. I only recently started to introduce the tangs to nori and it was probably too late to help what had already developed. I think the main thing for me will be to develop an understanding, form a view, and then follow a process. As it is now, there is a lot of reaction and not enough prevention! All the sharings are greatly appreciated - even with the 'lively' debate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Hmmm, I should probably start feeding my tang Nori. Got a pack of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Hmmm, I should probably start feeding my tang Nori. Got a pack of it... thanks for letting us all know that Ira, make sure you show us photo's of your Nori sheets too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Here you go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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