blue tang unable to swim off the sand bed

Stewajac · 01/23/2016, 01:54 PM

I've had my blue tang for about two years and I've noticed recently that when he swims he more or less slides along the bottom. He spends most of the day propped up between rocks or laying against the glass. he's always oriented upright, and never on his side. At one point i thought he was dead so i picked him up but then he moved his fin, so i placed him back in the tank. When i did so he tried to swim away but couldn't stay suspended in the water column and just sank. There's no sign of ICH on him or any of his other tank mates, and all of the other inhabitants are fine.
Any help in trying to find out whats wrong with him is much appreciated.

My tank is 180g, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are undetectable, the ph is 8.2-8.1, temperature is around 78-79, salinity is 1.024.

Stewajac · 01/23/2016, 04:38 PM

update: noticed spots where blue pigment was missing on his face

01/23/2016, 01:54 PM	#1
Stewajac Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 4	blue tang unable to swim off the sand bed I've had my blue tang for about two years and I've noticed recently that when he swims he more or less slides along the bottom. He spends most of the day propped up between rocks or laying against the glass. he's always oriented upright, and never on his side. At one point i thought he was dead so i picked him up but then he moved his fin, so i placed him back in the tank. When i did so he tried to swim away but couldn't stay suspended in the water column and just sank. There's no sign of ICH on him or any of his other tank mates, and all of the other inhabitants are fine. Any help in trying to find out whats wrong with him is much appreciated. My tank is 180g, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are undetectable, the ph is 8.2-8.1, temperature is around 78-79, salinity is 1.024.

01/23/2016, 04:38 PM	#2
Stewajac Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 4	update: noticed spots where blue pigment was missing on his face