I think my tang had a stroke!! Need suggestions?

teguc1 · 01/17/2006, 06:01 PM

So i feed my fish at like 3:00 (nori) and about 10 minutes later my yellow tang starts acting like something is wrong in his head. He starts bangin his head against the glass and rocks, swimming in a circle, and then lays himself against a piece of rock like he's exhausted and breathing heavy. Never seen anything like it before. I let him sit for about 15 min and he ended up at the back of the tank at the bottom wedged between a rock and the glass. I pulled him out and put him in the refugium. I've had him for about 3 weeks without any problems, no ich, no nothing. I've got 2 other fish in the tank one blue tang and one marroon clown. Neither is sick. Got any suggestions? What can I do or is it hopeless?

Pandora · 01/18/2006, 10:45 AM

Though you don't see external signs of ich, I think that's causing the behavior you're seeing. In tangs, if there is something irritating their skin, they will act exactly as you see it acting... especially if the problem is anywhere near their lateral line pores; this affects their ability to direct themselves while swimming, and that combined with the scratching motion will lead to erratic crashing, and subsequently, the behavior of laying on the side out of exhaustion.

john rochon · 01/18/2006, 10:56 AM

I think also sometimes internal parasites might be a cause of this and /or bad water conditions.

Amphiprion · 01/18/2006, 12:48 PM

It may sound crazy, but fish are fully capable of overexciting themselves. This can lead to what may possibly be heart failure or stroke. I have observed this in previously stressed individuals that were suddenly excited in some way (food, net, etc.). They frantically move with a rapid, twitchy motion and in some cases, they even turn white and drop to the bottom of the tank. Sometimes they can be "resuscitated" by moving them back and forth to restore water flow across their gills (since the gills may not be functioning). This doesn't always work and sometimes the fish will just die anyway.

Pandora · 01/18/2006, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amphiprion
It may sound crazy, but fish are fully capable of overexciting themselves. This can lead to what may possibly be heart failure or stroke. I have observed this in previously stressed individuals that were suddenly excited in some way (food, net, etc.). They frantically move with a rapid, twitchy motion and in some cases, they even turn white and drop to the bottom of the tank. Sometimes they can be "resuscitated" by moving them back and forth to restore water flow across their gills (since the gills may not be functioning). This doesn't always work and sometimes the fish will just die anyway.

Heh, what you're describing is a fish going into shock secondary to environmental stress. They don't have heart attacks or strokes the way people do (fish don't suffer from atherosclerosis... not an opinion, had a background in ichthyology and now work in human medicine). YOU on the other hand, can lower your risk of both by eating more fish.

Internal parasites are a possibility, but usually this behavior has to do with neurologic problems caused by irritation of their lateral line system. FYI, they also respond to toxin exposure in much the same way.

01/17/2006, 06:01 PM	#1
teguc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: eugene, ore Posts: 73	I think my tang had a stroke!! Need suggestions? So i feed my fish at like 3:00 (nori) and about 10 minutes later my yellow tang starts acting like something is wrong in his head. He starts bangin his head against the glass and rocks, swimming in a circle, and then lays himself against a piece of rock like he's exhausted and breathing heavy. Never seen anything like it before. I let him sit for about 15 min and he ended up at the back of the tank at the bottom wedged between a rock and the glass. I pulled him out and put him in the refugium. I've had him for about 3 weeks without any problems, no ich, no nothing. I've got 2 other fish in the tank one blue tang and one marroon clown. Neither is sick. Got any suggestions? What can I do or is it hopeless? __________________ "practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." -vince lombardii Current Tank Info: 220 cichlid, 50 empty

01/18/2006, 10:45 AM	#2
Pandora Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland near DC Posts: 1,706	Though you don't see external signs of ich, I think that's causing the behavior you're seeing. In tangs, if there is something irritating their skin, they will act exactly as you see it acting... especially if the problem is anywhere near their lateral line pores; this affects their ability to direct themselves while swimming, and that combined with the scratching motion will lead to erratic crashing, and subsequently, the behavior of laying on the side out of exhaustion. __________________ Where are we going... And why am I in this handbasket? Current Tank Info: 75gal reef tank, 30 gal octopus tank, Other: 75gal planted Amazon tank

01/18/2006, 12:48 PM	#4
Amphiprion Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 6,611	It may sound crazy, but fish are fully capable of overexciting themselves. This can lead to what may possibly be heart failure or stroke. I have observed this in previously stressed individuals that were suddenly excited in some way (food, net, etc.). They frantically move with a rapid, twitchy motion and in some cases, they even turn white and drop to the bottom of the tank. Sometimes they can be "resuscitated" by moving them back and forth to restore water flow across their gills (since the gills may not be functioning). This doesn't always work and sometimes the fish will just die anyway. __________________ You've done it now, haven't you? Current Tank Info: 40g breeder patch reef w/ seagrass; 2-250w XM 10K; Vortech MP40wES & MP10wES; BM Curve 7 skimmer; carbon & occasional GFO

01/18/2006, 10:56 AM	#3
john rochon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: canada Posts: 2,082	I think also sometimes internal parasites might be a cause of this and /or bad water conditions.