I just added a small yellow Tang to my tank and he/she went straight down and got stung by a Stichodactyla haddoni (fluorescent green carpet anemone). I can see the spot, a small white mark right before her tail. I can also see, what I assume to be the lateral line, a whitish line.
Will my tang survive??
She's still swimming around and appears to even be nipping at the glass and rock some.
I've read a lot telling about the sting but can find what happens after...
Chances are good the tank will be fine. I'd keep a close eye, feed well and keep your water in the best condition possible.
I must ask, since you posted this in the nano section, how big is your tank? A yellow tang (or any tang, for that matter) is not an appropriate fish for a nano.
I have macro-algae and copepods in the refugium. She seems to be nipping at things. It might be hard since I just added her... Can you suggest a 'can't resist' that I can offer.
She is staying pretty well to the back lower part of the tank. Although she has gone real close to the anemone a couple of times!!
Should I do anything specific that might help her stress/injury with the temp (77.6F) lights or water...i.e: keep lights off, slow current...
I did turn off an extra powerhead.
This is a 40g - I have 3 others (5,5,12)...I guess I should have posted elsewhere? I was kind of in a panic How big can nano go?
* TANK DIMENSIONS: (L)24" x (W)20" x (H)20".
*150w 14,000k with 2 x 24w Actinics supplements
* (2) ) LED-HO 2 watt moonlights.
*Full size direct-skim refugium on back
* Refugium Dimensions (L)23" x (W)5" x (H)19.5".
* PC light strip for refugium.
anything you can add would be greatly appreciated!
that tank is to small for that fish, as Phurst has said. tangs need ALOT of swimming space and a 40 can not provide that for them. not to mention that the will easily outgrow that tank. i would not be surprised if you contract ICH with that fish in that tank. sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but trade him in on something more acceptable for a tank the size of yours.
__________________ Bobby
"I FORMERLY glued animals to rocks" NO TANK RIGHT NOW, but you never know when I might throw one together !! I have everything I need but the time!!
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sorry, i also meant to say that i do not think the tang was stung. yellow tangs have a white spot just before their tail, it is a normal trait among them. the lateral line that you are seeing could have been a preexisting condition that was enhanced by the stress of being in the small tank. there is little known as to why MHLLE (marine head and lateral line erosion) happens, but many believe that it is due to stress and malnutrition.
i did not mean to "kick you while you were down", but everything that you are describing sounds to me like the tang is showing signs of stress from being in such a small tank. so in a round about way ... i DID offer help for the "right now" situation. the tank is likely the cause of the problems.
__________________ Bobby
"I FORMERLY glued animals to rocks" NO TANK RIGHT NOW, but you never know when I might throw one together !! I have everything I need but the time!!
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The spot you are seeing may be normal on a YT. Are you sure you are not seeing the diamond shaped spot that most YTs have where their tail meets the body? If the the tang really did get stung, I dont think there is much that can be done about it other than wait and see.
I just got her today, about 2 hours before my post. So I doubt my 40g is the cause of her/his stress.
She/he is 2 1/2" and I planned to have her in a larger tank before she's 4".
Any way we can get a pic of the wound? I agree with poppin_fresh that if it was stung, there's not really anything that can be done. If it's still alive and acting somewhat normaly, then the sting isn't going to kill it. You'll still need to keep pristine water conditions and keep it well fed in order to let the wound heal up without getting infected.
My YT goes nuts for nori and mysis, and they're both fairly nutritious.
I'll just add, (and I'm not preaching here), that at 2.5" the tang has already outgrown your tank.
Acclimation: I floated her for 20 min. then added 1/3 cup of my tank water, I waited 5-8 min. added another 1/3 cup and continued this until the bag was full - poured off half and start the same process until the bag was full again - poured off 3/4 and added her to the tank.
I think your right about not being stung. The YT is swimming around and nipping at rock and glass. Thanks Poppin-Fresh and Phurst for the support. I saw her jump after touching it and just assumed... another dumb move. That's 3 for those counting. What started as a very exciting day for me has really crashed. I guess you could say I'm really stressed from this really small tank... I'll put myself in hiding.
dont hide, i am in no way trying to "bash" you ... that is not my style. i am just trying to help you understand WHY things are going the way they are.
if it makes you feel any better ... when i first started in the hobby, i had a tang in a 55 !! that tank was to small too, but i did not know. so i am NOT blaming, bashing, or condemning you. just trying to help you. i would suggest that you ask here before adding anything to your tank. we will tell you what the requirements are for that species that you are looking into. MOST LFSs are in it for the money and only want to sell you something, even if they know it is going to die in a week. we , on the other hand, have nothing to gain and will try our best to help you keep from wasting money.
__________________ Bobby
"I FORMERLY glued animals to rocks" NO TANK RIGHT NOW, but you never know when I might throw one together !! I have everything I need but the time!!
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eesh. ouch photojohn. i had that happen with a puffer in a 16g tank. that was dumb of me.....of course this was riiiight when i started saltwater....i also had a couple clowns in there...not to mention 2 hippo tangs. BOY WAS THAT A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. i wish i had found this site sooner..haha
but anyway yes, this site is very good when it comes to somebody making a mistake (such as being new and putting a fish in too small of a tank) nobody here will really bash on you because were all there once. at first you may think thy are out to get you, but really, they just go by the rules here about how much space a fish truly needs to thrive in a tank. when i first started on this site i posted a mistake of mine...and i was afraid to even come back and post a reply...but i did, and when i realized how everyone on here is actually quite helpful....i would turn here before going to ask my lfs. because there are some reefers on here who have been in the hobby it longer than ive been living. lol
but anyway, please, stick around, read some other random posts where somebody had a small tank with a large fish or messy one, you will see how everyone gets warned about the disaster that could happen. and it will help u learn how everyone responds to something on the forums.
OK im done with my inspirational speech.... hope you enjoyed it.... buh bye!.
I hope your tang does better with each and every day, as I can imagine your anxiety over your new tank buddy. Also, sometimes there are pre-existing conditions and ailments that livestock have before you ever purchase them, that does not become apparent until after the fact. For this reason, many hobbiest choose to use a QT for newly aquired purchases before placing them into their DT. I am glad that you show concern for your new friend and I look forward to hearing more updates on your tank. Happy Reefing!
My LFS is probably like many in that the information they provide is sketchy at best and motivated by making money. They told me when I was new to SW that a yellow tang, hippo tang, and a CCB would all be fine in my 46g! Along with bad lighting advice and other live stock blunders I have decided trust no LFS, but to research everything myself and ask people here.
Tang Stung 
and got stung by a Stichodactyla haddoni (fluorescent green carpet anemone). I can see the spot, a small white mark right before her tail. I can also see, what I assume to be the lateral line, a whitish line.
with any advise!! 
How big can nano go?
icon under their name to add to their reputation. 
OUCH!
Hello Blosserl! 
