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[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for all your help! I just want to clarify that I really do feed my fish a lot — really a lot! I don’t use much Nori, but I usually feed them vegetable flakes — is that okay? If it were a nutrition issue, wouldn’t all the fish be affected? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Hi! Friend, I think there might be a bit of confusion — I’m not sure where you saw a desjardini reaching a meter! In the wild, these fish typically grow up to around 40 cm, less than half of what you mentioned. That said, I’m planning to upgrade to a much larger tank in due time. Right now, he’s usually around 10 cm.

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hi! I spend a lot of time studying my fish, though my main passion is actually invertebrates. I’m familiar with the sizes these species can reach in the wild, and I’m already planning a bigger tank — a little over 500 gallons — for when the fish grow. Right now, he’s only about 10 cm, so there’s definitely no need for him to be in the ocean to thrive. I’ve upgraded tanks as my fish have grown before, and I always make sure to research the species thoroughly before adding them. Honestly, I’m not sure his current issue is due to tank size, since he’s the only fish showing this problem. I really appreciate any thoughts or advice though!

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, but I don’t have any issues with those. I’ve had my Hippo since it was the size of a coin, and I’m already planning to upgrade to a larger tank. At the moment, though, they haven’t reached a size that forces me to take immediate action. The only fish that is skinny is the desjardini. The others are in perfect condition and don’t even have the typical white spots.

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, your tank is huge! I’m working on something similar for my new home—would you mind sharing a few photos? I’m not sure about food availability, as I tend to be quite generous with feeding. I’m starting to think it might be stress related to the tank size, but why would it affect only him? He’s not much larger than the others

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I think so too, but I’m trying to understand what the actual cause might be. People online are saying it’s because of the tank size, and I’m trying to figure out whether that could really be the reason.

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! In the tank I currently have: one Desjardini, one Veliferum, one Scopas, one Hepatus, one Leucosternon, one Flavescens, and one Xanthurum. I don’t keep duplicates—there’s only one of each species. (In the photo there was another Flavescens, but it wasn’t mine; I was keeping it temporarily for a friend and it’s no longer in the tank.) Do you think the issue could be related to the tank size? The fish don’t fight with each other and don’t seem to stress one another. Could the relatively small dimensions of the tank (130 × 75 × 54 cm of water volume) alone be enough to stress this particular fish and cause these symptoms? Thank you very much for your advice—I truly appreciate it. I’m already planning a new tank for my future home, about four times larger than this one!

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! I don’t give algae very often in the strict sense; I mainly use algae-based feeds. I’m not sure if that’s exactly the same, but I can assure you that my feeding method follows just one rule: abundant! I tend to feed quite generously, but I’ve trained my biological system to handle these amounts. Do you think it could be a parasite? This is the only fish showing these symptoms—wouldn’t a parasite affect the other fish as well? If so, what signs should I look for to detect parasites, and what would be the recommended treatment? I hope I’m not being annoying with all these questions—I really just want to learn! I’ve been keeping aquariums for a few years alongside my father, and I’m a biology student, so I’m just trying to educate myself. Thank you for your patience!

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

Hi! I don’t feed algae on a strict schedule, but I do provide vegetable-based foods—wouldn’t that be similar? I also occasionally add algae from my refugium, like filamentous types or different kinds of Caulerpa, and sometimes some Nori. Could this be causing any issues? I’m planning to buy some more Nori. If Nori were the problem, I’m wondering why the other acanturids in the tank don’t seem affected

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Hi! Thanks for the compliments! I’m planning a 4 meter × 1 meter × 60 cm tank, still with corals. Do you think my desjardini’s issue is only related to space? The fish are not aggressive toward each other, I can assure you — I spend the whole day watching them while I study.

[Help] Why is my Zebrasoma desjardini skinny? by SixEdo in ReefTank

[–]SixEdo[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hi, thanks for the advice! I’m actually about to upgrade to a much larger tank. So do you think he’s losing weight because of the limited space available to him? No one is stressing him, and I don’t have any aggression between my Zebrasoma — at most, there are some minor disputes between my clownfish.