Bite marks on my blue tang?

[namlessdude]

Hello,

I woke up today to check on the blue tang i have in qt to find these marks on him. They are on both sides but not symmetrical.

The tang is currently in a 5 gallon qt tank with a clown. They have been together for about a week and a half as they both are getting treated for ick.

Is this bite marks from the clown on the tang?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

#fishmedic

 

[littlefoxx]

Hello,

I woke up today to check on the blue tang i have in qt to find these marks on him. They are on both sides but not symmetrical.

The tang is currently in a 5 gallon qt tank with a clown. They have been together for about a week and a half as they both are getting treated for ick.

Is this bite marks from the clown on the tang?

How big is the tang? And how big is the clown? It does kinda look like a bite mark but the clown would have to be a good siE to do that I would think. Any rocks or anything in the tank? Hippos try to wedge themselves in weird and (most of the time) too small spots and can get injured. At least the ones Ive had do, really dumb fish to be honest lol. Not a fish medic though so lets tag them

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 @MnFish1

 

[namlessdude]

How big is the tang? And how big is the clown? It does kinda look like a bite mark but the clown would have to be a good siE to do that I would think. Any rocks or anything in the tank? Hippos try to wedge themselves in weird and (most of the time) too small spots and can get injured. At least the ones Ive had do, really dumb fish to be honest lol. Not a fish medic though so lets tag them

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 @MnFish1

I did add a new rock to the qt tank thinking itd halep them hide. Its a relatively small rock (about 2 lbs) but it is pretty rough as it is new. The clown is the same size as the clown (around 1.5 inch).

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello,

I woke up today to check on the blue tang i have in qt to find these marks on him. They are on both sides but not symmetrical.

The tang is currently in a 5 gallon qt tank with a clown. They have been together for about a week and a half as they both are getting treated for ick.

Is this bite marks from the clown on the tang?

Hard to see through a net and need clearer pics. What other fish are in the tank with it and do you by chance have an urchin?
Would a clown inflict bite marks - Yes

 

[littlefoxx]

I did add a new rock to the qt tank thinking itd halep them hide. Its a relatively small rock (about 2 lbs) but it is pretty rough as it is new. The clown is the same size as the clown (around 1.5 inch).

Ah, that seems big for a clown bite of that size (seen a few since I have clowns that bite ME lol). Im wondering if he scraped himself on the rock. They will try to slide under rocks. Lost one hippo to that actually, dude scraped himself up really bad and the wounds got really infected since he hid after getting innured

 

[namlessdude]

Here's a better pic. He's stressed and he's acting dead. He was swimming and eating fine up until i tried to catch him this morning to take the pic so the bite doesnt seem to effect him. His colors has been fading a way for a few days no which im also not sure why. This guy has been a lot of maintenance since day one...

I added a pic of the rock as well.

 

[littlefoxx]

Here's a better pic. He's stressed and he's acting dead. He was swimming and eating fine up until i tried to catch him this morning to take the pic so the bite doesnt seem to effect him. His colors has been fading a way for a few days no which im also not sure why. This guy has been a lot of maintenance since day one...

I added a pic of the rock as well.

Rock is a little sharp, maybe? And yeah I agree with that

 

[namlessdude]

Rock is a little sharp, maybe? And yeah I agree with that

I have removed the clown and the rock and left the tang along. I will leave him to heal alone.

Any idea why his colors are fading away? This happened before he was injured

 

[littlefoxx]

I have removed the clown and the rock and left the tang along. I will leave him to heal alone.

Any idea why his colors are fading away? This happened before he was injured

Thats beyond my knowledge, thats where jay or vetteguy would come in since you said you were treating ich. I dont know enough about fish illnesses to say if thats related to the injury, illness or its just stress.

 

[namlessdude]

Thats beyond my knowledge, thats where jay or vetteguy would come in since you said you were treating ich. I dont know enough about fish illnesses to say if thats related to the injury, illness or its just stress.

No worries and thank you for your help! I will wait to hear back from them hopefully soon!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

No worries and thank you for your help! I will wait to hear back from them hopefully soon!

I can only really see that one large lesion. Seems pretty big to be a clownfish bite. Fish don't scrape themselves on coral (this species lives between coral branches naturally) but *maybe* if it got really frightened it might have run into something? The 5 gallon is really small to quarantine a tang like this in.

I'm worried this could be a bacterial infection stemming from a minor scrape or bite. Just make sure it isn't growing larger by the day.....

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have removed the clown and the rock and left the tang along. I will leave him to heal alone.

Any idea why his colors are fading away? This happened before he was injured

Good move as I see a possible pattern from clownfish bite. Does not have to be round and not consistent with rock scrape or injury but can be other injury such as stony coral

 

[Dburr1014]

Good move to seperate them.
They are the same size and to small of a tank.
When I think hippo tang, I think big tang. So, I can see this could be a bite mark of a same size clown.

I would be very proactive treating that fish. I don't think, or wouldn't take the chance on it healing itself. Things can go south real quick.

 

[namlessdude]

Good move to seperate them.
They are the same size and to small of a tank.
When I think hippo tang, I think big tang. So, I can see this could be a bite mark of a same size clown.

I would be very proactive treating that fish. I don't think, or wouldn't take the chance on it healing itself. Things can go south real quick.

How would you recommend i treat her? My options are limited as im in canada and any meds need vet's prescription.

Also the 5 gallon is all i had at the time. I am putting togethr a 10 gallon as a qt now to prepare it to move but at this point thatd only scare the fish more

 

[Dburr1014]

How would you recommend i treat her? My options are limited as im in canada and any meds need vet's prescription.

Also the 5 gallon is all i had at the time. I am putting togethr a 10 gallon as a qt now to prepare it to move but at this point thatd only scare the fish more

That's a question for the medics. I am not a medic. @Jay Hemdal

I'm just pointing out that infections can set in so you really should be proactive so that doesn't happen.

I saw Jay glossed over the bite mark but I don't think he saw they were the same size fish. I was just bringing that up again.

Good luck!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

How would you recommend i treat her? My options are limited as im in canada and any meds need vet's prescription.

Also the 5 gallon is all i had at the time. I am putting togethr a 10 gallon as a qt now to prepare it to move but at this point thatd only scare the fish more

In Canada, you won’t have standard aquarium medications available. Hyposalinity is always an option - it works for ich and flukes but not velvet;

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2024 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay