Filefish has laceration

[VintageReefer]

My filefish today has a laceration on the side. He would be nearly impossible to catch. What should I do

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

 

[VintageReefer]

This is a fresh wound. It wasn’t there yesterday afternoon.

Noticed this morning

 

[Uncle99]

Nice little gash! Is that a tang tail swipe?
I did absolutely nothing in the same situation, actually, mine was longer and wider.

It took a month to be completely healed to the point where nothing could seen.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Catching and moving to a qt would be ideal but otherwise all you can do is watch and see. Assuming it doesn’t get infected, it should be all healed in a few weeks.

 

[Katze]

Hello!

In my opinion you should not stress the fish, stressing them would make healing slow down and making them susceptible to infections.
Stress factors: excessive aggression, rearranging their hiding place
I really wouldn't recommend moving them to quarantine except if the wound gets infected.
Adding vitamins and such to their food will help with recovery, perhaps additional target feeding too.
Also, do you have surgeonfish ? The wound reminds me to a cut from a tang.

 

[VintageReefer]

I have a tomini tang who is extremely shy and shows no aggression.

 

[Sharkbait19]

It does look like a hit from a tang - it’s possible it got the firefish on accident.

 

[VintageReefer]

I’m wondering if he darted into a rock hole that was too narrow, or if he was spooked and just didn’t align into a rock crevice properly

 

[VintageReefer]

Do tomonis have the tail barb?

I’ve had yellow tang in the past and the barb was white and obvious. Im looking at my tomini and don’t see one

 

[Reefering1]

X4 tang tail strike. Should look better by the day if no infection

 

[Reefering1]

Do tomonis have the tail barb?

I’ve had yellow tang in the past and the barb was white and obvious. Im looking at my tomini and don’t see one

It's that bump at the base of the tail. Some surgeon fish have retractable scalpel, like a cat's nail

 

[VintageReefer]

My shyest fish somehow injured my second shyest fish

I can just see something like a frag plug falling before I wake up, spooking these two knuckleheads, then them grazing each other as they both frantically scramble to hide

 

[Reefering1]

It should look better by tomorrow if that all this is. Still visible but clearly healing

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I also see what appears to be damage from a tang tail swipe. However, I also see a number of white spots that could be ich trophonts (first two pictures). Those could be spots on the tank glass, or dust stuck to the fish, but it does look like ich to me.

 

[VintageReefer]

I also see what appears to be damage from a tang tail swipe. However, I also see a number of white spots that could be ich trophonts (first two pictures). Those could be spots on the tank glass, or dust stuck to the fish, but it does look like ich to me.

Picture taken during a sand storm

 

[VintageReefer]

I cleaned my class and stirred up sand

See all the sand particles in the water

They just for in front of the fish/on the fish during the photos. I was cleaning glass when I noticed the gash

Added the sand settled it’s like this

 

[VintageReefer]

@Jay Hemdal kuat want to thank you and let you know I appreciate your help and advice. And respect your opinion

I do think it was just sand in the water column and a grain or two stuck on the fish temporarily, but I will keep an eye out.

Assuming tang swipe, is there anything I need to do to prevent infection ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal kuat want to thank you and let you know I appreciate your help and advice. And respect your opinion

I do think it was just sand in the water column and a grain or two stuck on the fish temporarily, but I will keep an eye out.

Assuming tang swipe, is there anything I need to do to prevent infection ?

Just watch for the lesion growing larger, or becoming reddish or whiteish in color. If it becomes infected, then treatment with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic in a treatment tank (like Neomycin, or maybe Kanamycin - but that is more toxic).