HELP! Purple tang almost eaten by nem!

Reef Breeders · Jan 3, 2012

I walked into my tank room to find the circuit tripped. When I turned it back on, I could not find my purple tang. I looked in my nem, a 13" carpet, and saw his tail, so I slowely pulled him out to find him alive, but in real bad shape. How can I help him heal? about 25% of scales are gone, and about 90% are ripped to pieces. he is staying upright, but cannot swim right yet.

Please help my favorite fish out! I will be getting rid of that nem ASAP!

Reed639 · Jan 3, 2012

Well Do You Have A Quarantine Tank Set Up?

Fish_guy_brian · Jan 3, 2012

Carpets are real bad stings. He will probably be a goner. Keep in hospital tank with good water quality. Hope for the best. Sorry.

Keep your friends close. Keep your anemones closer

Aquaph8 · Jan 3, 2012

I have yet to see one survive after bad stings. Best of luck, I hope he makes it for you.

Reef-a-holic · Jan 3, 2012

I'm afraid I would agree...after going "head to head" with a carpet I wouldn't expect him to pull through. That sux...hope you can prove me wrong, LOL!

Reef Breeders · Jan 3, 2012

Me too, I thought he was dead before I even grabbed him, he has plenty of vigor, so i'm crossing my fingers.

VelasCorals · Jan 3, 2012

Isn't there a dip or something he can use? Doesn't melafix help with infections and wounds. Maybe setup a 10 gallon and treat the water with some meds and air stones?

I hope your fish pulls through.

Reef Breeders · Jan 3, 2012

I will try throwing an airstone in with him overnight, I have him up high in the dt in a specemin container.

VelasCorals · Jan 3, 2012

Here's a little encouragement of how tuff these fish can be...

I had a 1" baby hippo tang stuck in the inlet of a powerhead for a day in a qt before I found him. He was bent like a "U" swimming in circles for a few days. The little guy straightened out and then thad a big sore in it's side. The fish ended up living.

Reef Breeders · Jan 3, 2012

forrealb50 said:
Here's a little encouragement of how tuff these fish can be...

I had a 1" baby hippo tang stuck in the inlet of a powerhead for a day in a qt before I found him. He was bent like a "U" swimming in circles for a few days. The little guy straightened out and then thad a big sore in it's side. The fish ended up living.

Thanks, that sounds like a real bad injury. my coral beauty swam face first into the nem, and he turned out okay. Its the scale loss that concerns me, but with luck on my side he may pull through.

Reed639 · Jan 3, 2012

Well get the anemone out so no more of your fish get eaten is your first priority.

Devonjevon · Jan 3, 2012

Hope it doesn't suffer

Reef Breeders · Jan 3, 2012

Definitely. I tried to get rid of the nem weeks before, but my lfs kept making excuses : ( he is still moving around , but is very stressed.

Monroereef · Jan 3, 2012

I would be ****** if it was my Purple tang. Definitely my fav fish.

Hope it survives

.

P.S ==> I gave up on nems once I realized they can sting corals, let alone eating my fav fish ..

Keep us posted on the tang.

Sunny

Reef Breeders · Jan 4, 2012

Sadly, I found her dead a few minutes ago. She didn't have a very good chace in the nem.

dallas reefer · Jan 4, 2012

That SUCKS! I've heard a of a local guy having 3 of his prize tangs, let alone other fish get 'lost' in a carpet.

Lol. I guess it depends on how stupid the fish are.

Then again I've seen them in other tanks. And the fish were fine. 50/50

Aquaph8 · Jan 4, 2012

Sorry man

Monroereef · Jan 4, 2012

Really sorry for your loss.

five O · Jan 4, 2012

Did you give the carpet back its prize then? It's fish food now

Reef Breeders · Jan 4, 2012

No, Im going to bury the fish. The carpet also got 2 mandarin gobies, a clownfish, and a 6" foxface (already injured). The nem will be traded for some lr or dry rock and a nice bta.