Help! Tail chopped off!!!

[Mini Coop]

What the heck!?!?
I was feeding the fish in quarantine tonight. I noticed one of the Cardinals that has been hanging out by the filter was swimming diagonally. I was laughing at how silly he was - then I noticed...part of his tail is chopped off!!!!!

It looks like a clean cut. He ate just fine! Other than diagonal swimming he seems great. He’s found a spot by the filter he likes to hang out in, but I haven’t been concerned because they look awesome and have been eating great.

Questions from here: just watch him? Go ahead and treat for bacterial infection? I was trying to do observation only for 6 weeks with these guys because I have a bonded pair of cardinals and a bonded pair of wheelers shrimp gobys with their bonded red banded shrimp in the tank together.

If I treat, can I treat with furan 2 or kanaplex with the shrimp in the tank?

Do I need to treat all in the same tank?

If I can’t treat with the shrimp or need to move him to a tank by himself, can he move in with corals and inverts? If so, can I treat a tank with corals in it?

I already have 3 QT tanks running so I don’t have a spare hospital.
If I have to I can move the shrimp to the coral/invert tank as well.

But don’t want to jump the gun if he just needs observation.
I’m leaving out of town tomorrow to ref for a robotics tournament for the weekend. So my husband can watch him but won’t know what to look for.

I also have seen 0 aggression. Any clue what could have happened??

@4FordFamily @Humblefish @melypr1985

 

[jda]

I would leave it alone and keep feeding it well. I would move or disturb it and add any additional stress. You can do more harm with medication that good, so I would also not treat unless you need to.

If it is eating, it is probably going to be OK. If it refuses, then regroup...

 

[Maritimer]

Probably due to aggression while you weren't looking, and he should have no trouble growing that back.

Question becomes ... who's picking on him . . . ?

~Bruce

 

[4FordFamily]

Probably due to aggression while you weren't looking, and he should have no trouble growing that back.

Question becomes ... who's picking on him . . . ?

~Bruce

I agree with this, would not treat with antibiotics without definite reason, this looks like aggression to me as well.

 

[Mini Coop]

I agree with this, would not treat with antibiotics without definite reason, this looks like aggression to me as well.

So weird. It’s a bonded pair of cardinals. And he is never close to the bottom where the shrimp hangs. Would the gobys pick on him? But they hang at the bottom too.

I was wondering if he could have gotten it stuck in the filter since he hangs there?

 

[Mini Coop]

Probably due to aggression while you weren't looking, and he should have no trouble growing that back.

Question becomes ... who's picking on him . . . ?
Exactly....
Now I’m nervous to leave for 3 days!!

~Bruce

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Probably due to aggression while you weren't looking, and he should have no trouble growing that back.

Question becomes ... who's picking on him . . . ?

~Bruce

I agree, I would be figuring out who the culprit was that ate its tail off.

 

[Mini Coop]

I agree, I would be figuring out who the culprit was that ate its tail off.

What would your Guess be!?!?

 

[Mini Coop]

Could the bonded pair not be bonded. From divers den at live aquaria.

 

[cracker]

Could You separate the fish from the others with some egg crate or such? Until he grows his tail back.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

It could've been the other cardinal honestly. I don't think the goby would have done it and the shrimp would have made little chunks over time.

 

[Mini Coop]

I don’t have an egg crate. I have some leftover 1/4” netting from the screens I made but no way to stretch it. And I’m afraid someone would get tangled in it.

 

[Mini Coop]

It could've been the other cardinal honestly. I don't think the goby would have done it and the shrimp would have made little chunks over time.

So strange! I wonder if they are having a lovers quarrel.

They have been together here for 2 weeks with no problems!!

 

[Diesel]

Ahhh the reef life!!

That said fish will find it's nickname no different than us, "chopper"

 

[melypr1985]

I agree with the others. That looks like somebody got into an argument with him. Wait, watch and keep feeding the best foods to him.

 

[Mini Coop]

I agree with the others. That looks like somebody got into an argument with him. Wait, watch and keep feeding the best foods to him.

Ok - YEP!! Aggression!! I just went down to put some bacteria in the other tank - and saw it! Poor little stubby is hiding up by the filter and minding his own business, and the other is going after him! Nipping. I can't believe it!

So - now what? Acclimation box for stubby? Do I need to get rid of one? Can they live in the main tank together? Also - is this something to call live aquaria about? I paid a little more because they were supposed to be a "bonded" pair.

Any suggestions would be good. I have a breeder box, but it could be used as an acclimation box. I just need to make a top for it. Or I can get my acclimation box from my sister in laws. I can also move him to the coral tank to be by himself.

Any help appreciated!

 

[Mini Coop]

Also - if I take stubby out, will the other one go after the gobys? Maybe I should take out or put the violent one in the acclimation box?

 

[jsker]

I would suggest putting the violent one time out.

 

[Mini Coop]

I would suggest putting the violent one time out.

Acclimation box or in the tank with the corals?

Reminder: I am going to be gone for the next 3 days - so I won't be able to check on them at all. I will be relying on my husband.

 

[melypr1985]

Acclimation box or in the tank with the corals?

Reminder: I am going to be gone for the next 3 days - so I won't be able to check on them at all. I will be relying on my husband.

The breeder net will work as well as the acclimation box. Don't put him in the coral tank as yet. You may want to call LA and talk to them about this. Those look to be too small to be able to determine sex just yet, so I'm wondering if they just saw them hanging near each other and decided they were "bonded".