large gash on tangs side

[nibkia]

Woke up today to a lage gash on the side of my powder blue

He's been like that for at least 7 hours. No change in behavior no hiding still active and competing for food. I have 4 tangs they have been together in the tank for 2 years this is the first major gash on any of the fish. No continued signs of aggression from any of the other tangs.
Should I just leave him alone to heal or does he need to be removed and treated with medication.
Will gladly provide any other necessary information.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Woke up today to a lage gash on the side of my powder blue

He's been like that for at least 7 hours. No change in behavior no hiding still active and competing for food. I have 4 tangs they have been together in the tank for 2 years this is the first major gash on any of the fish. No continued signs of aggression from any of the other tangs.
Should I just leave him alone to heal or does he need to be removed and treated with medication.
Will gladly provide any other necessary information.

Ouch. Having other tangs poses this risk and is known as a Tail strike in which they squabble and a given tang will use its tail scalpel as a weapon persay and cause this. Yes it will heal and should heal on its own BUT keep an eye on it and have some seachem Kanaplex or Maracyn 2 in the event it should become infected and will need to be treated in a quarantine tank should treatment be necessary

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Whoa! that's the worst tail strike I've ever seen! Luckily, it is above the vital organs. If it doesn't develop into a secondary infection, it may heal on its own.

Jay

 

[nibkia]

Whoa! that's the worst tail strike I've ever seen! Luckily, it is above the vital organs. If it doesn't develop into a secondary infection, it may heal on its own.

Jay

What are the signs of an infection i should be looking for?

 

[Singspot]

Keep feeding extra and do not disturb tank to cause any additional squabbles.

Watch this fish for signs of dullness/ sickness and others for any squabbling.

If its not worsening and no continued fighting- the fish shoild start to improve in 2-3 days.

 

[Singspot]

Wonder anyone has used cameras to get detailed recording to go back in recordings and investigate which fish did what ...

What camera do you use to not only see the tank but to go back in recordings and do crime scene investigations ..?

 

[vetteguy53081]

What are the signs of an infection i should be looking for?

Raw flesh, inflammation or scabby looking appearance.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What are the signs of an infection i should be looking for?

Redness or white growths, the lesions getting larger, new lesions showing up, any change in the behavior of the fish (rapid breathing). Some wounds will change how they look, and even seem pretty gnarly as they heal, so it isn't always easy to tell an infection from normal healing tissue.

Jay

 

[merkmerk73]

Hey Jay

Is this a tail strike on my Clown?

My bristletooth blue eyed kole was harsssing him yesterday and doing this weird little shimmy next to him , then I saw this

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Could be, but the halo of discolored skin around it indicates either a secondary bacterial infection, or pretty severe tissue damage.

Is the clown eating ok?

The focus of the pic is pretty soft, can you try posting a short video?

Jay

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

Add some Selcon to their food and just try to determine if this was a one time fight or something you need to address.

 

[merkmerk73]

Could be, but the halo of discolored skin around it indicates either a secondary bacterial infection, or pretty severe tissue damage.

Is the clown eating ok?

The focus of the pic is pretty soft, can you try posting a short video?

Jay

Thanks Jay.

Clown has eaten okay yesterday and this morning but is acting pretty shy and just hanging out with his life partner in the corner.

I would have been really suspicious about that disclored tissue too, but it set in within hours of the injury so I wasn't sure what to think.

I've been soaking food in vitamins and feeding.

Clowns have gotten along fine and were in the tank long before the Tang, who has been in the tank now for 2-3 months.

Tang sometimes chases other fish off but things have been mostly peaceful - I'm not sure what caused the ruckus but I thought it was some weird ritual because the Tang did this sideways wiggle thing very similar to how clowns signal to eachother.

Now I realize he was trying to tail slash the clownfish.