Sick Radiata Lionfish

Lionfish Lair · Jul 30, 2016

helen said:
He is so pretty.

Thanks! He's going to look pink in the display. Just got to get him there.... Come On little fella! You can do it!

adestafi · Jul 30, 2016

That's amazing!, im convinced you're the lion fish whisperer

adestafi · Jul 30, 2016

Will a new sheath grow back over the spine?

Lionfish Lair · Jul 30, 2016

adestafi said:
That's amazing!, im convinced you're the lion fish whisperer

Aww. That's nice to say. Thanks.

adestafi said:
Will a new sheath grow back over the spine?

Yes, that little clump of flesh is starting to work it's way up. I expect the spine to grow some as well. I don't know about the movement of the 5th spine. I'm not sure if the new scar tissue will allow it to come forward or not in the future.

Lionfish Lair · Jul 30, 2016

Bubbles? What bubbles? I don't see any bubbles.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 1, 2016

Well now, I haven't had this happen before. Even though the tissue was starting to grow back, I guess the spine itself was dead and it "came off". It won't grow back. Sorry for the blurriness, but it's the corner of the tank. I really curious what will happen to the one behind it, because it is no longer connected by the skeletal structure, but the skin is healed. It just sort of flops about.

This is where the spine should be. I guess that extra dollop of tissue will remain now the it has not spine to "climb" up.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 1, 2016

I'm calling this QT the "BEAST MAKER". He eats A LOT, is very assertive and doesn't know when to call it quits.

I think he's going to absorb the blob of skin, because it is smaller than yesterday. Still curious what will happen to the spine behind it. I'm not sure how much blood supply the skin can provide and if it's enough to keep the bone alive or not.

Today's picture show something that happens frequently to newly acquired radiatas. They look like they have HLLE. It goes away as they settle in to captive life.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 3, 2016

Today it looks fantastic!

Humblefish · Aug 3, 2016

I gotta know, what camera are you using?

Humblefish · Aug 3, 2016

And what's this near his face/eye? Almost looks like flukes. Or is that the HLLE you're talking about (the blue arrow confused me)?

Lionfish Lair · Aug 3, 2016

Canon Mark 5D Mark II with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens.

Those marks are actual pits, like HLLE.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 4, 2016

Humblefish said:
And what's this near his face/eye? Almost looks like flukes. Or is that the HLLE you're talking about (the blue arrow confused me)?

Oh sorry, that picture where you were questioning the blue arrow. That was for a different discussion and I didn't realize it was there. The arrow is just pointing to the spine that is broken within and flopping about.

The pics are just to show the progression of the healing process.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 12, 2016

The wound is 100% healed.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 12, 2016

And the facial marks are almost gone.

ZoaCollector · Aug 12, 2016

This is my favorite lion

reefwiser · Aug 12, 2016

Great job on nursing the lionfish Renee.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 12, 2016

Thanks! I'm so happy he pulled through... even if he's now a "special fish".

Humblefish · Aug 12, 2016

Good job, Renee!

Lionfish Lair · Aug 12, 2016

Isn't the "HLLE-ish" thing weird? It's not only radiatas that get it, but they seem to always have it. They come with it and it resolves as they settle in.

Being predators, their lateralis system is fine-tuned, I'm sure, but I'm so curious what causes the pits and sometimes the canals themselves to become so visible at the beginning.