Yellow tail damsel with shredded fins

[nereefpat]

One of my damsels didn't come out to eat as usual on my lunch break yesterday.

It was out last night, and I noticed a couple things.

I see some shredded fins: caudal, dorsal and anal, especially on the posterior portion.

I also see one white spot one of the pectoral fins.

The fish ate well last night, as always.

I've had this damsel for about a year.

The last fish addition was a blenny, added about 3 months ago. The blenny went through ttm and prazi, as all fish have.

I did add a couple of frags in early August. I do not put corals through a long fishless period.

No other fish show any symptoms.

I tried to attach a couple pics, so we'll see how that goes.

Any ideas what I'm dealing with?

 

[DeniseAndy]

Anybody picking on him? What else is in the tank? Looks like injury from fighting. Could get to bacterial infection status.

 

[nereefpat]

Anybody picking on him? What else is in the tank? Looks like injury from fighting. Could get to bacterial infection status.

Thanks for taking the time.

I should have mentioned tank mates.
Standard 125 with:
2 yellow tail damsels
Orchid dottyback
Longnosed hawk
Melanurus wrasse
Lawnmower blenny

No motile inverts (that I know of) besides snails.

All fish, besides the blenny have been together for nearly a year. I really haven't seen any aggression. This is also the bigger of the two damsels.

 

[Big G]

If you have a QT available, treating with NFG (the best option) or Furan2 (next best) would help with a possible bacterial infection. NFG is awesome. But keep in mind a bacterial infection is usually secondary to a primary cause like Ich/Velvet, injury, etc. So something or somebody in your tank is doing some damage to your fish. Damsels can be pretty mean. Dottybacks and wrasses, too.

 

[vence]

I have the same type of damsel in my tank and with in the first year he got attacked by my goby and is missing his back tail hes 8 years old now.

 

[HotRocks]

Being it is housed with other damsels and hiding, it's probably aggression. They are some of the most aggressive fish in the hobby.

Could be the blenny decided it doesn't like the damsel as well.

 

[nereefpat]

Thanks, folks.

I'm hoping that I'm seeing damage from a fight with the dotty or other damsel.

I was a little panicky, thinking of something terrible like velvet or flukes.

If I see fighting or his condition worsens, I will try to catch him. I can set up a qt and treat with antibiotics. I also can move him to the 40 breeder sump after he's better.

 

[Big G]

My Starry Blenny was an absolute terrorist in the QT. Separated in the QT with eggcrate & 1/4" mesh. He continued to try to get through to the other fish. Dude was flat out mean. 45 days later when added to the main tank he's fine. Fish are weird.

 

[nereefpat]

Interesting that a Salarias blenny could be the culprit. I would have never considered that.

The damsel is still acting fine and eating. I suppose it got a little too bold with someone and got its butt kicked. I'll update in a few days.

Thanks.

 

[nereefpat]

Update:

To no one's surprise, I'm sure, the other damsel was doing the picking.

Fins are healed up, and hopefully it doesn't continue. If it does, I'll go fishing, and the aggressor can live in the sump.