Fish Tail Severely damaged, euthanize? Secondary to Brook.

[DasCamel]

So I'm glad the fish were pulled from the DT and it is being left fallow because Brooklynella was definitely still present in the system.

In the crowded 2nd QT, were I have a few fish in a 20g long I noticed the Royal acting sluggish earlier. When I left it was hiding under a large PVC pipe figured I'd let it be.

Walked by a little later and I saw my Hybrid Powder Blue dragging it along the bottom ripping his tail off. I scared the blue off and scooped him out quickly in a plastic cup and inspected. One eye is cloudy, heavy mucus and discolored patches of skin are apparent.

So aside from the fact that the rest of the fish need to be treated further, if it's missing the entire tail can it carefully be babied back to health? The fish is responsive, will move away when touched and otherwise currently being treated in a bowl with an airstone.

So end it, or can a tail grow back? The fish's flesh/muscle looks ok, it's the entire thin extension that's gone.

 

[Rea17]

Tails can regrow, though it will take time. That's a judgement call for you to make..

 

[DasCamel]

How long, month? Factoring clean water and antibiotics?

 

[Rea17]

Could be a month, or longer, or not at all. Doesn't mean the wound won't heal and allow the fish to lead a happy healthy life though.

 

[DasCamel]

Well, he's upright, breathing more regularly and hanging out in a fish trap I'm using as a temporary treatment container. Good news, he's small and easy to treat. Bad news lack of tail and Brook is tough enough as is. Anyway, he handled an hour formalin bath well and is in a weaker long term bath in the container.

Without a tail, not sure if he can get away from tankmates. I guess it's easy enough to treat and see what happens. Taking a day 0 photo, let's see how this goes.

 

[Rea17]

You can always use a divider as well. I'm surprised by the behavior of the PB.. By royal you mean a gramma right?

 

[jduck]

I have a yellow wrasse that has no tail fin.

 

[DasCamel]

Yeah

Yeah

You can always use a divider as well. I'm surprised by the behavior of the PB.. By royal you mean a gramma right?

Yes, royal gramma. I'm not shocked about the Hybrid powder blue, I'm sure he's already ****ed about tight space, limited feeding to control ammonia and all the tank mates. The Gramma was dying, he just sensed weakness and a chance for food. Didn't think about at the time, but the Gramma was the last one caught and introduced for treatment.

Good to hear about other fish making it w/o a tail fin.

 

[joshky]

I had a female clown bite a bicolor dottybacks tail off, after stepping in the dottyback grew its tail back within a month.

 

[snorvich]

I think we owe it to our fish to give them every possible chance. Tails grow back.

 

[DasCamel]

Little fella didn't make it past night. Injuries + Brook just too much. Services at 11:00 am.... Time to focus on other fish and get them clear.