New fin damage, thoughts?

[Safir]

Our kole tang has some fresh damage on it's fin and I'm hoping someone more experienced may be able to help me determine it's cause.

Here is a link to the picture my wife sent me https://goo.gl/photos/pu3fVjxxDiwVt3Kn8

I wonder if it may be a nip or sting, and not something more serious.

125g, other inhabitants are a scopas that this fish was qt'ed with, and a hippo that was established, the kole and scopas have been in dt for about a week now. Both other gangs are at least 2x the size of the kole, but they have all been buddies when I ha e observed them.

Other inhabitants are two rbta's, various lps,sps,soft corals, and standard cuc.

 

[ichthyman]

First, the fish pictured is Blue-eye or Two-spot Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus binotatus) not a Kole (Ctenochaetus strigosus). Typically originating from different regions but both occupy similar niches and behave very much the same.

More than likely your "buddies" are not being friendly as you think. Fin shredding is likely just the beginning. I would separate the fish before more damage is done.

 

[anbosu]

I would assume it's from the hippo.

 

[asbauto]

I agree with the I man and my hippo does that from time to time with my tomini tang, but have been together for years... Just a quick question, do you have any clowns hosting the bubble tips, my black clowns are super aggressive around the nems to any size fish

 

[Safir]

The three tangs are the only fish at this time.

We are keeping a close eye on them at this time - If the blue tang continues to be aggressive, I will separate it and attempt to re-introduce it in a month or two, once the others have established territory. After that if it continues to be aggressive towards smaller fish, I will re-home it in favor of a smaller (par)acanthurus that can grow into this system, instead of being the first and largest fish.