In general, tails are somewhat expendable...hindmost in a retreat, if the fish has the sense to leave a territory to its owner.
Should you medicate a nipped tail? Generally not---IF there is no involvement of the peduncle (fleshy base, where blood vessels and muscle are.) Finnage heals quite fast: a rip can seal up overnight.
Even scales can grow back pretty fast: I had a crazy blue that WOULD not quit a territory where he was getting hammered badly and repeatedly, and in some tanks---there's nothing you can do to get hold of the individuals. The idiot lost half the scales on one side of his body---and once he did move out of the disputed area, he recovered all his scales and finnage (missing most of his tail) within a couple of days---no meds needed.
Catching a reluctant fish and then medicating is pretty rough on both fish and tank, especially with a lot of rockwork: if the opponents are fairly well matched, and all that is missing is scales and fin, it's probably going to heal well on its own in a healthy tank with good alkalinity (8.3) and clean water.
If the fish is getting hammered in the side by a heavier fish---that's not good, because that's a hard punch to the gut that itself can do damage. If you at all can trap one of the two and give the caught one a chance to cool down in the sump, do. You may have too small a tank to have them both.
In general, if you note redness or a thickened (fuzzy) edge to the damaged fin, THAT is infection, and an antibiotic is called for: must be done in a separate tank, and with some means to maintain dosage level: meticulous attention to salinity will also keep your dosage steady, because evaporation concentrates both salt and antibiotic, and may raise the dosage to a harmful level.
In general, research compatibility, don't overcrowd the tank, and if you do find a fight starting, drop some nets handle-up into the area where the attackee is hanging out, in the hope this will daunt the attacker and give the victim a breather. Start figuring what you can do to moderate the fight: rearrange the rockwork, pull the offender to qt, pull the victim to qt, or whatever, but try to stop it before there is significant damage. Easier said than done, but do your best. A big of eggcrate can screen a corner, etc.
Should you medicate a nipped tail? Generally not---IF there is no involvement of the peduncle (fleshy base, where blood vessels and muscle are.) Finnage heals quite fast: a rip can seal up overnight.
Even scales can grow back pretty fast: I had a crazy blue that WOULD not quit a territory where he was getting hammered badly and repeatedly, and in some tanks---there's nothing you can do to get hold of the individuals. The idiot lost half the scales on one side of his body---and once he did move out of the disputed area, he recovered all his scales and finnage (missing most of his tail) within a couple of days---no meds needed.
Catching a reluctant fish and then medicating is pretty rough on both fish and tank, especially with a lot of rockwork: if the opponents are fairly well matched, and all that is missing is scales and fin, it's probably going to heal well on its own in a healthy tank with good alkalinity (8.3) and clean water.
If the fish is getting hammered in the side by a heavier fish---that's not good, because that's a hard punch to the gut that itself can do damage. If you at all can trap one of the two and give the caught one a chance to cool down in the sump, do. You may have too small a tank to have them both.
In general, if you note redness or a thickened (fuzzy) edge to the damaged fin, THAT is infection, and an antibiotic is called for: must be done in a separate tank, and with some means to maintain dosage level: meticulous attention to salinity will also keep your dosage steady, because evaporation concentrates both salt and antibiotic, and may raise the dosage to a harmful level.
In general, research compatibility, don't overcrowd the tank, and if you do find a fight starting, drop some nets handle-up into the area where the attackee is hanging out, in the hope this will daunt the attacker and give the victim a breather. Start figuring what you can do to moderate the fight: rearrange the rockwork, pull the offender to qt, pull the victim to qt, or whatever, but try to stop it before there is significant damage. Easier said than done, but do your best. A big of eggcrate can screen a corner, etc.
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