OMG... Poor Tang!!! Can he survive this???

[fish killer]

Oh My God... just... ***??? I have been working so hard to make this guy healthy and happy...and now, look what I've done!! I adopted this beauty from the local PETCO, bleached out, stressed, and finless as he'd been an owner surrender who couldn't care for him and let his fins rot. I've been so happy to see him swimming, happy, filling out weight and even growing his dorsal fin back!!! (?Who knew!!!??) Now, getting cocky and sure of myself, I finally couldn't wait any longer and ordered some corals - and realized that I had a damsel that had been beaten up...so, I Melafix'ed the tank to prep everyone for changes. Added extra air hoses, removed charcoal, etc. And, waking up found most everyone on their sides, tang whitewashed w/ stress, and gasping... Got extra air going - water change - pulled everyone thru...but, during the incident Tang ended up propped up against the heater and not able to swim away I'm guessing... I thought he'd have some bad burns, but just looked scruffy and white - soaking food in garlic, and crossing fingers. Well, I woke up this morning and his scruffy white layer has sloughed leaving NO SKIN at all. OMG!!! It's like viewing raw tuna steaks in the meat counter.... I'm dying over here... I can't imagine that he can survive this!!!! What can (and should) I do???? He's got to have been in some awful pain.... I just can't imagine. *Please don't scream at me, I know I could list a 1,000 things I've done wrong... just... if you have any ideas of what to do for him to help him... that would be great. ... and as soon as I can figure out how to post a pic, I will... I don't have a web-based pict hosting service, so it may be a moment...

 

[fish killer]

Alright - attempt number 5 to post url for google photo's failed... here it is if you want to click on link. I hope. https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos?pid=5952514018097933810&oid=108222702695467386672

 

[Newsmyrna80]

How is the rang looking now? Is he eating ok? If so I would soak his food in some Selcon. I'm not sure about antibiotics to fight off infection. Hopefully someone with experience in this particular dilemma can advise.

 

[fish killer]

He is eating again today - in fact, I was surprised, as he's typically voracious, but yesterday stayed in a corner swimming forward and back looking very much like any other animal in pain without eating any of his faves. I blended the frozen food for the others with some raw garlic so it would at least be in the water. (Yes, I could be attributing more feelings to him, but he's a pretty cool fish.) Today's feeding spawned an all out feeding frenzy and Tang participated!! He's really diggin' the Nori soaked in garlic... and is swimming the whole tank again. Just... really nasty open side. I just can't imagine that he can cover this whole wound. :'(

 

[Newsmyrna80]

All good news! Keep doing what you're doing and watch the wound. If it starts looking infected dose antibiotics.
It's surprising what they can endure and over come

 

[fishNcars]

With a name like "Fish Killer" I wouldn't figure you to be the saving type lol

 

[fish killer]

lol, fishNcars!!! Yeah... it was my 'ironic' registration for the group many moons ago. Little did I know.... :smh: I feel like such an awful fish-Mommy! Thank you for the reassurance NewSmryna... I've been here by his tank watching him and wondering if I should be euthanizing in freezer to put him out of pain... or if he's got it in him to keep going.... I'm going to keep the garlic up every day... and I think I'm going to get at least one cleaner shrimp to replace those I lost that can help with any leftover necrotic tissue... :shudder:

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Is he swimming around? How is his breathing? If euthanization becomes necessary try clove oil instead of freezing.

 

[fishNcars]

Any updates?

 

[fish killer]

Eating like the little mini shark I knew him as!!! Still a big ripping hole in his side...but, he's swimming and eating. I feel like I should be trying to find someone local with a 240+ gallon tank that could adopt him. If he pulls thru what I did to him and the original owner... he needs to get to a big, happy tank to live out his days. :/ *If you are in the Minneapolis, MN area and have a big tank... PM me. :'(