Pectoral fin question w/ video

Nanighan

New member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlixYnmBmeo
Just got a moorish idol and have been staring at him for a couple of hours and notice that his left pectoral fin is barely moving, and is clamped against his body using the right fin mostly. It doesn't look damage, and fish doesn't have any balancing issues. Also seems to be smaller but that could be my eyes. Even small fins should move right?
Is this just a handling issue as I didn't notice it when picking him out? It was very agressive against other idols, and ate mysis. Could be in process of healing which is why its smaller and was reinjured.
Not sure if I should return it. It would be a pain to get him out.
Thoughts?
 
That's not a normal behavior, could be injured? Do you see anything abnormal? Cut? Is the MI eating currently? With as notoriously difficult this fish can be I wouldn't want one with any sort of injury or bum flipper. If the fish is eating, and eating with gusto that's the only way I would even consider not taking the MI back to the LFS
 
Currently not eating in my tank but pecking at rock. Did see eat mysis with gusto at the LFS. My concern when picking out a fish is seeing it eat and observing its behavior, as well as general look of the fish such as not being skinny.
This was swimming fine (as in not erratic) with no cuts or bruising on body and looked to be in great shape. As it turns out left fin has issue and is definately smaller (why me!!). It does seems to use it more when in high flow areas. Maybe its right handed lol.
Will keep an eye on it. I think I got a couple days at least for store credit.
 
Could just be a minor injury... If you can't see one, then I'd say that most likely it's an old injury that healed.
 
If this fish is out and about swimming around the tank, and venturing in and out of high flow areas repeatedly then there is probably not a major issue.

And if he is pecking at the rock, looking for good, that's a good sign.

Not every fish is 100% picture perfect, but if they are eating and behaving normally then that makes your fish something special, One of a Kind. :)

Dave B
 
Thanks for the responses but it seems this particular MI is very finicky in my tank. Its day two and it hasn't eaten anything that I offered, which includes purple nori as recommended in the MI thread. It now likes to hang out behind my rockwork and occasionally comes out to pick on rock till one of my tangs scare it back. Weird thing is it comes out when lights go off, and seems to swim around.
 
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