Regal (Blue) Tang troubles?

[Mako Shark II]

Help folks. I DO NOT want to lose my pride & joy.

I love my Blue Regal Tang. (aka Palette Surgeonfish, blue tang, hippo tang, flagtail surgeonfish, blue surgeonfish, etc.)

She’s happy & growing (about 4-1/2” now), eating great(!) and getting “plump”, but check out the trailing edge of her Tail.

Is this normal, or is that the start of some kind of Tail Rot?

Also, is “Tang against Rock rubbing” typical behavior? I thought it was. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...hreadid=1486653

If this is bad: What’s a good treatment?
If this is normal, How ‘bout them Titan’s, eh?

Help me Obiwan Kenobi. You're my only hope!

 

[chrissreef]

what tankmats do you have?

 

[Mako Shark II]

Presumably safe stuff. Well, mostly:

Blue Green Chromis (4)
False Percs (2)
Blue Damsels (2)
Black Damsels (hmmm) (1+1) ....one's in "Time-out" in the overflow
Lyretail Anthias (2)
Orange spot Sleeper Goby (1)
Neon Goby.

Then there's the Crabs:
Sally Lightfoot
Blue knuckle Hermit
Halloween Hermit

Okay, the Blue Damsels are laying eggs like crazy... and the Black Damsel might have a "tood", but really, fairly safe stuff. Right?

Thoughts?? (Thanks!)

 

[MazdaSPD3]

Looks to me that one of your fish (most likely a damsel) is nipping her fins.

Keep a closer watch on your damsels and when the tang approaches their territory.

 

[miwoodar]

Agreed. Looks like nipping.

 

[chasekwe]

Ya, I'd put money on the damsels.

 

[Amazon4]

what about the SLF? I've heard they can go after fish. Since the hippo likes to sleep in the rocks, maybe the crab is taking shots?

 

[DarthSimon]

The fins will heal, don't worry.. My Hippo is has become a monster fish... He thinks he's the kind of my tank... He was 3 inches when I got him, now he is 5 inches and fat...

As he grows older, he may get a tad more aggressive, and ward off the nipping...

 

[Mako Shark II]

Thanks Folks. (You're making me feel better.)

Any recommendations for water treatment?

 

[DarthSimon]

Does he eat lots of Nori??

 

[Mako Shark II]

The tank gets both green & brown algea in a sheet form.

 

[edwar050]

If I had to bet I would say the damsels as well, though there are some others in that list it could potentially be. I have even seen hostile percs when mating time/egg laying comes around, those guys can be mean!

 

[Mako Shark II]

Okay, if in the event this wasn't a "nipper", I just did a 20% Water Change "on the fly" by the way....

Those are sooooo cool to do these days!!! (No More schlepping heavy Buckets around, sloshing water all over the place and disturbing the display tank.)

I apprecaite everyone's input and keep the thoughts coming.

 

[jmicky41]

I used to have a hippo tang whose tail always looked kinda raggely. Mine was the only fish in the tank besides an eel, so I doubt it was getting picked on. I always attributed it to water quality.

 

[Mako Shark II]

I did just add a bunch of frags, from a recent show so I've been in the tank a lot. No doubt there's more going on than normal. Might just be stress too.

 

[Dave VG]

Don’t count out the Lyretail Anthias. Mine male is pretty aggressive, not sure if it nips but wouldn’t be surprised.

 

[Mako Shark II]

Thanks Dave.

If the condition worsens any, a Change will be in order. (Free fish to the LFS or St. Jude's Kid's Hospital tank)

I'm zeroing in on the cheap Black Damsel. :mad2:

 

[mrp2g]

Def. looks like nipping... keep feeding Nori!!

 

[Dave VG]

More than likely the cheap Black Damsel tho. They are very aggressive fish. Good luck Mako Shark II.