Surgeonfish Surgery?

[JHemdal]

All,

I took in three adult surgeonfish from a hobbyist that had been long-term captives; a Naso brevirostris, a Naso vlamingii and a huge Acanthurus xanthopterus. After a few months in my tank, I just now noticed that it seems that the caudal peduncle spines on the xanthopetrus and possibly the brevirostris have been surgically removed!
I recall 35 years ago, that shippers in Hawaii would clip the spines of big achilles tangs to keep them from slicing up their bags during shipping, but those would grow back. This is different, no spine there at all - just some scar tissue (that at first glance, looks like the original spines).
I was just curious if this is a common practice?


Jay Hemdal

 

[Lev F.]

My Kole has had his penducle spines removed. He has the scars. I do not know anything about this practice, although My kole behaves normally without them, but his scars are very neat, so i think they were clipped off rather than torn off.