dtm2420
Active Member
I just checked on my tank this morning and found that my clownfish’s tale is missing or has been eaten. 1 will it heal back to normal? 2 would hermit crabs do this over night? 3 what do I do now?
HELP!! I woke up this morning and my clownfish tale is missing/eaten?
WallyB
REEF Techno-Geek
Tail will grow back. (Few weeks) Of course it won't if whatever bit it off keeps biting.
Keep an eye on the tail, just in case it shows sign of infection.
At this point, do nothing, but observe.
Keep an eye on the tail, just in case it shows sign of infection.
At this point, do nothing, but observe.
I would say this clown needs to be removed and needs antibiotics immediately as that looks like it will turn into a bad infection if it is not already. When it hits the bone, it may not grow back. It's whole third stripe looks distorted.
I think good chance it will perish if you leave it in the tank like that.
Hermit crabs did not do this. It's possible that nothing bit it off but that you have a very nasty fast moving gram neg infection.
I have a damsel that is missing 90% of it's tail. It got a small cut and the resulting infection almost rotted it's entire tail off in two days. I treated it with 14 days of broad spectrum antibiotics. It recovered but the tail never grew back except a small portion.
I think good chance it will perish if you leave it in the tank like that.
Hermit crabs did not do this. It's possible that nothing bit it off but that you have a very nasty fast moving gram neg infection.
I have a damsel that is missing 90% of it's tail. It got a small cut and the resulting infection almost rotted it's entire tail off in two days. I treated it with 14 days of broad spectrum antibiotics. It recovered but the tail never grew back except a small portion.
A Young Reefer
Valuable Member
1) it depends on the severity of the wound but I don't think that it will fully heal on this little fellow .
2)I don't think hermits can do such damage
3) monitor and examine try to find the source
2)I don't think hermits can do such damage
3) monitor and examine try to find the source
A Young Reefer
Valuable Member
and you might want to consider a treatment method , others would help since I have no experience in similar cases
N.Sreefer
Valuable Member
Put an inverted bottle trap together and bait the trap with a small piece of fish if you have a mantis or fireworm that did that damage it'll likely end up in the trap overnight.
A Young Reefer
Valuable Member
any power heads in the tank ?
also clowns can some times fight even though I doubt them having the ability to do such damage
No nothing came in on dry rock and bagged live sand. Is there any other fish in there?
It's probably a bad fast moving infection.
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dtm2420
Active Member
Hopefully this helps
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dtm2420
Active Member
1 other clown, 3 snails, 2 hermits, and an acan thats all
WallyB
REEF Techno-Geek
Yes better photo helps. That's much worse than I thought.
Let the experts comment on it's chances of survival.
Fish needs to be put in QT with broad spectrum antibiotics or it will surely die by the looks of it. Furan 2, Kanaplex, etc.
The prognosis is poor imo.
I doubt the tail will fully recover although if you can cure the infection, it can live without a tail fin.
That's nasty. My guess its clown on clown abuse. I would suggest isolating him into an isolation chamber...like one of those cheap plastic animal carriers you can pick up at walmart or amazon for cheap. melt some holes into it and mount into your tank with a cleaner magnet.
Give you a chance to:
IF you have a QT setup I would move there and basically do the same, so you can use something like Furan 2, but you'll need an ammonia badge and a good bubbler.
Give you a chance to:
- Isolate the animal - chance to relax
- Observe him eating - chance to ensure he's not suffering in other ways
- Feed some fatty frozen food, preferably medicated with metro/kanaplex and vitamins -- bind the kanaplex using Seachem Focus
IF you have a QT setup I would move there and basically do the same, so you can use something like Furan 2, but you'll need an ammonia badge and a good bubbler.
I don't think feeding this fish antibiotics is going to save it. I think it needs more aggressive treatment. Antibiotics are bitter, they work slowly, and focus does a poor job of binding the right amounts.
If they can't do a QT tank, then you could still isolate it in the tank and do daily antibiotics baths in a bucket or such at a higher strength.
Sadly it is probably cheaper just to buy a new clownfish.
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