Injured unicorn tang

[RtomKinMad]

Good afternoon everyone. I need some help. I ran into a situation that I am unfamiliar how to handle. We have an 8am, 300 gal fish only tank with several fish one being a 6” unicorn tang. It’s nubby horn was just starting to grow about a 1/2” at most. The tank is fairly peaceful most of the time except the large Koran 12+yrs old chases the other angels at feeding time. Wednesday everyone was good and Thursday am I noticed the unicorn tang had broken off it’s horn. No signs of any other injury and no other fish with injuries. I’m not sure if it hit a rock or the glass. I couldn’t find the horn piece anywhere. The fish was swimming and eating normal. I am keeping an eye on the wound which looks like a broken bone and missing skin. My fear is infection. We have a 40gal quarantine tank but it’s short. I have some antibiotics on hand too. I can treat the whole tank if needed since it’s fish only which is hard and expensive but I can do it. My question is does anyone know if this wound will heal and if the horn will grow back? I can’t find any information on line. I left for work early am and didn’t feed the fish today yet. Will feed after work and see if it’s still eating. Was swimming normal still this am. Here’s a picture of the poor thing. Thank you in advance for any advice. Kindel

 

[Big G]

Wow! That's quite a gash.

Treating the open wound with a 30 minute bath in methylene blue helps healing.

Follow up with 60 minute baths as needed in Ruby Reef Rally as it has both antiseptic and antibiotic qualities help healing and help prevent infection.

If infection presents (white filmy, redness, necrosis) treating head wounds with a mix of Sulfaplex + Neoplex works well in a QT.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Wow! That's quite a gash.

Treating the open wound with a 30 minute bath in methylene blue helps healing.

Follow up with 60 minute baths as needed in Ruby Reef Rally as it has both antiseptic and antibiotic qualities help healing and help prevent infection.

If infection presents (white filmy, redness, necrosis) treating head wounds with a mix of Sulfaplex + Neoplex works well in a QT.

Thank you very much. I have Rally and kanaplex might have furon and erythromycin also. My husband got home from work first and said it is eating and swimming acting normal. I’ll check the wound when I get home. And try the baths if it looks bad. Was healthy pink skin earlier this am and yesterday. Thank you very much. Any idea of the horn will grow back?

 

[JumboShrimp]

So sorry to hear your news-/ sounds like a fantastic tank, and of course Unicorn Tangs are super-cool. Following.

 

[RtomKinMad]

So sorry to hear your news-/ sounds like a fantastic tank, and of course Unicorn Tangs are super-cool. Following.

Thank you very much. We Lov the unicorn. Have a vlamingi, naso, Sohal, and scopas too. Luckily all get along well! I sure hope the unicorn heals.

 

[Big G]

Thank you very much. I have Rally and kanaplex might have furon and erythromycin also. My husband got home from work first and said it is eating and swimming acting normal. I’ll check the wound when I get home. And try the baths if it looks bad. Was healthy pink skin earlier this am and yesterday. Thank you very much. Any idea of the horn will grow back?

Add Beta Glucan to the tangs food will greatly help its immune system to recover. Mix one capsule with 6-8 frozen fish cubes or equivalent (melt and pour off the excess liquid as it will spike your nitrates and phosphates). Add Seachem Focus to bind. Can add a bit of water to get the consistency you like to work with when feeding.

 

[lion king]

Start with optimum water conditions and a premium diet, I would add live macro to their diet. These guys many times will take to gracilaria and caulerpa, if you can get some live stuff, there's nothing better. If you see any of the signs @Big G mentioned then follow his suggestions on suggested remedies.

 

[ca1ore]

How long have you had it? It may not be physical damage rather bacterial damage, thus no horn piece to find. I had this happen to a brevirostris in QT and the ‘rot’ got progressively worse until it finally died. That yours is eating is a good sign, but if that changes get it into meds quickly.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Beautiful specimens— what is your water-change schedule on the 300 gallon?

 

[RtomKinMad]

Add Beta Glucan to the tangs food will greatly help its immune system to recover. Mix one capsule with 6-8 frozen fish cubes or equivalent (melt and pour off the excess liquid as it will spike your nitrates and phosphates). Add Seachem Focus to bind. Can add a bit of water to get the consistency you like to work with when feeding.

I will see if I can find it. I have focus already and some vitamins and garlic. Thank you very much.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Start with optimum water conditions and a premium diet, I would add live macro to their diet. These guys many times will take to gracilaria and caulerpa, if you can get some live stuff, there's nothing better. If you see any of the signs @Big G mentioned then follow his suggestions on suggested remedies.

Thank you very much. The tank gets a mixture of frozen foods... krill, LRS chunky, mixed Rods predator blend, and a mix of mysis, brine and spirulina. Nori on my days off too. The water is not great quality due to fish only tank but we can run carbon. And do a large water change. Good idea. Thank you.

 

[RtomKinMad]

How long have you had it? It may not be physical damage rather bacterial damage, thus no horn piece to find. I had this happen to a brevirostris in QT and the ‘rot’ got progressively worse until it finally died. That yours is eating is a good sign, but if that changes get it into meds quickly.

We got it the day after Christmas was really skinny also got the vlamingi the same day. They eat like pigs and have really grown! The horn just started growing in the last month or so. It really looks like it got broken off. No signs of bacteria infection. I watch the fish like a hawk. The horn was beautiful on Wednesday evening and I was telling my husband that the horn was finally starting to grow and how big the fish are getting and woke up thur am to missing horn. The top part particularly looks broken. We have a lot of rock so it might have hit a rock. But I’m keeping an eye on it for sure and husband checked and did a water change in the quarantine tank tonight to be ready just in case. We’ve had fin rot before and popeye so I’m very careful withthe watching for infection. But unfortunately I work tomorrow. My husband said it ate really well tonight when he fed after work. And it’s swimming normal, a little more guarded than normally would be. Thank you for your suggestions and support. I appreciate all the help from everyone.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Beautiful specimens— what is your water-change schedule on the 300 gallon?

Truthfully we don’t change water nearly often enough. Every three weeks: 55 gal and rarely check water parameters, Just temp, ph and salinity. The red on the rocks is mostly all red coraline algae but there is some cynobacteria on the sand. We have a homemade sump out of three smaller tanks. We use filter socks, bioballs, and large skimmer. We also run carbon and use chemi pure. The fish all seem healthy except the Sohal that got head and lateral line in a 180gal tank, so we upgraded to this tank and it never really healed. But she is calm and fat. The Sohal is a really nice fish! All the fish in this tank could probably skip a meal or two. We have several of the fish over 12 yrs old. We were hoping to get the unicorn to that age as well. Hopefully with some careful watching, immune system support and the right medications just in case, it will heal. Thank you for asking.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Thank you everyone for information and nice comments. I hope the unicorn heals well!

 

[lion king]

Truthfully we don’t change water nearly often enough. Every three weeks: 55 gal and rarely check water parameters, Just temp, ph and salinity. The red on the rocks is mostly all red coraline algae but there is some cynobacteria on the sand. We have a homemade sump out of three smaller tanks. We use filter socks, bioballs, and large skimmer. We also run carbon and use chemi pure. The fish all seem healthy except the Sohal that got head and lateral line in a 180gal tank, so we upgraded to this tank and it never really healed. But she is calm and fat. The Sohal is a really nice fish! All the fish in this tank could probably skip a meal or two. We have several of the fish over 12 yrs old. We were hoping to get the unicorn to that age as well. Hopefully with some careful watching, immune system support and the right medications just in case, it will heal. Thank you for asking.

I've seen live macro also reverse severe hlle, for many tangs this is a great addition,. and for premium health highly recommended.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Thank you for your recommendation! I will try to order some macro algae. My husband said it is doing well, swimming and eating! So hopefully will heal well.