Injured Yellow Tang?

[William Sharkspeare]

Picked up this Biota yellow a couple weeks ago. Maybe 3-3.5" Fish is currently fine. It is active and eats frozen and pellets (still not interested in nori). Injury has not gotten worse.
A couple days after I introduced it into the tank I noticed that its belly appeared damaged and his fins were gone. I don't know if he injured himself or something nibbled on him. My guess is that it was self inflicted. He was a little skittish at first. There is nothing big and scary in the tank. Largest is a ruby mithrax and porcelain. Few very (very!) small possible gorillas, smasher mantis, hermits and 5 chalk bass.

Fins are clearly missing. Its body was damaged right? Looks jagged. Pictures are from 10 days ago.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Picked up this Biota yellow a couple weeks ago. Maybe 3-3.5" Fish is currently fine. It is active and eats frozen and pellets (still not interested in nori). Injury has not gotten worse.
A couple days after I introduced it into the tank I noticed that its belly appeared damaged and his fins were gone. I don't know if he injured himself or something nibbled on him. My guess is that it was self inflicted. He was a little skittish at first. There is nothing big and scary in the tank. Largest is a ruby mithrax and porcelain. Few very (very!) small possible gorillas, smasher mantis, hermits and 5 chalk bass.

Fins are clearly missing. Its body was damaged right? Looks jagged. Pictures are from 10 days ago.

These fish heal quickly and should heal on it own, Keep an eye on area for continued healing and not becoming infected which would require treatment using seachem Neoplex or Kanaplex in a separate treatment tank or container

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Picked up this Biota yellow a couple weeks ago. Maybe 3-3.5" Fish is currently fine. It is active and eats frozen and pellets (still not interested in nori). Injury has not gotten worse.
A couple days after I introduced it into the tank I noticed that its belly appeared damaged and his fins were gone. I don't know if he injured himself or something nibbled on him. My guess is that it was self inflicted. He was a little skittish at first. There is nothing big and scary in the tank. Largest is a ruby mithrax and porcelain. Few very (very!) small possible gorillas, smasher mantis, hermits and 5 chalk bass.

Fins are clearly missing. Its body was damaged right? Looks jagged. Pictures are from 10 days ago.

That's a really odd location for an injury. Strike injuries will be on the snout, nape or breast - the first portion of the fish to hit something when it darts into a hard surface.

Pelvic fins on baby yellow tangs are pretty small, but these are indeed missing altogether. That means the supporting bones are also likely missing, so these won't grow back. My concerns is that the damage is deep, and that the abdomen is also involved. Have you seen the fish release any waste? That *might* indicate that the cloaca at least is not affected.

I don't see any treatment at this time....

 

[William Sharkspeare]

Have you seen the fish release any waste?

I have.

Thanks. Sad to hear, but fish is currently active, eating, and pooping so hears to hoping.

 

[MnFish1]

Picked up this Biota yellow a couple weeks ago. Maybe 3-3.5" Fish is currently fine. It is active and eats frozen and pellets (still not interested in nori). Injury has not gotten worse.
A couple days after I introduced it into the tank I noticed that its belly appeared damaged and his fins were gone. I don't know if he injured himself or something nibbled on him. My guess is that it was self inflicted. He was a little skittish at first. There is nothing big and scary in the tank. Largest is a ruby mithrax and porcelain. Few very (very!) small possible gorillas, smasher mantis, hermits and 5 chalk bass.

Fins are clearly missing. Its body was damaged right? Looks jagged. Pictures are from 10 days ago.

I do not see where/how a fish would be able to lose fins in a self inflicted manner? Agree with what others have said.

 

[banditclone]

I have blue regal tang (Dori). It bashes same area against a rock in tank when I'm spot feeding missus shrimp to my anenome . It is wanting the shrimp before the clown and anenome can get their fill. The clown and the blue regal tang are the most aggressive fish in my tank. The clown nips at me during the spot feeding. It doesn't hurt me. It just startles the hell out of me. I've almost knocked the light fixture off many times pulling my hand out.

 

[winxp_man]

This could be a defect the fish came with, and just now you’re noticing it. Does not look like an open wound, and from what your stating the fish is eating fine, swimming as is should. So nothing out of the norm to say this will be an issue.

Is it breathing fine?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

This could be a defect the fish came with, and just. Now you’re noticing it. Does not look like an open wound, and from what your state the fish is eating fine, swimming as is should. So. Nothing out of the norm to say this will be an issue.

Is it breathing fine?

That could well be the issue - captive raised fish sometimes have missing pelvic fins and other deformities. However, if the OP saw fins present in the past, and now they are gone, then that is a different issue....

 

[Marco_99]

That could well be the issue - captive raised fish sometimes have missing pelvic fins and other deformities. However, if the OP saw fins present in the past, and now they are gone, then that is a different issue....

Are these fins on a fish like their brakes? What does the fish lose by not having these or how will it affect the fish? Or is it just a thing that they adapt and it’s fine, especially in a tank environment? Just curious

 

[winxp_man]

That could well be the issue - captive raised fish sometimes have missing pelvic fins and other deformities. However, if the OP saw fins present in the past, and now they are gone, then that is a different issue....

Have seen clown groups with many even missing half a gill plate, messed up fins and so on. Just wanted to put this out there that captive bred fish can have defects. And at times we miss that when buying them. Had a black clown with gill plate chunk missing.

 

[William Sharkspeare]

I do not see where/how a fish would be able to lose fins in a self inflicted manner? Agree with what others have said.

I just assumed as it was diving down on an angle it scrapped its belly

That could well be the issue - captive raised fish sometimes have missing pelvic fins and other deformities. However, if the OP saw fins present in the past, and now they are gone, then that is a different issue....

Unfortunately I did not look closer than: "this appears to be a healthy / eating fish that the shop has had for several months"

This could be a defect the fish came with, and just now you’re noticing it. Does not look like an open wound, and from what your stating the fish is eating fine, swimming as is should. So nothing out of the norm to say this will be an issue.

Is it breathing fine?

Are these fins on a fish like their brakes? What does the fish lose by not having these or how will it affect the fish? Or is it just a thing that they adapt and it’s fine, especially in a tank environment? Just curious

Fish moves, eats, and breathes fine. Eats bits of frozen (reef frenzy and PE), tdo, seaweed extreme, new life spectrum probiotic and algaemax.
I even observed him picking at the rock today for quite awhile. Don't know if it is eating my hair algae or pods that I added to the tank last week. Regardless I'm happy to see it. Still not interested in nori. Have some ulva in transit and looking for some ogo.

Swims fine for the most part. Maybe lists to a side occasionally but if so is mild and doesn't seem to be bothersome.

 

[winxp_man]

I just assumed as it was diving down on an angle it scrapped its belly


Unfortunately I did not look closer than: "this appears to be a healthy / eating fish that the shop has had for several months"




Fish moves, eats, and breathes fine. Eats bits of frozen (reef frenzy and PE), tdo, seaweed extreme, new life spectrum probiotic and algaemax.
I even observed him picking at the rock today for quite awhile. Don't know if it is eating my hair algae or pods that I added to the tank last week. Regardless I'm happy to see it. Still not interested in nori. Have some ulva in transit and looking for some ogo.

Swims fine for the most part. Maybe lists to a side occasionally but if so is mild and doesn't seem to be bothersome.

Try putting drops of selcon or vitachem on the nori, let it dry a bit and see if it eventually goes for it.

One thing to note about marine reef fish. They are herd mentality. If one does most of the time the other follow. Mine all ended up eating nori, but it took one courageous fellow to show the rest haha.

Any other fish in your tank that are nori eaters?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Are these fins on a fish like their brakes? What does the fish lose by not having these or how will it affect the fish? Or is it just a thing that they adapt and it’s fine, especially in a tank environment? Just curious

Some fish have specialized pelvic fins, used for reproduction, but in most fish they are a minor use for stabilization. The small one on yellow tangs don’t do much, and are kept folded a long the time.