Sailfim Tang upper lip appears recessed.

[LikeRichMahogany]

My sailfin tang, which I inherited about 1.5 years ago, is nearly 25 years old. He was a long term resident in a dental office and is approximately 9” long. He has had a visible case of lymphocystis on his pectoral fins that gets better or worse depending on his diet and water quality.

I removed him from the tank to treat him for Ich in late March, and when I did I noticed his upper lip appears to have receded. I have pictures of him on March 3rd looking normal, and March 20th, before I removed him with a receded lip.

It didn’t affect his ability to eat, so I assumed it would heal or correct itself, but it has not. I am not sure how best to help my fish. Any advice would be appreciated, as it’s been this way for nearly 5 months now. Please see pictures attached for before and after

 

[MnFish1]

I think this could be normal aging - or due to an injury - since it is stable - and not worsening - it would monitor. It's especially good that it is eating. I think excellent feeding practices are the most important for healing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My sailfin tang, which I inherited about 1.5 years ago, is nearly 25 years old. He was a long term resident in a dental office and is approximately 9” long. He has had a visible case of lymphocystis on his pectoral fins that gets better or worse depending on his diet and water quality.

I removed him from the tank to treat him for Ich in late March, and when I did I noticed his upper lip appears to have receded. I have pictures of him on March 3rd looking normal, and March 20th, before I removed him with a receded lip.

It didn’t affect his ability to eat, so I assumed it would heal or correct itself, but it has not. I am not sure how best to help my fish. Any advice would be appreciated, as it’s been this way for nearly 5 months now. Please see pictures attached for before and after

Having two different sailfins, I see this occasionally from grazing repeatedly on rocks, but also have seen it from glass surfing , where the fish will go up and down glass chasing its reflection, and is my chief suspect cause.
Recovery for this is good and 25 years, wow. As long as it does not become infected, maintain good water quality which is apparent after 25 years.
You may have to offer softer foods such and brine and mysis shrimp which it can easily swallow

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

That’s a pretty good looking 25 year old sailfin!

It doesn’t have Lymphocytis, a 25 year captive tang would be immune to that.

I agree, it could be age related or from glass surfing.

 

[LikeRichMahogany]

That’s a pretty good looking 25 year old sailfin!

It doesn’t have Lymphocytis, a 25 year captive tang would be immune to that.

I agree, it could be age related or from glass surfing.

Now I’m particularly interested in this statement, because I’m not sure what else would cause the popcorn like lumps that appear at the edges of its pectoral fins at the stage of its life. The 25 year lifespan is secondary knowledge, I obtained the fish from a retiring dentist here in our area who claimed he has been in the office tank since it was set up 25 years ago. The tank in question was a 90 gallon, with a hang on back overflow, and it was so badly infested with bristle worms, vermitid snails, and other miscellaneous hitchhikers, like pistol shrimp, ball anemones, sponges, tunicates, and other inverts I had never seen before growing on the surfaces of the rock that I believed him. His rock was sourced ocean direct from Fiji in the 1999, and I used it to cycle my new tank when I set it up. It leached out phosphates for months, and lined up pretty well with being very old live rock, both in appearance and microfauna. At night, I can shine a light and see thousands and thousands of various pods and other fauna swimming in the water column.

What else could cause those kinds of popcorn like growths that are so common with lymphocystis? If it’s relevant, they always appear in the exact same spot, on his right pectoral fins, and they don’t appear anywhere else on his body, not on the dorsal or anal fins, nor elsewhere on his pectoral fins. They will grow larger, to maybe 1/16 of an inch, if the water quality is poor, but under good conditions become almost entirely unnoticeable.

Just curious, I like to understand what’s going on in my tank.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Now I’m particularly interested in this statement, because I’m not sure what else would cause the popcorn like lumps that appear at the edges of its pectoral fins at the stage of its life. The 25 year lifespan is secondary knowledge, I obtained the fish from a retiring dentist here in our area who claimed he has been in the office tank since it was set up 25 years ago. The tank in question was a 90 gallon, with a hang on back overflow, and it was so badly infested with bristle worms, vermitid snails, and other miscellaneous hitchhikers, like pistol shrimp, ball anemones, sponges, tunicates, and other inverts I had never seen before growing on the surfaces of the rock that I believed him. His rock was sourced ocean direct from Fiji in the 1999, and I used it to cycle my new tank when I set it up. It leached out phosphates for months, and lined up pretty well with being very old live rock, both in appearance and microfauna. At night, I can shine a light and see thousands and thousands of various pods and other fauna swimming in the water column.

What else could cause those kinds of popcorn like growths that are so common with lymphocystis? If it’s relevant, they always appear in the exact same spot, on his right pectoral fins, and they don’t appear anywhere else on his body, not on the dorsal or anal fins, nor elsewhere on his pectoral fins. They will grow larger, to maybe 1/16 of an inch, if the water quality is poor, but under good conditions become almost entirely unnoticeable.

Just curious, I like to understand what’s going on in my tank.

The probable cause of those are granulomas from Mycobacteria. Older captive fish have a very high incidence of this disease. It is considered the #1 cause of “old age” death in fish. It is found in virtually every aquarium as it is found in top water and frozen seafoods - you really cannot keep it out of tanks. It is harmless to most younger fish, but starts chronic infections in older ones. It isn’t treatable because it is deeply seated in the fish’s tissues.