How long have you had him?I came to my basement this morning to check on my tank and I found my sailfin tang in the wave maker. I immediately turned off the wave maker and he fell to the bottom. He is still alive but looks in bad shape. His back fin was sliced, but no organs or flesh was sliced. He has been laying on the ground, heavy breathing and then tries to swim again but comes back to the bottom. Is there anything I can do to help him?
This fish is likely moribund and may not eat or swim moving forward. Fish is already looking thin and likely weak why it ended up in powerheadI came to my basement this morning to check on my tank and I found my sailfin tang in the wave maker. I immediately turned off the wave maker and he fell to the bottom. He is still alive but looks in bad shape. His back fin was sliced, but no organs or flesh was sliced. He has been laying on the ground, heavy breathing and then tries to swim again but comes back to the bottom. Is there anything I can do to help him?
It is tiny - but I'm going to slightly disagree with you. A fish who lives in the ocean is likely a victim of far more current than a pump (depending on how its set up) - the fish that get caught in pumps, wavemakers, usually are those that are not doing well to begin with. Granted, though - very tiny fish in poor condition can get stuck.
What was your QT protocol? If it was not the recommended protocol - it's hard to answer your question. It's possible that the pump caused injuries, it's also possible (and probably more likely) - that disease weakened the fish such that it went into the wavemaker. In any case, sorry about this - it tough and everyone has been through it. I would - depending on your QT protocol - repeat it. The fish would likely do better in a hospital tank in any case
The ocean doesn't generate waves with propeller pumps though, sucking in water and spitting it out. Whilst yes the ocean waves produce far more current it's still a different type of current to what's in our tanks, when you think about the more natural waves in the ocean. Whilst it's very possible and likely this little guy could of got stuck on a rock or get eaten alive in the wild anyway. I think from memory survival rates in the wild are extremely low for juvenile fish, I still think you increase the odds using something less aggressive until they are bigger(just look at breeding tanks). And if I remember correctly juvenile fish hang out in shallow lagoons or mangroves, less turbulent until they are older. Some one will correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure
In this case you're right - since it's a very small tang. I was making more of a general comment - that usually, fish that are 'sucked into something' - are sucked in because there is something wrong.
Sorry to hear - its always tough to lose a fish
