Slit on Clownfish - Possible Tang Aggression

[egwich]

I will post pictures when I get home later, but what do Tang attacks look like when they slice another fish? I have two clowns. One had a nice clean looking slit across one of his stripes a few weeks ago. I have been battling flukes recently and thought it might be from that. Then one day when I was home I noticed a dust up between my Kole Tang and that specific clown. In the six months I've had them I've never noticed that before. Then this morning I noticed my female clown has a very clean slit near the top of his head by his eye. It looks almost identical to the other one that was on the male clown.

My Kole and two clowns sometimes hide in the same cave together and seem to get along fine. Then I noticed the dust up last week and realized there may not be as much harmony as I thought in the tank.

I have a 55 Gallon, two clowns, one Kole, and one Royal Gramma. I'm upgrading to a much bigger tank (150 or more) around March when I move out of my current house.

 

[Scotty Buttons]

There's a reason they are called surgeonfish. It would look like a clean cut from a knife.

 

[egwich]

There's a reason they are called surgeonfish. It would look like a clean cut from a knife.

That's what it looks like. Is this common, or does this mean I'm probably going to have to remove him if I do not want a death in the tank?

 

[davocean]

It's fairly common, I've had this happen especially when my clowns were spawning and certain tangs trying to get to eggs, or tangs battling for swim space or territory, and agree, it's a clean slice, almost certain the tang did it.
My experience is once they get fussy like that, it rarely calms down w/out some changes made, rehome, or bigger tank.

 

[egwich]

It's fairly common, I've had this happen especially when my clowns were spawning and certain tangs trying to get to eggs, or tangs battling for swim space or territory, and agree, it's a clean slice, almost certain the tang did it.
My experience is once they get fussy like that, it rarely calms down w/out some changes made, rehome, or bigger tank.

I will have a bigger tank coming in a few months, but I'd hate if one of my clowns ended up dead because of this.

 

[JoshH]

Is there any way you could isolate the tang or clowns in an acclimation box for a little while to get some separation between them in the mean time? Maybe for a week orso to start and see if that helps? Or do a rescape in your tank? Resetting things in the current tank might help curb aggression if it's territory based...

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Tang attacks look exactly as you describe. Watch for infection in the wound.

The attacks will likely escalate. Tangs are aggressive fish, especially when housed in undersized tanks. I suggest you remove it.

Whatever you do, good luck. I know it's no fun to have a fish that is aggressive or to have one get injured.

 

[egwich]

Is there any way you could isolate the tang or clowns in an acclimation box for a little while to get some separation between them in the mean time? Maybe for a week orso to start and see if that helps? Or do a rescape in your tank? Resetting things in the current tank might help curb aggression if it's territory based...

I could rescape, but the aggression seems few and far between. I noticed the first slash on the male clown and thought it was a disease or something. Then I saw the little tiff between the tang and clown last week. Normally, the tang and two clowns swim happily together and even hide in the same cave sometimes. I thought they were getting along swimmingly. So it's not like a constant thing. Not where I think I need an acclimation box. I am worried though that a little dust up could end up in a stab to one of the clowns and I find him dead when I get home from work. I'm new to the hobby so I'm not sure how serious these tiffs can be.

 

[egwich]

Tang attacks look exactly as you describe. Watch for infection in the wound.

The attacks will likely escalate. Tangs are aggressive fish, especially when housed in undersized tanks. I suggest you remove it.

Whatever you do, good luck. I know it's no fun to have a fish that is aggressive or to have one get injured.

That's what I was afraid of.

 

[davocean]

If it's just till you get new tank not long from now, and you really want to keep all fish, eggcrate to separate the clowns, they will need less space.
Personally I'd get rid of the tail swiper, because eventually your clowns will spawn and it's gonna be a problem that will likely continue.

 

[egwich]

Here are two pictures of the slashes. The one near the eye is fresh. The one in the middle body is almost healed. A few weeks old.