Tailspot blenny with bent spine

[beepboop]

I’ve had this tailspot blenny for 2.5 years and he was acting fine until today. I came home and he was laying on the sand with a bent spine, breathing fast, and struggling to swim. The clownfish was picking on him and he was fighting to get away, so I pulled him from the tank. His breathing has calmed, and he straightened himself out against the wall, but he looks like he has a bruise mid-body - an injury? I read parasites can sometimes cause bent spine, could that be it? What other signs would I see? All other fish and coral acting fine. TIA

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Do you have any wave makers that shut off throughout the day?

In my old tank mine would sit in my mp10s while I had them off for maintenance. Forgot one time and little guy took a beating.

 

[beepboop]

Do you have any wave makers that shut off throughout the day?

In my old tank mine would sit in my mp10s while I had them off for maintenance. Forgot one time and little guy took a beating.

Nope :/ he squeezes himself into a barnacle for sleeping at night, some of the holes barely fit him but he squeezes in there anyway. I wonder if he got stuck and hurt himself? Or swam too fast into something?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve had this tailspot blenny for 2.5 years and he was acting fine until today. I came home and he was laying on the sand with a bent spine, breathing fast, and struggling to swim. The clownfish was picking on him and he was fighting to get away, so I pulled him from the tank. His breathing has calmed, and he straightened himself out against the wall, but he looks like he has a bruise mid-body - an injury? I read parasites can sometimes cause bent spine, could that be it? What other signs would I see? All other fish and coral acting fine. TIA

This fish is both injured and pinched and may recover partially . Keep an eye on area for improvement over next 48 hours. If none and scaless continue to protrude, you may treat with seachem neoplex to see if fish responds

 

[beepboop]

This fish is both injured and pinched and may recover partially . Keep an eye on area for improvement over next 48 hours. If none and scaless continue to protrude, you may treat with seachem neoplex to see if fish responds

Thanks for your reply. Do you think an in-tank acclimation box is okay for observation? I don’t have a full hospital tank setup.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for your reply. Do you think an in-tank acclimation box is okay for observation? I don’t have a full hospital tank setup.

While you can utilize this, often ive seen acclimation boxes cause damage to a fish as the ones mainly with the flow thru openings have sharp edges around the holes

 

[beepboop]

I made mine out of an old critter keeper and used a soldering iron to make the holes, so they’re small and smooth

 

[beepboop]

While you can utilize this, often ive seen acclimation boxes cause damage to a fish as the ones mainly with the flow thru openings have sharp edges around the holes

I made mine out of an old critter keeper and used a soldering iron to make the holes, so they’re small and smooth

 

[vetteguy53081]

I made mine out of an old critter keeper and used a soldering iron to make the holes, so they’re small and smooth

Should work

 

[beepboop]

He made it through the night, but swimming is still a struggle. Here’s some video of the underside of his belly - looks like internal bleeding. Do we feel pretty confident this is a trauma? I want to be sure I shouldn’t be worried about something infectious spreading to other fish. @Humblefish ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

He made it through the night, but swimming is still a struggle. Here’s some video of the underside of his belly - looks like internal bleeding. Do we feel pretty confident this is a trauma? I want to be sure I shouldn’t be worried about something infectious spreading to other fish. @Humblefish ?

This is the mention I made on healing and its hemorrhaging from injury and needs treatment as mentioned- Seachem Neoplex

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

He made it through the night, but swimming is still a struggle. Here’s some video of the underside of his belly - looks like internal bleeding. Do we feel pretty confident this is a trauma? I want to be sure I shouldn’t be worried about something infectious spreading to other fish. @Humblefish ?

That does look like an injury to me as well. I don't know of any infection that would cause the skin disruption, redness and the curved spine all at the same time like that.

I don't think it is self-induced. Blennies live their entire lives in coral crevices, they are well-adapted for that sort of life. You ruled out the possible issue of a wavemaker, but that is the most common cause for this. You said the clownfish were picking on it? Could that have begun *before* this all started? Clowns often change how they behave with tankmates depending on their pair status.

Is the fish eating inside the critter keeper?

 

[beepboop]

That does look like an injury to me as well. I don't know of any infection that would cause the skin disruption, redness and the curved spine all at the same time like that.

I don't think it is self-induced. Blennies live their entire lives in coral crevices, they are well-adapted for that sort of life. You ruled out the possible issue of a wavemaker, but that is the most common cause for this. You said the clownfish were picking on it? Could that have begun *before* this all started? Clowns often change how they behave with tankmates depending on their pair status.

Is the fish eating inside the critter keeper?

Thank you so much for your reply. I’ve only seen the clowns pick on him once before when he was too close to their cave. The female clownfish grabbed his tail and pulled the blenny away from the area. Other than that incident, the blenny has actually been the bully in the tank, chasing and nipping at the mollies.

He is eating a little bit, but not as voraciously as before. His swimming might be a little better today, but he spends most of his time laying in the pipe.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you so much for your reply. I’ve only seen the clowns pick on him once before when he was too close to their cave. The female clownfish grabbed his tail and pulled the blenny away from the area. Other than that incident, the blenny has actually been the bully in the tank, chasing and nipping at the mollies.

He is eating a little bit, but not as voraciously as before. His swimming might be a little better today, but he spends most of his time laying in the pipe.

Well, there isn’t any treatment for this sort of injury unless an infection sets in )then you might need to treat with antibiotics).

Supportive care is really all you can do - isolate, keep it calm and feed it well.

 

[beepboop]

Follow-up in case anyone is interested - after some time in isolation, the blenny healed wonderfully! His swimming gradually improved and now he’s back cruising the tank and defending his barnacle.

Looking back at his injuries, I’m still shocked he made it.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

That is awesome to hear! Don't see to many good news follow ups. So thank you

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Follow-up in case anyone is interested - after some time in isolation, the blenny healed wonderfully! His swimming gradually improved and now he’s back cruising the tank and defending his barnacle.

Looking back at his injuries, I’m still shocked he made it.

Great to hear!