Tang stung by nem? What do I do?

[Perpetual Novice]

I have a magnificent anemone that decided to take a walk into my gyre pump last night. I think it may recover but a bunch of it’s tentacles tore off before I noticed. I think one of them must have stung by hippo tang because it is breathing heavy, has its muscles cramped and flexed to the side. And is showing dark marks on two sides of its body that weren’t there before.

I’ve done one water change already with more planned once I’m sure the nem has healed over any open wounds. All the other fish and coral in the tank don’t seem stressed. Just this one tang.

Is this the right diagnosis. And what do I do about it. My first instinct was to put the tang in an acclimation box to observe it. But it still swims well and couldn’t be caught.

 

[rkpetersen]

A pic or two would be helpful.
If they are anemone stings, they should resolve and the fish recover within a few days.
Assuming a bacterial infection doesn't set in.
Would be fairly rare with otherwise healthy fish in a 'clean' tank but can happen.
If the marks get less conspicuous day by day, you're good.
If they get bigger or start looking worse, you may need to catch it and get it into a hospital tank for antibiotics.
I'd also suggest several things for the gyre:
Move it or them to a location that anemones can't wander into easily.
Cover them with the fine mesh plastic covers that Maxspect sells. They work fine.
Configure each gyre for alternating back and forth flow. Much less likely to try and suck an anemone through.
I've got something like 40 nems in a crowded 100g tank, yet none have ever been sucked into the gyres.

 

[Perpetual Novice]

A pic or two would be helpful.
If they are anemone stings, they should resolve and the fish recover within a few days.
Assuming a bacterial infection doesn't set in.
Would be fairly rare with otherwise healthy fish in a 'clean' tank but can happen.
If the marks get less conspicuous day by day, you're good.
If they get bigger or start looking worse, you may need to catch it and get it into a hospital tank for antibiotics.
I'd also suggest several things for the gyre:
Move it or them to a location that anemones can't wander into easily.
Cover them with the fine mesh plastic covers that Maxspect sells. They work fine.
Configure each gyre for alternating back and forth flow. Much less likely to try and suck an anemone through.
I've got something like 40 nems in a crowded 100g tank, yet none have ever been sucked into the gyres.

it’s so weird. It was a huge dark rash. And by now it’s completely gone and the cramping seems to have gone down.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Glad he's getting better.

 

[Katrina71]

Glad your baby is feeling better!