When Will Gem Tangs Fins Heal?

[FiveGallonSea]

Hi everyone,

I recently had an episode of ich that lasted 2-3 weeks. It's been gone now but the edges of the fins of my Gem Tang are a little serrated where the ich was feeding on him. It's been about a 2-3 weeks now ich free without any progress. I do frequent water changes, feed nori daily and have a balanced diet with Selcon and garlic. He's young and my prized fish at the moment. I really want him back to normal. Could this be permanent? Here's a couple photos..

 

[KrisReef]

I think one of the other fishes is chomping on this tangs tail.. I have never owned a Gem but I have heard it reported that they can be either very docil or total jerks. Yours may be docil and getting bullied by one of the smaller fishes? If Ich was biting the tail those bite marks would be much smaller that the fish mouth sized marks visible on the Gem.

I'm in California and would offer to home him while he heals if we were closer so I still will not have ever had a Gem. Otherwise, I would think a couple of weeks or so and I will be well on the mend.

 

[albano]

Is that a damsel in there? Suspect #1
Clown…suspect #2

 

[FiveGallonSea]

I check in on the tank all day long while I'm home and he is never picked on. He swims around with all my fish peacefully. In fact my tank is very peaceful although moderate- heavily stocked. This only popped up after the ich. The ich was present along those areas that you see affected. Unless this happens at night.

My stock list by the way is-

One gentle giant Naso
11 small Chromis
2 Clowns
1 Mandarin
1 Longnose
1 Foxface

 

[KrisReef]

I check in on the tank all day long while I'm home and he is never picked on. He swims around with all my fish peacefully. In fact my tank is very peaceful although moderate- heavily stocked. This only popped up after the ich. The ich was present along those areas that you see affected. Unless this happens at night.

My stock list by the way is-

One gentle giant Naso
11 small Chromis
2 Clowns
1 Mandarin
1 Longnose
1 Foxface

If it is just from the ich it should heal in a couple of weeks. I would keep taking pictures to determine if it is healing or if the regression continues. Still think its fin nipping, maybe feed more often?

 

[Kzang]

Ich doesn't take bites out of anything. They burrow into the flesh. That is combat damage from another fish nipping at it.