How to heal blue tang tail fin damage

[-XENOMORPH-]

As was previously recommended to me via humble fish, I tried new life spectrum thera+a and vitachem which are not helping. I need some help in getting my poor tangs tail fixed. It looks like it was nipped, scratched or something. I've been trying for 90 days and need a new direction to help the fish's tail. Ideas? Thank you

• Brief description of the issue you are observing ..tail won't heal.
  • How long have you had the fish with the condition? 5 to 6 mnths with tail issue, have had fish 10 months.
• Current water quality measurements... 1.025, ammonia 0,
• 450 calcium
• 2 to 3 nitrates
• 0.05-0.07 po4
• 78° to 79 max
• Video added.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

-XENOMORPH- Welcome to the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Forum!

The #fishmedic team and other knowledgeable members of our community will do our best to help you resolve your questions. Please provide as much of the following as you are able:

• Brief description of the issue you are observing and answers to the following questions:
  • How long have you had the fish with the condition?
  • Did you quarantine with medication when you first acquired the fish? (If Yes, which medication?)
• Current water quality measurements
• Clear photos of the issue taken using WHITE light and/or a short video of any behaviors (post in your response or on YouTube).

If you can help us by providing as much of the above info as possible, it will make diagnosing and providing recommendations for treatment MUCH easier! The Fish Medic team will get back to you as quickly as possible. In the meantime, other members of our community may also share their experience with similar situations and advice that they may have regarding your situation.

You may also feel free to provide a more detailed description of the condition if you wish to share more info than the above list.

Additionally, these links may be useful while you await a response:

• CURRENT QT PROTOCOL LINK
• HOW TO ASK FOR DISEASE DIAGNOSIS HELP LINK

 

[Sharkbait19]

With damage, the best thing you can do is just provide good, stable water quality and keep up good feedings. Have an antibiotic on hand in case it gets infected. Most importantly, remove the source of the injury.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

With damage, the best thing you can do is just provide good, stable water quality and keep up good feedings. Have an antibiotic on hand in case it gets infected. Most importantly, remove the source of the injury.

Yeah. The humble fish forumn also suggested the water stability and changes. Keep if fresh. I've been doing 5 gallons every week forever. But I'm not seeing ANY regeneration in the affected area in the last 3 months. I have seen zero aggression from other fish in tank. I was hoping to see some tail regeneration at this point. Sigh

 

[Sharkbait19]

What are the tankmates?
Sometimes, if the damage is too bad (down to the base), it doesn’t ever heal right.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

What are the tankmates?
Sometimes, if the damage is too bad (down to the base), it doesn’t ever heal right.

Valentine puffer 5 small clowns, snails, nems, royal gramma

 

[Sharkbait19]

A puffer can do damage, but I haven’t really heard of valentini being aggressive. Clowns can definitely be a culprit.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Find your aggressor and isolate it for best chance of fin recovery
Water quality should be always as well as diet
Will heal on its own and if it becomes infected, treat with ruby Rally pro or separate tank with seachem kanaplex

 

[Jay Hemdal]

As was previously recommended to me via humble fish, I tried new life spectrum thera+a and vitachem which are not helping. I need some help in getting my poor tangs tail fixed. It looks like it was nipped, scratched or something. I've been trying for 90 days and need a new direction to help the fish's tail. Ideas? Thank you

• Brief description of the issue you are observing ..tail won't heal.
  • How long have you had the fish with the condition? 5 to 6 mnths with tail issue, have had fish 10 months.
• Current water quality measurements... 1.025, ammonia 0,
• 450 calcium
• 2 to 3 nitrates
• 0.05-0.07 po4
• 78° to 79 max
• Video added.

Did the fin splits show up suddenly, or did they develop gradually over time? I don't see any likely aggressors in your tank. Fin splits can be a sign of HLLE in some fish. These typically won't heal if the split goes to the hypural plate (the tail bone). Kind of like how if you clip a cat's nails, they will grow back, but if you remove the tissue in the paw through "declawing" the nails don't grow back.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

Hmmmm. With the softies I was running small bag of carbon...like 3 tablespoons in small craft mesh bag in sump. ... hlle? I just removed it. But the tail split seemed to just come out of nowhere 90 days ago?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hmmmm. With the softies I was running small bag of carbon...like 3 tablespoons in small craft mesh bag in sump. ... hlle? I just removed it. But the tail split seemed to just come out of nowhere 90 days ago?

No - if it showed up overnight, fully formed, then it isn't HLLE. Any split fin though, if it goes back to the hypural plate bone, won't grow back.

 

[Formulator]

I can’t quite tell if it is the foreground or the fish, but it looks like he has a white marking/blotch on his head as well. If that is the case, I would second the suspicion of HLLE (head and lateral line erosion). Here is a thread about it:
Thread 'HLLE (Head & Lateral Line Erosion)'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hlle-head-lateral-line-erosion.259916/

 

[Dom]

A puffer can do damage, but I haven’t really heard of valentini being aggressive. Clowns can definitely be a culprit.

Oh yeah.... I've seen them get aggressive. Most are sweet and docile. But every once in a while, there is a jerk that comes along!