Yellow tang dorsal fin damage

Sean Duggan · Apr 23, 2023

Hi everyone I recently came back from a multi week vacation and one of my tangs in my frag tank had some dorsal fin damage. I had a friend watch the fish and feed them while I was gone but they are not an aquarist. I wasn’t sure if it was just fin rot or if it was the start of HLLE. I did some water changes and made sure he was eating. He has healed but he’s not continuing to heal it seems. His dorsal din has definitely gotten better as it used to be right against his head and the webbing has healed. But once he reached this point he hasn’t gotten any better. He eats and grazes on algae all day and no other signs of stress. I’m just curious if he will continue to heal or if he’ll have a “Mohawk” for the rest of his life. If it strictly cosmetic I’m fine with that as I’ve had him for about 3 years now.

blaxsun · Apr 23, 2023

I kind of like the "mohawk" myself. Dealing with an injured tang myself, so here's wishing your fish a nice recovery.

albano · Apr 23, 2023

IMO/E, it’s done, will never improve

Sean Duggan · Apr 23, 2023

Thanks that what I figured!

albano said:
IMO/E, it’s done, will never improve

Sleeping Giant · May 2, 2023

Jay Hemdal · May 2, 2023

Sean Duggan said:
Hi everyone I recently came back from a multi week vacation and one of my tangs in my frag tank had some dorsal fin damage. I had a friend watch the fish and feed them while I was gone but they are not an aquarist. I wasn’t sure if it was just fin rot or if it was the start of HLLE. I did some water changes and made sure he was eating. He has healed but he’s not continuing to heal it seems. His dorsal din has definitely gotten better as it used to be right against his head and the webbing has healed. But once he reached this point he hasn’t gotten any better. He eats and grazes on algae all day and no other signs of stress. I’m just curious if he will continue to heal or if he’ll have a “Mohawk” for the rest of his life. If it strictly cosmetic I’m fine with that as I’ve had him for about 3 years now.

View attachment 3122101

HLLE does show as fin damage on yellow tangs, but the sudden onset of this seems more likely to be from some injury. Also, HLLE fin damage is more scalloped looking, with more rounded margins.
If it is damage, it can take many weeks to grow all the way back in.
Jay

OrionN · May 9, 2023

@Jay Hemdal,
Jay. Will this fin recover?I thin it started out as fin rot.
TIA

Jay Hemdal · May 9, 2023

OrionN said:
@Jay Hemdal,
Jay. Will this fin recover?I thin it started out as fin rot.
TIA
View attachment 3142911

I don’t know for sure. It looks like it has already grown back some. Fins grow slower than people often expect them to (at least the spiny rays do).
This looks different than the HLLE fin erosion that rarely grows back.
Jay