my new tang just broke a bone...

aboutlupus · 01/27/2008, 09:56 PM

I can't believe this, but my new yellow eye kole tang apparently broke one of its small bones -- there is actually a tiny little clear bone poking out of the narrow area on its body between the front and the tail. I'm sure he must've done it by scraping up against the live rock, since he has been swimming in and out of it since I put him into the tank last night. He was doing great too, up until suffering this injury a few hours ago; now he's swimming back and forth with the small bone sticking out slightly, and seems justifiably a little stressed out about it. And so am I. Unfortunately, I feel like the only thing I can do is to let nature take its course and hope that it heals somehow. (And there are no predators in the tank that could take advantage of his weakened condition -- just a purple firefish, ocellaris, an engineer goby, some emerald crabs and a couple cleaner shrimp). Has anything like this ever happened to anyone? Does anyone have any suggestions? Please help...

NirvanaFan · 01/27/2008, 10:15 PM

It's not just the "scalpel" thing they use to fight with is it?

Larah · 01/27/2008, 10:20 PM

I hope tht it's not broken

that's a bummer...
I feel for you....

spike78 · 01/27/2008, 10:28 PM

Does this "broken bone" show on both sides of the fish? Can you provide a picture?

Deb91 · 01/27/2008, 10:29 PM

Poor thing!! Can you post a picture of him? Do you have a QT you can put him in? If he's stressed he might get ich in you main tank!

Deb91 · 01/27/2008, 10:37 PM

Does it happen to look like this my any chance?http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/tangs/yellowtang/

aboutlupus · 01/27/2008, 10:54 PM

Thanks for everyone's response -- I really appreciate the help...

Deb91 -- Actually, it does look a little like that, except the bone sticking out is clear, and it is only on one side. And it's weird, but it does look like there's a mark on his the other side, but just no bone sticking out there. I would take a picture if I could, but he's been moving around too quickly (when he's not hiding in the rock) to get one...

Does anyone think it's really just the caudal peduncle? (Embarassingly, I actually didn't even know about that scalpel spike thing they have -- thanks, NirvanaFan). I hope that's all it is, but why would it be sticking out all of a sudden, in a pretty non-threatening tank, after being fine for a day? Has this happened to anyone else?

WuHT · 01/27/2008, 11:04 PM

Well i think this settles it. Odd that the scapel is only out on one side though.

freedominco · 01/28/2008, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Deb91
Does it happen to look like this my any chance?http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/tangs/yellowtang/

This website says that a tang only needs a 20 gal tank?!

Deb91 · 01/28/2008, 12:37 AM

I know I have that bookmarked for when I get my tang,so the tang police can't get me lol. Aboutlupus how is your tang acting now?

spike78 · 01/28/2008, 02:24 AM

Not exactly an unbiased source being that they sell them and all.

jamiep · 01/28/2008, 04:58 AM

I heard thqats twenty litres and not 20g.

ojoj!

aboutlupus · 01/28/2008, 08:13 AM

Thanks again for everyone's input. I checked him out this morning, and he actually looks the same -- the spine/bone thing is still sticking out just on the one side. I haven't seen him eat yet (I got him on Saturday) so hopefully he's in the process of calming down and will be okay over the next few days... If anyone has any other thoughts on this -- whether it's normal or not -- please let me know.

And for the record (i.e., in case this line of communication is being monitored by the NSA's Tang Enforcement Division), I have my Kole Tang in a 90...

This site (Aquatic Connection) actually recommends only 20 gallon tanks for most tangs with, ironically, "a number of hiding places and plenty of room to swim."

Sk8r · 01/28/2008, 08:38 AM

As I understand it, the caudal spike breaks out at a certain age. The other side may yet break through.

01/27/2008, 09:56 PM	#1
aboutlupus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 14	my new tang just broke a bone... I can't believe this, but my new yellow eye kole tang apparently broke one of its small bones -- there is actually a tiny little clear bone poking out of the narrow area on its body between the front and the tail. I'm sure he must've done it by scraping up against the live rock, since he has been swimming in and out of it since I put him into the tank last night. He was doing great too, up until suffering this injury a few hours ago; now he's swimming back and forth with the small bone sticking out slightly, and seems justifiably a little stressed out about it. And so am I. Unfortunately, I feel like the only thing I can do is to let nature take its course and hope that it heals somehow. (And there are no predators in the tank that could take advantage of his weakened condition -- just a purple firefish, ocellaris, an engineer goby, some emerald crabs and a couple cleaner shrimp). Has anything like this ever happened to anyone? Does anyone have any suggestions? Please help...

01/27/2008, 10:29 PM	#5
Deb91 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Scituate,Ma. Posts: 577	Poor thing!! Can you post a picture of him? Do you have a QT you can put him in? If he's stressed he might get ich in you main tank! __________________ Deb Current Tank Info: None running now.

01/27/2008, 10:37 PM	#6
Deb91 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Scituate,Ma. Posts: 577	Does it happen to look like this my any chance?http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/tangs/yellowtang/ __________________ Deb Current Tank Info: None running now.

01/28/2008, 12:37 AM	#10
Deb91 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Scituate,Ma. Posts: 577	I know I have that bookmarked for when I get my tang,so the tang police can't get me lol. Aboutlupus how is your tang acting now? __________________ Deb Current Tank Info: None running now.

01/28/2008, 08:38 AM	#14
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	As I understand it, the caudal spike breaks out at a certain age. The other side may yet break through. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/27/2008, 10:15 PM	#2
NirvanaFan Reef Ninja Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 4,280	It's not just the "scalpel" thing they use to fight with is it?

01/27/2008, 10:20 PM	#3
Larah Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 1,932	I hope tht it's not broken that's a bummer... I feel for you....

01/27/2008, 10:28 PM	#4
spike78 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 420	Does this "broken bone" show on both sides of the fish? Can you provide a picture?

01/27/2008, 10:54 PM	#7
aboutlupus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 14	Thanks for everyone's response -- I really appreciate the help... Deb91 -- Actually, it does look a little like that, except the bone sticking out is clear, and it is only on one side. And it's weird, but it does look like there's a mark on his the other side, but just no bone sticking out there. I would take a picture if I could, but he's been moving around too quickly (when he's not hiding in the rock) to get one... Does anyone think it's really just the caudal peduncle? (Embarassingly, I actually didn't even know about that scalpel spike thing they have -- thanks, NirvanaFan). I hope that's all it is, but why would it be sticking out all of a sudden, in a pretty non-threatening tank, after being fine for a day? Has this happened to anyone else?

01/27/2008, 11:04 PM	#8
WuHT Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 911	Well i think this settles it. Odd that the scapel is only out on one side though.

01/28/2008, 02:24 AM	#11
spike78 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 420	Not exactly an unbiased source being that they sell them and all.

01/28/2008, 04:58 AM	#12
jamiep Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 458	I heard thqats twenty litres and not 20g. ojoj!

01/28/2008, 08:13 AM	#13
aboutlupus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 14	Thanks again for everyone's input. I checked him out this morning, and he actually looks the same -- the spine/bone thing is still sticking out just on the one side. I haven't seen him eat yet (I got him on Saturday) so hopefully he's in the process of calming down and will be okay over the next few days... If anyone has any other thoughts on this -- whether it's normal or not -- please let me know. And for the record (i.e., in case this line of communication is being monitored by the NSA's Tang Enforcement Division), I have my Kole Tang in a 90... This site (Aquatic Connection) actually recommends only 20 gallon tanks for most tangs with, ironically, "a number of hiding places and plenty of room to swim."