My little regal tang was the victim of a vicious attack Saturday night. He went to sleep in his rock but I guess it wasn't as safe as he thought. We suspect a crab got to him and actually ripped one of his eyes out. I knew something was amiss when he didn't show up after the lights came on the next day. I called the fish guy and he came over to check it out. After the clownfish episode, we didn't want to take any chances. We found him alright, underneath the rockwork, shaking, mutilated, scared but alive.
We rigged up a hospital ward with a spaghetti strainer that we jammed underneath the canopy. It's right at the top and the little guy is now well protected. We put him in there with a small rock. He is still breathing this morning. I am hoping he will take food today. We took out two ugly mithrax crabs yesterday but the fish guy is coming back today to go through each rock and make sure we remove all possible culprits. Has this happened to anyone? If so, did the fish survive? I'm really concerned about infections now. We didn't want to remove him from the tank as a trip back to my fish guy's quarantine tank might have been too much.
I really don't want to lose another fish. What a holiday weekened this turned out to be.
The fish guy just left with another big ugly crab. We suspect this one was the culprit since we found his lair in the proximity of the tang's "bedroom" rock. Also, we found a disturbingly high number of empty hermit crab shells right where it lived. I wonder if that thing has been eating my hermits. I'm glad it's out.
The little tang is doing better. He's quite a trooper! We substituted the rock for a piece of pvc pipe (the rock was a bit big for the basket). He is quite disoriented but his eye socket does not show signs of infection. Hopefully he will start eating soon. He has been renamed "Mad Eye Moody"; it was the fish guy's idea. I did not know he was a Harry Potter fan But I like the new name, and I share the fish guy's cautious optimism for his recovery.
Sorry to hear about the mishap. I concure that a healthy fish can survive this malady. Good luck with him.
Dick
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
ouch, talk about taking the hit!
your fish must have closed that half of the brain down for awhile cause nomally they would drift or strave when in contract with something! sorry to hear about it Ann, not a nice thing for both of u to go though. has he got him on any medications to boost the immune system, or suggested moving him to your own quartine tank for dosing?
We decided not to move him to the quarantine tank at the fish guy's because we didn't want to cause more stress for the fish. The transfer would involve a 20 mins car ride. We isolated him from the rest of the residents of the aquarium to give him some peace and quiet though. Is it necessary to give him medication? Would the fish survive a transfer to another tank? And what kind of medication should we administer?
We decided not to move him to the quarantine tank at the fish guy's because we didn't want to cause more stress for the fish. The transfer would involve a 20 mins car ride. We isolated him from the rest of the residents of the aquarium to give him some peace and quiet though. Is it necessary to give him medication? Would the fish survive a transfer to another tank? And what kind of medication should we administer?
Thanks!
Ann
Ann, we should all have ourn QT tank for our inhabitants,considering how cheap a glass cube & power head is! but thats a personal comment from me!
as for treatment, if it was my fish, i would be dosing melafix as of yesterday to stop any possible infection for showing its ugly head.
im old school on this product> once again personally i would never be without it!
we have done the research on the top minds in the field about any negative effects on the reef enviroment, non have been found to date. although corals dont like it in the main display they do make it though. but thats what a QT tank is for, more so for a sick fish!
dreams just treated here tank with the product> more like a calculated risk per say, but as expected came out with the results your after!
i do hope u manage to save the fish. regals are pleasent animals. & for your sake because of the last tragic hit!
as for moving fish from location to location, i have a d-cell fueled battery air pump connected to a sealable lid bucket as a perminant addition to my equiptment for such occasions. i also bring them home in this!
I am happy to report that my little "one eye" hippo tang is on the mend. His appetite is coming back and he is slowly adapting to his new disability. With no sign of infection and a renewed interest in food, we felt he could be returned to the general population. The little fish has become something of a bottom dweller but everyday there seems to be small improvements. He is much more active now and is experimenting with swimming in an upright position (as opposed to just crawling on one side along the bottom) The worse seems to be over. It's been two weeks since the attack and the little guy is stiill determined to live. I'm hoping that this means he'll be around my aquarium for a while
That's great news, Ann. Congratulations. Please keep us posted.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
wow, fantastic news.
just provide some dark glasses & a mini piano, and your nights music is taken care of!
im sure he will fine, as long as all the nasties are out of the system
It's all fun and games until... 
But I like the new name, and I share the fish guy's cautious optimism for his recovery.
USA 
V-series Productions 
icon under their name to add to their reputation. 
hehehe