bone sticking out side of my tang.....

[ben-heart]

Hopefully someone can help with this. I bought a tang that's brown with gold rimmed eyes, about a week ago. He's about 4.5 in long, the biggest in my reef tank- 75 gallon. He is very shy and just now out of hiding. He has what appears to be a tiny bone sticking out on his side, just in front of where his tail begins. At first, I thought it was an ick spot or some type of fungus because I was only getting quick glances at it. I can only describe it as something sticking out of him. Obviously, this can't be good. What do I do? It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all.?????????????

 

[lane2800]

all tangs have these, some larger than others, it's how they protect them selves.

 

[rykna]

Neato...learn something new every day. Is this what the bony spike is?

 

[dinogeorge]

They can actually move it in and out. It’s like a switchblade knife. That is how they got the name Surgeonfish. That “scalpel” on end of the tail can make a nasty wound in anything they don’t like.

 

[ben-heart]

Would these be the scalpels that I've read about? I was never clear about where they were on the fish. i also have a yellow and royal blue tang and never noticed anything resembling this.

 

[dinogeorge]

Yeah, they have them near the base of the tail. You'll only see them when they are using them against another fish. Yellow tangs are one of the few that are white, so they are easier to see.

 

[wattsupdoc]

A small PB knifed me one time, it was just like a quick pinprick. This guy was small though, imagine what a 18 in naso would do.

They're lttle gangsta fish! Some of them have multiples on each side too!

 

[dinogeorge]

Oh yeah man, they can be nasty. And your right, I think Naso's have two on each side.

 

[dogstar]

From the description. you may have a Yellow Eye Kole Tang. If you see the spike sticking outwards always now, then most likely it has injured it and can not fold it back in against it body. If it is folded against the body and looks the same on both sides of the fish then its fine.

 

[sepulatian]

It absolutely sounds like a Kole to me.
i also have a yellow and royal blue tang and never noticed anything resembling this.
The kole is the largest? He certainly isn't the boldest out of the fish that you have in there. He will keep his scalpal out as long as he feels threatened.