Can I do anything for my tang?

[stacyt]

I'm not really sure what happened. It appears that my yellow tang and brittle star got into a fight. Thats the only thing I can think of. My brittle star is in pieces, and there is a piece of the star hanging of the tangs spine. Anyways the tang is missing his lips. It appears that they have been ate off. Maybe somehow when he and the brittle got into a fight. Is there anything I can do for the tang? I'll try to get a pic and post it if it helps.

 

[beth]

What kind of brittle was it?
There probably isn't anything you can do, except wait and see. If you can get the tang out of the main tank [unlikely] and place him in a QT, then you can administer to the fish. But aside from that, not much else to do. You can't medicate a tank with inverts.
The tang was probably pecking around for food in a rock, and grabbed hold of the brittle's arm. Then the star wrapped around the tang in defense, getting off a bite on the lip befor being ripped apart.
Is the fish catchable? Can you setup a hospital?

 

[stacyt]

It was a good size yellow brittle star. I have a q-tank setup and ready. Catching the tang will be tricky, but I think I can do that. I'm thinking if I can, and put him inyo q-tank then should I add some marycn 2.

 

[bigbonedee]

I would treat with neomycin which is more for external infection than MaracynII. I would however wait and see what happens in the quarantine tank.
Losing your lips is pretty traumatic and I dont know if I want to start medicating right away.

 

[stacyt]

I'll hold of on the meds if evryone thinks that I should wait. Here is a pic although not very good. You can see however that there appears to be some cartalidge sticking out.

 

[beth]

Is his mouth open like that all the time? How is the fish doing in terms of swiming, eat yet? Behavior, etc.?

 

[stacyt]

He has been keeping his mouth open ever since the injury. He is no longer eating as well. He has been swimming around, and has remained active.

 

[beth]

Did you just set up the hospital tank, or did you have one running and cycled already?
Hopefully the fish has not actually lost its lips. For a fish that grazes that will be pretty bad news. Too bad, too, he looks like a pretty healty fish otherwise.
Let us know how he fares tomorrow.

 

[stacyt]

The hospital tank is setup and cycled. The tang has lost his upper lip completely, and the bottom lip is pretty torn, but not completely gone. At this point I don't know what I can do, other than sit and wait. Any other suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[beth]

Sit and wait is what I'd do. Optium water quality in the hospital. If you see signs of infection developing, then you'll need to use antibiotics.