Woke up with Gar Nose missing

Mercury2234

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2009
208
0
0
Orlando, FL
Checked tank last time around midnight, everything was fine...

Woke the morning with my gar nose missing...it is COMPLETELY torn apart.

Tank mates are fine: 2 smaller bichirs, 1 fire eel, 1 CK, 1 Florida (2-3" smaller)
Water Parameters are excellent... 0 across the board.

Already did 50% water change just in case... Does this happen to people often? My other gar nose is FLAWLESS, but this one keeps messing up his nose after healing it.

Nothing seems to be out of ordinary as far as he goes...However, there is a big piece of nose still hanging as you can see, do I try to take it out (fearing infection) or just leave it be?

IMG_0634.jpg
 

Spatula

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 22, 2009
359
0
0
Under your bed
I must admit it doesn't look COMPLETELY torn apart as you described (at least in that pic).
Seems he got a little snout brusing... Nothing a water change, temp bump and a little salt won't fix. As far the "hanging piece", I would just leave it and let nature work it's magic.

The thing that concerns me is that you said "My other gar nose is FLAWLESS, but this one keeps messing up his nose after healing it."

How often does this happen? And does it always happen after he heals from the first round?
 

408smokin

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 14, 2008
840
1
18
At home
WTF.. lucky, that never happen to me.. crazy..

need a better picture.. I want to see it from the side view
 

E_americanus

Penguin Lover
MFK Member
Aug 14, 2004
3,790
28
68
46
Louisiana
primitivefishes.com
408smokin;3854053; said:
WTF.. lucky, that never happen to me.. crazy..

need a better picture.. I want to see it from the side view
in the same vein of what spatula said...smokin, your post is useless.


to the OP, i would just let things run their course as stated in earlier posts. the gar may have damaged it on its own or a bichir may have gotten a nip at it. i seem to remember it being damaged earlier, so when the damage is extensive or recurring, it may not stop until the piece actually breaks off like it has (whether self inflicted or otherwise).

just keep an eye on it, and let us know if things change for the worse. sorry to hear about the fish, and it should at least be ok other than some nose damage--
--solomon
 

Mercury2234

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2009
208
0
0
Orlando, FL
Thanks for all the responses,

Spatula,

He used to do it EVERYTIME once I got him (2months ago)...now he only does it sporadically at night-time, usually at feeding time. I thought it could have been associated with begging for food, but he does it after being stuffed too.

Solomon,

I doubt it could be the bichirs as they are both SUBSTANTIALLY smaller than the gar at hand. In the beginning I was more worried about the GAR taking a bite at them. In any case, I am taking an extra look to see if anything is out of ordinary.

I believe it to be self-inflicted as previous experience show he HATES HIS NOSE...I am just worried because it happened so FAST (in just one night) and SEVERE, where it usually takes DAYS of rubbing and nowhere near as bad.

I will update it if things turn for the worse.
 

m245

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 27, 2009
130
1
18
In the tank
If I were you, I would remove the slabs of concrete-looking thing to see if things improve.
 

Polypterus

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 17, 2005
2,839
8
68
49
Detroit
Mercury2234;3854560; said:
Thanks for all the responses,

Spatula,

He used to do it EVERYTIME once I got him (2months ago)...now he only does it sporadically at night-time, usually at feeding time. I thought it could have been associated with begging for food, but he does it after being stuffed too.

Solomon,

I doubt it could be the bichirs as they are both SUBSTANTIALLY smaller than the gar at hand. In the beginning I was more worried about the GAR taking a bite at them. In any case, I am taking an extra look to see if anything is out of ordinary.

I believe it to be self-inflicted as previous experience show he HATES HIS NOSE...I am just worried because it happened so FAST (in just one night) and SEVERE, where it usually takes DAYS of rubbing and nowhere near as bad.

I will update it if things turn for the worse.
Fish does not "hate his nose" he hates his conditions and something is a stress and you need to figure out what of the several conditions it is that causes and elicits self destructive behavior.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store