I just picked out an 8 inch male zonatum and took him home yesterday. He seemd to be the dominant male, and the largest fish, with the best fins in the tank which had about 6-8 other zonatums in it. I got a good deal. I got him home, acclimated him, and started checking him out closely. Damn nice fish for sure, but a few splits in the tail, some damage on the left pectoral fin, and a tiny split in the dorsal. Can I get this stuff to heal? If so, what help the most? What has been your experience with getting new fish that have some fin damage from fighting or shipping?
new fish, split fins, will they heal?
- Thread starter darthodo
- Start date
As Yota said, they will absolutely heal on their own. No need to do anything special.
Please don't listen to anyone who tells you to trim the fins!
Please don't listen to anyone who tells you to trim the fins!
water changes.... is the best cure... and good food and low stress in the tank... and they will heal on their own.. and fast if you do a regular water change schedule ... the only time i found this to be untrue is if splits were genetic.. then nothing really helps... but when you have several spots as you mentioned it sounds like they were damaged through nipping .. so good luck...take before and after pics.. and note time frame it took to grow out ... so we will all know
I'll try to take pics. I ain't trimming any fins. LOL. I added some aquarium salt to the water. He is in with smaller bocourtis, who really don't seem to be too afraid of him.
I'll try to double my waterchanging efforts as long as I can. I already do one, 60% waterchange on that tank each week and I think I'm gonna double that. He is in a 75 gallon with 5 bocourtis that are 2.5-3.5". I hope he doesn't take a disliking to them. he hasn't paid much attention to them yet. I did put a mirror on the tank and he is fighting his reflection a good bit, which seems to keep him occupied for the time being.
I'll try to double my waterchanging efforts as long as I can. I already do one, 60% waterchange on that tank each week and I think I'm gonna double that. He is in a 75 gallon with 5 bocourtis that are 2.5-3.5". I hope he doesn't take a disliking to them. he hasn't paid much attention to them yet. I did put a mirror on the tank and he is fighting his reflection a good bit, which seems to keep him occupied for the time being.
It all depends on the extent of the damage. If any of the hard spines in the dorsal or anal fin are gone they won't regrow. And if the splits in the tail make it to the caudal peduncle odds are they won't grow back.
I've never had any problems with the pectoral fins or the soft portions of the dorsal or anal not regrowing, but I've got a A. sp "True GT" whose had a split caudal fin now for almost a year.
Let's see some photos.
I've never had any problems with the pectoral fins or the soft portions of the dorsal or anal not regrowing, but I've got a A. sp "True GT" whose had a split caudal fin now for almost a year.
Let's see some photos.
it will be fine, sometimes in severe cases I'd just add an eggcrate divider to keep the injured fish segregated from the rest