Tail damage and solutions

[SaltyPlum]

I was buying some fish of a local private seller yesterday and noticed he had a male jag around 7/8 inches, when asked about the jag and whether it was for sale he practically gave it to me for nothing due to it having split in the middle of it's tail. The seller mentioned he damaged it when he was younger and it never grew back.

Just wondering whether tail damage is permanent, or will it eventually grow back? He was in a standard 4ft 55g with other American chichlids and now on his own in a 100g.

The seller also mentioned if i cut his tail right back he will generate a new one, but if this is true why cant it regrow its tail where it's currently damaged?

 

[tlindsey]

I was buying some fish of a local private seller yesterday and noticed he had a male jag around 7/8 inches, when asked about the jag and whether it was for sale he practically gave it to me for nothing due to it having split in the middle of it's tail. The seller mentioned he damaged it when he was younger and it never grew back.

Just wondering whether tail damage is permanent, or will it eventually grow back? He was in a standard 4ft 55g with other American chichlids and now on his own in a 100g.

The seller also mentioned if i cut his tail right back he will generate a new one, but if this is true why cant it regrow its tail where it's currently damaged?

It depends on how far the split is on the tail fin. Post a pic if possible.

 

[BIG-G]

I agree.
If it’s split all the way to the base it usually will stay split.
If you cut the tail and cut into the base at all you risk permanently damage and a tail less fish at the least, and a serious injury with risk of infection and quite possibly death at the worst.

 

[SaltyPlum]

It depends on how far the split is on the tail fin. Post a pic if possible.

This is the best pic i can get for now, it's the first time he has come out of hiding since adding him to my tank yesterday. Soon as i took this pic he went back into hiding.

 

[SaltyPlum]

I agree.
If it’s split all the way to the base it usually will stay split.
If you cut the tail and cut into the base at all you risk permanently damage and a tail less fish at the least, and a serious injury with risk of infection and quite possibly death at the worst.

Yeah I dont want that. I would rather have a tail split jag than a dead jag. The only way i could think of how to do it would be to sedate him, than get a sharp pair of scissors and cut it back really neat and clean and ensuring i dont cut as far as the base. Than add some salt to the water to help with the healing process and do water change every second day to avoid infection.

I'll try and get some better pics up when he is more settled in.

 

[BIG-G]

Yeah I dont want that. I would rather have a tail split jag than a dead jag. The only way i could think of how to do it would be to sedate him, than get a sharp pair of scissors and cut it back really neat and clean and ensuring i dont cut as far as the base. Than add some salt to the water to help with the healing process and do water change every second day to avoid infection.

I'll try and get some better pics up when he is more settled in.

You wouldn’t have to sedate.
I’ve done it a couple times in the past.
Soak a towel in tank water and wrap the fish with the tail out. Inspect the damage, use your fingers to slightly pinch the base and feel for where the tissue starts. Use sharp scissor.
Usually the splits end is a good indication of where you should cut, you want to stay away from the base but trim close to the end of the split.
Remember afterwards the fish will not be able to move very fast so it should be isolated from any bullying or aggressive tank mates until the tail grows back.

I will add that this is not a necessary procedure and is an individual decision, I’m not trying to talk you into doing it.
I’m only explaining how I did it.

 

[SaltyPlum]

You wouldn’t have to sedate.
I’ve done it a couple times in the past.
Soak a towel in tank water and wrap the fish with the tail out. Inspect the damage, use your fingers to slightly pinch the base and feel for where the tissue starts. Use sharp scissor.
Usually the splits end is a good indication of where you should cut, you want to stay away from the base but trim close to the end of the split.
Remember afterwards the fish will not be able to move very fast so it should be isolated from any bullying or aggressive tank mates until the tail grows back.

I will add that this is not a necessary procedure and is an individual decision, I’m not trying to talk you into doing it.
I’m only explaining how I did it.

I wish you could show me ?? do you think if i leave it, it will eventually grow back, or is the spit to far back?

He is on his own in 100g, so he wont be bullied or have any other fish to worry about. I just recently set up 3 tier breeding rack of 100g tanks, and another 3 tier 45g breeding/grow out rack. I had a jag pair a few years back and would like to get him a female in the near future. So i would rather take advantage of the oppurtunity now why he is on his own.

I think i would rather do it why he is sedated. I would get to nervous while it is moving around and end up cutting it wrong. I would feel like absolutely crap and if i did something to wrong and caused him some serious damage.

 

[Deadeye]

Usually once it hits flesh it doesn’t grow back. That said, I actually had an mbuna with its entire tail chewed off to the flesh and it came back fine.
Cutting it more or keeping it from aggressive fish will help encourage it to grow back.

 

[duanes]

To me, it looks to be split all the way into the flesh of the caudal, and will never grow back.

Unless you were hoping for a fish to enter into "fish shows" it is of no consequence to the health, or breeding capability or anything else, its just simply aesthetics.
I have kept cichlids with similar splits for years.

The split in the Paratilapia above never grew back.

 

[Deadeye]

Not a cichlid, but I had a danio that had half its tail bit off on the bottom. Never grew back but the fish was fine.