Severe Tail Fin Loss

Help please! Overnight one of my yellow lab cichlids was attacked and had her tail fin severely chewed off. I currently have her separated in a tank that was set up for the purposes of transferring my cichlid fry. The little guys are growing fast, and I will soon need her tank for the fry. I'm not sure how long I can keep her out of one of my community tanks. (She won't be going back to the same tank she originally came from.) Question #1. Will her tail grow back? Question#2- If her tail does grow back, how long does it take? Question #3. (Hopefully #1 is answered yes, so this question isn't necessary.) Can a fish survive in a community tank with a severely severed tail?

 

It’s pretty much completely gone so it probably won’t grow back. You’ll need to add a fungicide or bactericide to prevent secondary infections.

If returned to its tank it will probably just be killed. Fish are like that...

 

Did this happen in a mbuna tank? If so, what size tank? What is the stocking?
I see red at the end of the tail. I would net and drip methylene blue on it. If no MB, at least hydrogen peroxide.

 

Thanks for the advice. She was in a 53 gallon tank with one male and five other female yellow labs. I'm not sure which one was the aggressor. I'm assuming the male? The fish were bought as juveniles so I had no idea their genders. I've had these guys for about two months. They are reproducing like crazy, and I am shocked this happened. Recently she was holding, but I had to strip her and dispose of her eggs because I couldn't keep up with the all the fry. (I have 62 fry, and her and her tank mate was also holding.) She is currently in a 20 gallon with my baby fry that are netted. I'm worried the medication will affect the fry that are in the tank with her, and soon the fry will need the full 20 gallon.

 

Thanks for the advice. She was in a 53 gallon tank with one male and five other female yellow labs. I'm not sure which one was the aggressor. I'm assuming the male? The fish were bought as juveniles so I had no idea their genders. I've had these guys for about two months. They are reproducing like crazy, and I am shocked this happened. Recently she was holding, but I had to strip her and dispose of her eggs because I couldn't keep up with the all the fry. (I have 62 fry, and her and her tank mate was also holding.) She is currently in a 20 gallon with my baby fry that are netted. I'm worried the medication will affect the fry that are in the tank with her, and soon the fry will need the full 20 gallon.

I didn't want medication in the tank. Just net, hold net over a container or pail and drip the MB or HP on the tail area. Return to tank. What ever is still on the fish will not effect anything in the tank.
I have had an overstocked mbuna tank for over 30 years. Mine is 55 gallons and my target number is 20 to 22 fish. With the small number that you have, aggression will not be spread out enough between all of the mbunas. You could try the other trick I use. Temperature. I keep my tank at 76-77*F. This discourages breeding behavior and also cuts down on aggression. She could regrow the tail but I am worried about the red area on the base of what was her caudal fin.

 

Interesting. Thank you for explaining the technique. I will definitely try this. Given her lack of tail fin, I am surprised how quickly she can still move. I am enjoying raising the fry, so I guess the overstocking is a better option. Btw- your advice is appreciated.

 

Interesting. Thank you for explaining the technique. I will definitely try this. Given her lack of tail fin, I am surprised how quickly she can still move. I am enjoying raising the fry, so I guess the overstocking is a better option. Btw- your advice is appreciated.

I have always tried to inhibit breeding. That is when the true aggression starts. I also have a very colorful mbuna tank. Red zebras, yellow labs, electric blue johannis, aceis, socolofis. I definitely didn't want hybrids, so no breeding in my tank. It has worked for me. You will find something that works for you.

 

Try a medication called paraguard it is my best working medication and if their is any other fish with this one then take out the filter carriages and put in as directed

 

Black background and star and moon shaped hole punches might work.