Rummy got his tail bitten off

[Nicky fish]

Hello fishy friends, I think one of my Blackskirts just ate one of my new Rummy Nose Testra’s tail. I didn’t actually witness it but the Blackskirt looks kind of guilty tbh. Mr Rummy is wiggling about a lot as it’s pretty hard for him to get around now without a tail. His friends are trying to be as supportive as possible. Can anyone please shed light on his prognosis, is it bad? I’m not sure if I need to isolate him or if the stress of that will just make him feel worse

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Actually I don't like Black Skirt Tetras as they are nippy and look ugly to me.
I prefer more peaceful Tetras like Cardinal, Red Phantom and Rosy Tetras.

A a fish tail or fins are being bitten off, there is a possibility that it will get bacteria infection which may kill the fish if it doesn't recover.

I guess you can monitor it first to see whether it will recover.
If it doesn't recover, you can try medicating it.
You can try salt for a week.
Use about 1-2 tablespoon of salt for every 10 liter of water.
If salt doesn't work, then you will have to try other antibiotic.

 

[Byron]

If the tail w nipped off, the only option is to deal with the cause. Clean water (i.e., a water change) is more helpful than adding any substances (like salt) which will cause further stress and only aggravate the problem. And the solution to fin nipping is in the species and numbers.

I see rummynose tetras, Black Skirt Tetras and Zebra Danios in the photos. These are shoaling fish which must be kept in groups. The number of fish in each species group has a very direct impact on aggressive behaviours, and as noted above, Black Skirts are notorious for fin nipping. How many of each species do you have, and what other species (and numbers) are in this tank?

 

[Nicky fish]

Hi Byron yes there are 5 danios and 6 rummies. Except the one with the chewed off table died. Which I think is probably for the best as he looked miserable. I was thinking about sticking him in a small glass bowl with magnesium salts but I just think it would have made him feel worse. I’ve got three blackskirts they are a pretty unfriendly bunch but if they nip it’s mostly at each other. I think maybe the little rummy got caught in the cross fire!

 

[Nicky fish]

Actually I don't like Black Skirt Tetras as they are nippy and look ugly to me.
I prefer more peaceful Tetras like Cardinal, Red Phantom and Rosy Tetras.

A a fish tail or fins are being bitten off, there is a possibility that it will get bacteria infection which may kill the fish if it doesn't recover.

I guess you can monitor it first to see whether it will recover.
If it doesn't recover, you can try medicating it.
You can try salt for a week.
Use about 1-2 tablespoon of salt for every 10 liter of water.
If salt doesn't work, then you will have to try other antibiotic.

Thank you lajos yes I concur, blackskirts are an unfriendly bunch, they really talk them up in those online articles but the truth is they they nip at each other and look moody the whole time. But now I’m stuck with them so that’s that. They generally don’t cause too much trouble tho and as I suggested to another forum user, I think the little rummy may have got caught in the “crossfire” so to speak …or cross nip! poor Mr rummy he died later that evening. I think it was all too much for such a little fish.

 

[Byron]

Hi Byron yes there are 5 danios and 6 rummies. Except the one with the chewed off table died. Which I think is probably for the best as he looked miserable. I was thinking about sticking him in a small glass bowl with magnesium salts but I just think it would have made him feel worse. I’ve got three blackskirts they are a pretty unfriendly bunch but if they nip it’s mostly at each other. I think maybe the little rummy got caught in the cross fire!

With shoaling species, which these three all are (all tetras, danios, rasboras, barbs, etc are shoaling) the number of the species is critical to its well-being. I do not know the tank size, and that is another critical factor in this, but for the moment ignoring tank size you should have at least 10-12 rummynose, 9-10 danios, and 10-12 black shirts. If the tank is too small for these, then you shoould reduce the number of species, but not the number of each species if you keep them.