wrasse with broken tail?

[Fishyz]

Well, 2 days ago, I introduced a yellow-fin flasher wrasse into my 90g. It was swimming fine at the lfs, but now, it swims like its tail has a weight on the end. After studing the fish for a while in my tank, it appears that its tail has a small bulge on the top, and it doesn't seem like it is using it properly. It is eating extremely well. I know I should have quarantined it first. If it does have a broken tail, do you think there is any chance for my fish? Thanks

[leebca]

A marine fish's ability to survive from a broken bone is surprisingly good. Unlike human bones, their bones don't contain marrow and that is not where blood cells are produced.

It will heal in a malformed way. But I'm a bit concerned. . .Did you watch the fish for a while before buying it? If it was broken before, it would have been a fish to pass up. Do you think it got injured in the catching or in your aquarium? Anyway, nothing to do now but watch that there doesn't evolve any secondary problems, like infections or tumors.

You should review this post: Is The Fish Healthy?

[Fishyz]

I did watch it for awhile before I bought it. It was very scared in the tank, because it was with a few larger, faster fish. It did not swim in the verticle position in the tank that I noticed. I also don't think that it was damaged while being caught or in my aquarium. I talked to someone at the shop, and he said that it did not swim completely normal, even when they first recieved it. I think it was probably injured while it was being shipped. Well, I did get it for a really good deal, and they are very uncommon where I live.

Today, it seems to be doing a bit better. It swims to the other side of my tank normally, and then stops in the verticle position. I don't want to take it back to the lfs, because it will just stress the fish out more. I think it has a better chance of surviving in my tank, than it does at the lfs. Is there anything in particular I can do to help it recover? Thanks again.

[leebca]

Yes. The fish is going through an internal (invisible) healing process. I can 'preach' to most hobbyists to provide the proper nutrition to help fish maintain health and can convince people (sometimes) that providing better nutrition when the fish is visibly sick, but in this case it is the same thing only without much in the visible results.

That's a long sentence meaning the fish needs the best nutrition you can provide it. It needs vitamin supplements, fat supplements and the best frozen foods you can obtain. It also needs to be left alone and not in a community tank with fish that don't even take notice of it. If it has this additional stress, its life will be short.

The fish has to do the healing and you need to provide the fish with the proper 'tools' for doing this job.