Mand Trauma F

Mandarin Disease FAQs: Trauma

FAQs on Mandarin Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Nutritional, Social, Infectious, Parasitic (see also: Mandarins/Blennies/Gobies & Crypt,), Treatment

Mandarin; injury likely 3/29/16
Please help my female mandarin has developed a large lump on her head. Her male friend is perfectly fine. I have had them for 6 months no problems.
Looks like a bump or a bony growth, have you seen anything like this before.
<Have seen these "bumps" at times; and suspect they are due to these animals getting stuck, stung, swimming into something... Generally not fatal or apparently deleterious. I would do nothing treatment wise. Very likely this bump will heal itself in time. Bob Fenner>
Thank you
Cathy Napoli

Re: Mandarin 3/30/16
Thank you, it certainly looks like a bump just wanted to make sure.
<Sure>
Kind Regards
Cathy Napoli
<And you; BobF>

Re: Mandarin 4/5/16
Hi Bob
<Cath>
Just thought I'd update you. The lump seemed to burst and then cleared to a hole. Now she is dropping colour and becoming lethargic, can't get photo she is hiding. There is nothing around the hole it seems clear but around her fins is like cotton candy. This has only developed overnight.
Unfortunately I think I will lose her.
<Don't lose hope here. I urge patience. Bob Fenner>

Re: Mandarin 3/8/16
Hi Bob
<Cath>
Sadly I lost her, I think the hole in her head was just too deep. It stayed clear but she wasn't able to heal it. Thank you for this service it has helped me out many times.
<Welcome. BobF>
Kind Regards
Cathy Napoli

My Mandarin keeps floating to the surface 3/26/13
Hi!
Your site is great! I have a question about the health of my Mandarin Dragonette. I am very nervous as I am afraid his end is near. My water parameters are all perfect with my PH at 8.3 and my salinity is at 2.3/2.4.
<I understand... but density is stated otherwise... 1.023... a bit lower than natural here. I would raise. See WWM re>
I purchased him a week ago the day he arrived to the LFS. I properly acclimated him and then released him into my tank. My tank is literally crawling with pods, they cover the glass even with the lights on but I have never seen him eat.
<Might well be species of copepods, other crustaceans here that are unpalatable to this fish/species>
I have never even seem him peck at the rocks. Lately his is not moving, he keeps pinning himself between coral and rocks, If he doesn't he floats to the surface.
<Mmm, a bad sign... esp. w/ Callionymids... what does this portend? Some sort of injury (most Dragonettes are "harpooned" w/ a small dart... yours may have been poked inside, decomposition internally?)>
The fish tries in vain to keep swimming to the bottom of the tank but just keeps floating back up like he is wearing a life jacket! He looks to be in good health, good color, eyes are very active... but I know he is starving to death!!
<Mmm, the only real course of action is patience here. Nothing can be done by you... and the fish won't "spread something" to your other stock>
I don't know what is wrong or if I should remove him from the tank and maybe bring him back to the LFS to see if he will survive. I heard it could be a swim bladder issue which relates to bad water conditions/over feeding.
He hasn't eaten anything in over a week so it cant be that... The holding tank he was in at the LFS was filthy and he was sitting at the bottom covered in the gunk, could that be the cause? What do you think?
<Am sticking w/ my best guess, above... this specimen was "needled" in capture... will hopefully recover spontaneously. Keep the faith. Bob Fenner>
Thank you,
Dustin

Problem with Mandarin 12/9/08 I noticed this spot on my mandarin first I thought it might have been a bite <Looks like a mechanical injury to me as well> but now I'm not sure so I put her into an isolation tank which I run copper in <Mmm, I would not treat Callionymids/oids with copper... Such exposure is more toxic by far than useful... Okay... what am I saying? Remove it> and now I am wondering how long I need to keep her in that tank she has been in for 24 hours now. <Put this animal back in the main display> And also would like to get some help to clarify if it is a parasite or a injury. <The latter almost for sure> It initially was white now it has become a brownish color. enclosed is a few photos she is very timid so it's hard to get a pic. <Good pix... This owee will likely heal just fine in time. Bob Fenner>

Mandarinfish w/gill problem 7/18/08 Hi Guys You guys are definitely the go-to guys for help. Have cruised the web looking for an answer to this poser all night to no avail. I've got a Synchiropus splendidus Mandarinfish that has a problem on it's gill. <I see in your pix...> She is eating just fine, housed in a 55 gal tank, 50 plus pounds of live rock, lots macro algae, 5 inch live sand bed ( which I add copepods to regularly ) as well as a 20 gal sump/fuge w/copepods and macro in there as well. I don't quite know what she did to her gill, it doesn't look like a burn, <Looks to be a physical trauma> I don't think it is a parasite ( I removed her to get a closer look at it ), it actually looks and feels like bone?? Is this possible? <Yes> It doesn't seem to affect/hurt her in any way. Still happy and sociable as ever. Loves getting her picture taken thank goodness so I've included pictures of the 'wound' as well. Any suggestions as to what it might be or what may have happened. <An unfortunate encounter with something hard...> She lives w/two small ( <1 inch ) clowns, 1 Firefish, 3 Anthias, and 1 small 1 1/2 inch pygmy angel. All get along great. There is a bubble anemone in there but she has never bothered it. <Mmm... I will mention that this arrangement, placement with Anemones very often results in loss of Dragonets...> You can see the white area on the tip of her gill. Any suggestions on how to help heal this? <Time, good care> Thanks alot <No such word> guys! You rule.
Cindy
<Happy to be a lesser-serf, BobF>

Mandarin Goby... collection damage... 6/13/08 I picked up Mandarin goby/dragonet at my local fish store. The condition didn't look good, so I wasn't going to buy it, but since I knew the owner pretty well, he gave it to me for free. Most likely the fish was going to die anyways in his store. This wasn't because the fish was starving like how they usually are, but because it was injured. There is a little nick on his dorsal and his fin is rotted or maybe bit or just shipping damage? <Mmm, no... this is likely a site-wound... Many aquarists are unaware of how the two principal species of Mandarins/Callionymids used in the trade are collected... they are actually speared through their (mainly) dorsal fins...> I'm not sure, but it was pretty bruised. I think this fish is pretty much full grown, it's about 3 to 3.5 inches long. <A female...> I put him in a QT tank with some Caulerpa and tons of copepod from my sump. The QT is in quite and dim area. I didn't put any medications or chemical. <Good. I wouldn't> It's been about three days, so I can't tell if his eating or not, since I haven't physically seen it, but the pods seem to be disappearing, I'm not sure if it's the fish or culture crash, but I do resupply the fish with pods every day. Is there anything else I can do? <Mmm, no, not really> The main tank is 55g that's been running for last two years. The tank has 4 Chromis, 2 Clownfishes, 1 clam, and 2 scarlet skunk shrimps. If the dragonet keeps on living, I'm planning to purchase some pods online to restock the pod population, although the I have enough of them at this point. I'm planning to leave the little guy in QT for another week or so and move it to my main tank. But I'm wondering if that's a smart move since he is injured. Should I keep him in the QT until he's completely healed or would he do okay in the main tank just as well? <Leave where it is till healed, apparently re-fleshed> Under proper care, how long would it take for him to fully recover? <Weeks> I never had any injured fish before, in fact, I was very lucky to never run into any sick fishes before (knock on wood). Anything would help. Thank you! Sang <You have read on WWM re? Bob Fenner>
Injured Mandarin Goby I picked up Mandarin goby/dragonet at my local fish store. In fact I got this one for free, but there was a catch! This blue mandarin goby was injured. The fish store guy told me that goby came this way and he only had it for a day. I'm not sure if it was the shipping or fin rot, but this fish has tattered fins and little open wound on his back. Since the fish guy is pretty busy, the fish was most likely going to die in the tank without proper care. I think this fish is pretty much full grown, it's about 3 to 3.5 inches long. He doesn't look like his starving or anything. He told me that the fish will live with proper care, but I'm pretty skeptical, since I never nursed for a sick fish before. <What the dealer said is so> I put him in a QT tank with some Caulerpa and tons of copepod from my sump. The QT is in quite and dim area. I didn't put any medications or chemical. It's been about three days, so I can't tell if his eating or not, since I haven't physically seen it, but the pods seem to be disappearing, I'm not sure if it's the fish or culture crash, but I do resupply the fish with pods every day. The fish doesn't seem like to eat any of the roes I bought it for him. Is there anything else I can do? The main tank is 55g that's been running for last two years. The tank has 4 Chromis, 2 Clownfishes, 1 clam, and 2 scarlet skunk shrimps. If the dragonet keeps on living, I'm planning to purchase some pods online to restock the pod population, although the I have enough of them at this point. I'm planning to leave the little guy in QT for another week or so and move it to my main tank. But I'm wondering if that's a smart move since he is injured. Should I keep him in the QT until he's completely healed or would he do okay in the main tank just as well? Under proper care, how long would it take for him to fully recover? I never had any injured fish before, in fact, I was very lucky to never run into any sick fishes before although this was voluntary. Anything would help. Thank you! Sang Sanghee Joo <Same resp. BobF>

Injured Mandarin Dragonet - 1/28/08 Good day crew! I hope all is going well for you the New Year! I have been a regular reader of the site for many years and sometimes find myself needing to pick your collective brains. Bob has been a big help and inspiration over the years. <Ahh!> Anyway, on to the current problem. I currently have a ~450 total gallon marine system set up. It consists of a 210 display, 50 gal sump, 100 gal refugium with DSB and Chaetomorpha, and a 100 gal "settling" tank. It has been up and running for approximately 3 years and is very stable (Ammonia - 0, Nitrites - 0, Nitrates - 0, Salinity - 1.026, Alk - 10.2 dKH, Calcium - 425, and Mag - ~1300, temp 77.5 - 78* F). <Ok> I originally got into this hobby in the hopes of keeping Mandarin Dragonets and finally felt that my tank was large enough and stable enough to support one. I found a fat, bright eyed specimen (already eating mysis shrimp occasionally to boot!) and purchased him. I knew about the "spurs" on the gills and that nets should not be used for transfer from tank to tank and assumed the LFS knew too (they are really great!) but I got the "new girl" and she netted him while I was looking elsewhere. Well, he got caught in the net and she had to shake him out into the bag. I was a bit annoyed, but after a thorough inspection I didn't see anything amiss. <Good> On getting him home, I did notice a bit of a white spot on his gill but hoped it would heal. That was 2 weeks ago and he has been swimming all over the tank and eating very well. <Ditto> However, today I noticed he didn't move from the sandbed in one corner all day. His injury has gotten much worse (please see attached picture). Is there anything you can recommend for treatment? <Mmm, no pic attached> I can put him in the hospital tank for treatment but am concerned about his not eating. Any input/suggestions you care to give will be greatly appreciated. <Mysids, live if you can... or appropriately sized Copepods... and a bit of appetite stimulant added to them, the tank water... Zoecon, Selco product> As always, it is a pleasure to peruse your wonderful site and interact with you one-on-one. Also, it looks like the site reorg is moving along quite nicely. KUDOS! Picture: [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/navajo001/mandyinjury.jpg[/IMG] <Oh! There it is. A bad tear... but not anything I would do re manual manipulation or treatment of the water per se...> Just in case the pic is too big to come through, here is a link: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/navajo001/mandyinjury.jpg Thank you, Tom (The Tool Man) <Keep the faith Tom. Only time can/will tell here. Bob Fenner>

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