# How long for a tail to grow back?



## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Well, I came in to work today and one of my female Red Zebras,..who had just released fry last week, was hiding up in a corner with literally 95% of her tail gone. I looks to have been one of the other female RZ that did most of it..but other than her tail she looks and acts fine surprisingly.

I don't have a hospital tank to move her to, but I have set up a small (7" x 4") clear plastic breeder box which I put her in a couple of hours ago. So far she seems fine and is eating normally. My questions are,..how long will it take her to recover? Is she okay to stay in the breeder box (it is hanging inside of the regular tank) until she does? Should I put anything in there with her...like small rocks etc.? What is the best treatment/Meds for regrowing a tail? I have Pimafix and Melafix at home, so I will likely use one of those unless someone has a better suggestion.

Thanks! - Kevin


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

It may take several months for her tail to grow back depending on how bad it is and there's not much you can do to speed it up that I know about (unless you have access to cichlid stem cells). Pimafix + melafix treatment for a few days should help to reduce the chance of infection at the wound site, so that might be a decent idea.

You can probably try releasing her back into the main tank before the tail is fully healed - just as long as she's not the target of further aggression (so try it at a time when you can monitor the tank for a few hours).


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Thanks Kanorin,..I thought it would take a while. Do you think she will be okay in the breeder box for a couple of weeks?
I was afraid the fact that it is rather small (and bare) might stress her out...along with the other fish swimming around her box constantly. I will treat with one of the two meds I mentioned and see how it goes. Should I add gravels or a small rock or two with her..or would that just take up space?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

Maybe just a small fake (or real) aquatic plant may help her feel a bit less out in the open. A rock would sink to the bottom of the box and she might want to avoid the bottom if there are other fish swimming near.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Why not get a hospital tank? You will likely need one sooner or later. What's to prevent the fish from becoming a victim again once healed?


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

DJRansome said:


> Why not get a hospital tank? You will likely need one sooner or later. What's to prevent the fish from becoming a victim again once healed?


^ x2


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

I will look in to setting one up sometime soon. What size works best? I would hope to use it for both a hospital tank and a fry/holding tank also. Limited space and the fact that my tanks are split up between my home and office..and aren't very close together are mainly why I haven't yet (and my wife). Any recommendations on how to set that up..ie filtration, substrate?

Really, to this point I haven't needed one..and rarely have a fish die but I could definitely use a holding/recovery tank.

I'm about ready to get rid of the Red Zebras all together. I like them and the male is awesome looking..but they really need a 75g or bigger and to be kept 1/m to at least 5 females. They are just super boisterous and non stop breeders.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

20G is a workable size for hospital and fry.


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## 3000GT (Jan 18, 2014)

So, while a breeder box sounds pretty small, would there be a benefit to putting in a tank divider and give the wounded fish a small section of the main tank on it's own to recuperate? I have not had to separate someone yet but have thought about it and worried that if I took 1 fish out for a few weeks to heal that the reintroduction to the tank could go badly (like adding a single brand new fish). With a divider, at least everyone would still see each other. Maybe it's a bad idea and probably impractical for some depending on aquascaping and stocking but I have thought about it.

I have had a couple of minor nips in my tank and I have just left them in the main tank for fear of the reintroduction issue (and they seem to heal fine).


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## jw85 (Dec 24, 2013)

I've removed and re-added fish one at a time without issue.

They will probably heal better without the stress of other fish and in a tank where you can do daily water changes.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A divider is better than a breeder box, and a breeder box is better than nothing.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

So far so good! She is looking much better..and after only a week in the breeder box her tail is roughly 30% grown back.
I've been doing lots of water changes but no meds..and she seems to be recovering nicely.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

Great news. I can't ever find a breeder box that big. Always good to have one on hand.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Well, after two weeks in "the box" her tail looks to be 80-90% regrown..and it's obvious she is itching to get out and has regained all of her strength etc. Should I go ahead and release her back into the tank..or wait another day or two, to make sure. I can keep an eye on her all day and see how it goes..I just hate to have to re-catch her if it's not going well. Any thoughts?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

I have had better success releasing at night time when all lights are out and the fish are dormant.


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## Mike_G (Nov 8, 2011)

Kevin in Ky said:


> Well, after two weeks in "the box" her tail looks to be 80-90% regrown..and it's obvious she is itching to get out and has regained all of her strength etc. Should I go ahead and release her back into the tank..or wait another day or two, to make sure. I can keep an eye on her all day and see how it goes..I just hate to have to re-catch her if it's not going well. Any thoughts?


I'd wait until her tail is near 100% and then release her with a couple of dithers to take the heat off her for the best chance of success

Fish lose their tail because they aren't dominant enough to keep them- if nothing else changes they'll lose them again


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

I agree with above, but lets also keep in mind that this was a female who had just spit fry. She was probably thinner and weaker than normal. If she's been eating well during her recovery, she'll probably be a lot stronger than she was - even with only 75% of her tail fin.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Kanorin said:


> I agree with above, but lets also keep in mind that this was a female who had just spit fry. She was probably thinner and weaker than normal. If she's been eating well during her recovery, she'll probably be a lot stronger than she was - even with only 75% of her tail fin.


Yes, that has been the case. I released her last evening and she is doing great today, with no issues. It was a weird thing when it happened,..she spit fry over a weekend while I was gone and by Monday morning her tail was chewed up badly. From what I obsereved, it looked like one smaller female was the guilty party,..as the male definitely chases but never actually harms/bites the females that I have seen. I've noticed before Red Zebra females being really aggressive to each other when one of them is holding.


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

you never know with mbuna hehe  it also could have been a gangbang  if one attacks sometimes the whole tank goes after 1 single fish. *** got a yellow lab as tank boss for ages. but i know for sure when he dies my trewavasea will make everyone misserable. hehe


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