Dragon Moray Cut and Gill Exposed Pic

[bluedevils32701]

Hey guys
I woke up this morning to this dreadful sight. It looks like the baby dragon either cut himself on a sharp rock or tried to climb into the overflow. Either way he is cut and his gill is exposed.

Sure enough i dropped some food in and he eats like a pig. He acts just as he always does. One thing I have noticed with the Dragons is that when they get injured they heal quickly. As anyone seen anything like this before?
<a href="http://s439.photobucket.com/albums/qq113/ianbehnk/?action=view&current=IMG_3933.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq113/ianbehnk/IMG_3933.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[LisaD]

that is a shocking injury. I haven't had any experience with a cut that bad. I hope he recovers for you.

Are you considering dosing with antibiotics, or giving him a bath in some sort of medication? Or do you think it's best to just leave it alone?

[bluedevils32701]

i honestly think its better to leave him alone. I treated my vlamingi tang last week with penicillin so some of that is running in the system.

i personally have never seen anything like this nor do i know how it occurred...

[MattL]

I would almost contact a University or a Public Aquarium.

I do not believe a wound like that can close by itself. The fish needs stitches of some sort.

That is dreadful and I hope he recovers. Please keep us posted,

Matt:cool:

[rduong89]

ouch.......

[agreeive?fish]

ouchy ouchy ouchy..i hope he recovers well

[bluedevils32701]

the florida aquarium is not far from my house but i do not know who to contact.

he is very alert and will definitely not let me catch him. there is also 400-500 lbs of live rock in the aquarium

he also bites pretty hard!

[bluedevils32701]

i just called the florida aquarium in tampa and cannot reach anyone. the entire thing is automated and you cannot leave voice messages. also the operator is not currently in the office :(

what am i to do?

[bluedevils32701]

just left a message for the director of husbandry. hopefully she calls me back

[fender4string]

oh my god!!! wasn't expecting to see that when I opened the thread! I really hope it gets better-keep us all updated.

[bluedevils32701]

ya i hope so too. its pretty gruesome. i still have not received a phone call from the aquarium

[MattL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13899514#post13899514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluedevils32701
just left a message for the director of husbandry. hopefully she calls me back Just keep calling. I'm originally from Florida, and the Tampa Aquarium is awesome.

I'd also check for a veterinarian who specializes in fish. There is such a thing.

Lastly, Seaworld in Orlando might have someone. I would definitely get him to see someone ASAP. While alert now, I worry about infection. He needs stitches.

Matt:cool:

[Chibils]

On the upside, his gills look really cool.

[bluedevils32701]

UPDATE:

Called and spoke to the Director of Husbandry. She told me to remove the baby dragon and put him in an aquarium by himself (since he will be a target with his gills hanging out). She also told me everything should heal fine but is unsure if the skin will regrow over the gills. Tomorrow I should be in touch with a Vet to get a prescription antibiotic for injection into his muscle.

I caught him and he is as aggressive as ever. Trying to bite me!

[myerst2]

Best of luck with your eel, Iam. I'll keep my fingers crossed. T

[bluedevils32701]

thanks tim
just dropped a small snack in for him

[Juice It]

I assume you sent that pic to her. Did she think stitches were not necessary? I would think that would greatly reduce healing time and help tremendously in the future. Good luck and hope he recovers.

[uhuru]

I can't see how that would heal without sutures, best of luck to the little guy!

Have you seen this?

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/10/28/article-1081265-02457A6F000005DC-190_468x392.jpg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1081265/The-life-saving-hernia-operation-performed-exotic-fish-family.html

[bluedevils32701]

i asked her about stitches and she told me that it would risk the eels life more so than just treating with antibiotics and letting nature take its course.

tomorrow once she sets me up with a vet i will probably ask them what their thought is

[jmaneyapanda]

I will bet that will heal quickly and throroughly. eels tissue doesnt seem like it would be slikely to hold sutures well.

On another note, I HIGHLY DOUBT that injury was caused by rock or an overflow. IAm I correct in thinking you keep a pair of these? If so, the other eel is the culprit- no doubt.

[bluedevils32701]

ya i actually keep 6 of them together. the baby one must have ventured off and ****ed another one off. it was definitely an eel bite and not a bite from the puffer.

i have noticed that during feeding sometimes the eels will show aggression to steal food/etc. but they have never done anything like this. (i have been keeping dragons for a couple years now)

the problem may have been that this eel is by far the smallest at around 10-12 inches. the other morays in the aquarium are 18+ inches and three times the girth of this one. also i have noticed that morays definitely heal quickly. i have noticed tears in muscle tissue heal in 2-3 days completely.

[JM68]

that looks like a pretty severe injury, but on the upside, it looks to be just a flesh injury. the gill itself looks undamaged and in good shape. i think as long as its kept by itself it should heal and live a pretty normal life. even if the skin doesn't heal back over the gill itslef and it stays exposed it should be fine if kept by itself with nothing to pick on it.

[bluedevils32701]

ya i plan on keeping him in an aquarium all by himself. i would have to say though he is by far the most aggressive eater out of any dragon i have kept.

[DamnPepShrimp]

Wow, I am amazed that he is still alive after that! I hope he pulls through, sounds like one tough eel though! Goodluck, keep up posted.

[bluedevils32701]

ya i think as long as it does not get infected and he eats he will be fine. he honestly behaves just as if nothing happened. his breathing is a bit labored compared to normal but thats it. he still has an appetite.

[jmaneyapanda]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13903461#post13903461 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluedevils32701
ya i actually keep 6 of them together. the baby one must have ventured off and ****ed another one off. it was definitely an eel bite and not a bite from the puffer.

i have noticed that during feeding sometimes the eels will show aggression to steal food/etc. but they have never done anything like this. (i have been keeping dragons for a couple years now)

the problem may have been that this eel is by far the smallest at around 10-12 inches. the other morays in the aquarium are 18+ inches and three times the girth of this one. also i have noticed that morays definitely heal quickly. i have noticed tears in muscle tissue heal in 2-3 days completely.

If you keep that many dragons together, how was there any doubt that injury came from anythi9ng but another eel? With that many eels in one tank, you are going to see more injuries like this, I would bet. Eels, are, well...eels. They bite first, bite second, bite again, and then if they feel like, will see if what they bit is edible. I think it will heal very quickly, but unless you feed a huge portion quickly, I would imagine squabbles like this are gonna continue.

I would be worried about it getting infected, though. Just let it heal. It may not line up perfectly and be a seamless healing, but it will heal. Clean water is all you should need.

[bluedevils32701]

i have kept many eels in the same large 8-10ft aquarium for years without any issues.

[forddna]

Wow..what a horrible injury!! I'm so glad to read you were able to catch him. I'm sure you'll do the best you can for him. Best wishes!

[anbosu]

Predators have to be able to survive injuries like this or they would be constantly dying from injuries inflicted by their prey or during mating battles, etc. Hopefully the little guy makes it, it's always fun seeing your pics online.

[BrianD]

Let's not post private correspondence.

[MattL]

I was initially very horrified by this accident, but I'm curious as to why you didn't mention that you have five additional eels in that tank up front?

Looking at it now, clearly that is a bite wound. No rock or overflow did that.

I don't think overcrowding eels is such a good idea. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean things will be fine forever. You mentioned other injuries... I feel you are likely to experience additional fighting and losses. I would reduce your eel population in a given tank before anything else.

Matt:cool:

[ozadars]

Wow, its like your chest is gone and your lungs are breathing outside.

[bluedevils32701]

Ya I have other dragon morays in a large 10 foot aquarium as well. I have kept morays together for years without trouble. I think this juvenile was just too small to be kept with the larger morays.

[bluedevils32701]

moderators

can you please erase anything to do with the Florida aquarium in this thread. they do not wish to be involved. thanks

[Macimage]

can you please erase anything to do with the Florida aquarium in this thread. they do not wish to be involved. thanks

Why? Don't they wish to help or have it known they are being helpful?

Joyce

[iamwrasseman]

i really think he will heal well ,antibiotics are a must and keep him away from the others , let nature take its course . the thing is what to do when he repairs ? he should be housed alone or at least away from the guy that did this horriable act of aggression ! i have had 2 of thoes eels and i feel for you dude they are the coolest most spectacular eel that nature has made ! good luck i hope all is well with him !

[yellowslayer13]

Predators are very hardy they can take wounds I have seen it in the aquarium and in the wild

[flameangel88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13935643#post13935643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Macimage
Why? Don't they wish to help or have it known they are being helpful?

Joyce

Their reputation will be on the line--if it lives great but if it dies. well, the whole world will know. As a business no one wants their reputation on the line.

[spw4949]

How's the eel doing?

[jmaneyapanda]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13936355#post13936355 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by iamwrasseman
i really think he will heal well ,antibiotics are a must and keep him away from the others , let nature take its course . the thing is what to do when he repairs ? he should be housed alone or at least away from the guy that did this horriable act of aggression ! i have had 2 of thoes eels and i feel for you dude they are the coolest most spectacular eel that nature has made ! good luck i hope all is well with him !

??? Why are antibiotics a must? What antibiotic for what infection? Blindly and prophylactically treating can cause far more problems than it solves. And how is using antibiotics "letting nature take it's course"?

[LisaD]

any news on the eel?

[LisaD]

bluedevils, how is the eel?