# Tail Bitten Completely Off



## Domelotta

Ok, so my biggest pygo hasn't eaten in weeks. He's too slow to get to the food and the others are viscous with it. This morning he decided to satisfy his hunger by eating the entire tail of my favorite and second largest P. I heard the commotion while I was sleeping. So I got up and quickly transferred the bleeding fish into a hospital tank. He can barely swim and lingers at the top. The blood has stopped though. I don't know what to do.....He's my favorite and first piranha, but if they actually do feel pain I want to put him down (freezer). Also I still have no idea how to get big guy to eat with the others. I fed bulk today and he just watched as they ate. Didn't even try to get some for himself.

should I dose pima/melafix?...just let time heal his wounds? I don't think he'll ever swim normal again.


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## CLUSTER ONE

If the tails completely off then it most likley wont grow back so putting it down will probably be the best.


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## james79

any pictures so we can see the damage?


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## Domelotta

Yea here it is. It's the entire tail. He's kinda acting normal now...just not swimming. I mean breathing-wise he seems ok. Tomorrow might be a different story.


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## Winkyee

I think it's time to put him down.


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## THE BLACK PIRANHA

Winkyee said:


> I think it's time to put him down.


X2


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## CLUSTER ONE

It could heal the wound, but after that it would live a crappy life

I know it sucks, but putting it down is best


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## transam97

I have been down this road before more likely than not it will heal over but being completely gone it will not grow back which means he will never be able to swim right and never be able to re-join the shoal. so I would agree either put him out of his misery, or if you have a free tank keep him by him self thats the only way he will ever be able to eat.


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## Dr. Giggles

Indeed put him down. Unfortunately that wont grow back.


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## glockner99

Won't completely heal.....Too Bad...


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## james79

that is bad even though piranhas are great at healing i dont think it would ever recover fully as it's bin bitten off to far back what a shame


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## His Majesty

sad to see him in such a state. putting down would be the best way to go.


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## hughie

I had an incident years ago where one of my p's had a bit to his side so deep it looked like you could see ribs, it was nasty. But it all grew back. Not sure what to do here, but id give him a while in the seperate tank and see how he goes.


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## Piranha_man

The rule of thumb for this is that if only the rayed fin itself has been bitten off, it can and will most likely grow back very well.
If the 'amputation point' goes past the point where the fin meets the 'meat' of the fish, then it's not gonna grow back.


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## Soul Assassin

I dont think it will die but will be handicapped for life...


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## TJcali

poor fella







or you can try keeping it in a solo tank thats like killing a dude becuase he got his legs chopped off like

Lieutenant Dan in forrest gump


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## ...Jay...

I remember seeing a picture a long time ago of someones P that had its tail gone like that. It healed, but the tail didn't come back. If I remember correctly, once healed he tried putting it back with the others and he got waxed right way.

thats no life for a fish anyway. Its not like a person who can sit in a wheelchair and find something else to do. swimming and eating are pretty much all a fish has.


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## TJcali

I know and realize what would happen to him Jay thats why I said to keep him in a solo tank but I also remember a

guy that had one exactly like that one there sure it swam funny but it would still eat and it servived


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## ...Jay...

sure it could heal and survive in a solo tank, but I'm thinking about quality of life here. Waste of a tank as far as I'm concerned. put em down. He should pretend he just went fishing, and finish the job like he's a bluegill.


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## wpviper

I had one with no tail and he was fine he swam just fine and he got one just fine with the rest of the fish I think they just wanted to put him in his place I would keep him worse thing that happens you dont have to feed the rest of the of them for week or so


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

any update on this domelotta?


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## Piranha_man

Yeah, what's the haps?


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## Domelotta

I couldn't go through with killing him. He was swimming around and eating as usual...just has no tail currently. He's in a hospital tank that I'm dosing with melafix. If it needs to be I'll keep him separate as long as needed (if for the rest of his life that's fine). He was my first P so I just really can't kill him. I'll post pictures when he starts healing up.


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## Soul Assassin

Domelotta said:


> I couldn't go through with killing him. He was swimming around and eating as usual...just has no tail currently. He's in a hospital tank that I'm dosing with melafix. If it needs to be I'll keep him separate as long as needed (if for the rest of his life that's fine). He was my first P so I just really can't kill him. I'll post pictures when he starts healing up.


I respect that :nod:


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## Us And Them

I once had a Red Belly with No eyes. Poor thing got stuck to the Bottom of the powerhead sponge. Couldn't even see it coming.








I also have a 1 Eyed Mac , healing a nice heater burn also. Have a soft spot For War AMP Piranhas


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## Pirambeba

Turn it into a popsicle!! just kidding, but yeah that's pretty bad. Just euthanize the poor thing.


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## RuthlessCarnage

The longer it has to live without a tail, the longer it has to suffer so your best bet if you really cared about your first P. is to put it out of its misery. It's going to be hard but at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you owned a fish that meant the world to you. And in the end you'll have the memories and knowing you took care of it the best you could. Whatever you decide to do is ultimately up to you and will be whats best for your first P.


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## Pirambeba

RuthlessCarnage said:


> The longer it has to live without a tail, the longer it has to suffer so your best bet if you really cared about your first P. is to put it out of its misery. It's going to be hard but at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you owned a fish that meant the world to you. And in the end you'll have the memories and knowing you took care of it the best you could. Whatever you decide to do is ultimately up to you and will be whats best for your first P.


^Everything he said^


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## memento

It's not the best picture, but it seems like it's been bitten at half of the peduncle. I don't think it will fully grow back, though it may not be as much of a problem as we believe.
Just try puting it back into the group and let nature do it's work. If he'll be fine that's nice, if not he'll end up dead. It's better then putting it down yourself, for that will leave it dead anyway.

And about "quality of life"... not really sure how that's meant, I know it as a human expression concerning our emotions. In that way I would not attribute it to a fish.


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