# Why would you cut the dorsal fin of an Angelfish?



## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

I was in a local Big Box fish store, and they had a new shipment of quarter sized angelfish - maybe 6 or so. 3 of them had their dorsal fins cut off about halfway down (straight across, not at an angle to mimic the natural shape of the fin). It appeared to be healed on all of them.
What is the purpose of this? If the fins were damaged, why would the supplier even sell them like that? I guess since the cut was high enough the fins will grow back? If I was the store manager, I'd be PO'd.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Some people cut the fins to hide or attempt to repair defects.
If the fin was curled before it was cut 2 things can cause this.
Genetics, in which case it will grow back curled a second time which is considered a defect.
Bad water quality can cause fin curl in which case under good conditions the fin will repair itself growing straight as the fish heals.

:icon_eek:


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Interesting - so most likely the fish will either grow back a deformed & unappealing fin, OR they came from a supplier with crappy tank conditions, so they are possibly weak/sick, too. Great choices! I can understand fish deaths at the stores due to stress, but it makes you wonder what it's like at some of the suppliers. I'm the first one to say I know how quickly one sick fish can wipe out a large group - but is it our imagination when my friends & I talk about how we didn't use to see so many ill fish in the stores in past decades?
I sure do miss the old days when there were tons of lfs around...you got to know them like family.


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## DerekFF (May 24, 2011)

The cutting of angel and discus fins is a commonly practiced thing by hobbyists, but not normally done on a large scale like a lfs due to the time it takes. other reasons for fin trimming are fin damage from fighting, breeding, rough handling as well as the reasons mentioned before. If the fish is healthy then the fins should grow back well otherwise yes they may grow back deformed

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

driftwoodhunter said:


> I sure do miss the old days when there were tons of lfs around...you got to know them like family.


welcome to the new reality of the big box bargain stores and a tough economy. 
partly my fault too because I buy online for $30.00 shipped rather than 45.00 local.
Mom and Pop's can't compete and the big box idiots rarely have any skills or training.

modern transit options (moving things worldwide) and wide spread long term use of antibiotics has made for more exposures to tougher nasty's I think. is what is.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Yeah, when I was a kid we had this "fish" store about a mile away. It was in this guy's house. It was a cool, big rambling two story stuck back in the woods - all done in dark cedar shingles so it blended it. He lived in the upper level and sold fish out of the lower level. I wasn't interested as a kid, but I rememer how dark it was inside and rows upon rows and multi rooms of large tanks. I remember the colors were like being in the city aquaruim. My dad was addicted to that place! I thought the older guy that owned it was weird because he acted like the fish were prized pets. Boy do I miss seeing that now!


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## allegoriest (Jul 9, 2010)

I've always heard it could also go HORRIBLY awry and make it worse than when it started. Of course, I don't think I'd be able to do that anyway. *sadface*


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

As a pet fish (and not breeding) I wouldn't care if a fish had a bent/curved dorsal fin. Hey, that way I could fit it into a shorter tank! lol
When will we see extreme designer angelfish - funky shaped fins, double tails, bloated "balloon" bellies, maybe a third eye ala the Simsons?


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## allegoriest (Jul 9, 2010)

Well, didn't someone in Argentina catch a three eyed fish? That's kinda close(ish) to the angelic home waters. (Well... sorta.)


I'm completely okay living with silly looking fins. I'm kinda HRM about the colours that keep popping up though. I've never had good luck, and end up getting rid of the fancier types. (I SWEAR they get sick so much easier. They also seem really stupid.) I'm completely okay with silvers, but my true love is the wild type~ 



As for balloon fishies, I will cry when that day comes. ;__;
...Unless it looks like the pokemon luvdisc. That would just be insane.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

I dont know about angels?? but i do know when shipping fancy goldfish that most times in crowded conditions the dorsal can get badly broken. so its possible this was done to prevent or correct an already broken dorsal. did you ask the owner? i would have.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

It was a Big Box pet store - I doubt anyone even noticed the fins were different looking.


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

In the spawn of angels I'm raising now I have one with a twisted pectoral, one with a hooked dorsal fin and one with a hole in it's body just below the dorsal. These problems aren't from water quality.

These are from the parents of Petsmart fish. I'm sure they are inbreed to a point that anything is possible defect wise.


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## koiboi (Sep 4, 2011)

I agree and comiserate with Driftwood Hunter. I remember being a kid and going "fishing" with my grandfather on Long Island, NY. Only for us it meant going to 3 or 4 high quality Mom and Pop LFS and getting fantastic and healthy fish. Those days are gone and good LFS are few and far between thanks to the big box stores. It's a shame to watch those close up and disappear as fish now become one more SKU in a chain's inventory. There are some good hobbyists in the big boxes, but they have little to no control over where their fish come from or even the conditions in the holding tanks at the store. As a teenager in the late 80's I worked in possibly the best LFS on Long Island, and the owner would drive to NYC and visit three different suppliers every week to hand pick the fish for the store. Now you're stuck with whatever low quality inbreds bounce around in a crowded, medicated bag for 24 hours and land at the big box. Sigh.


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## jccaclimber (Aug 29, 2011)

fresh.salty said:


> In the spawn of angels I'm raising now I have one with a twisted pectoral, one with a hooked dorsal fin and one with a hole in it's body just below the dorsal. These problems aren't from water quality.
> 
> These are from the parents of Petsmart fish. I'm sure they are inbreed to a point that anything is possible defect wise.


There's an article somewhere (TAF2 maybe) that mentions angels with body holes. The author bred them one level out to confirm that it was in fact genetic, then I assume culled all of them to make sure the genes didn't spread.
Edit: Turns out it was TAS:
http://theangelfishsociety.org/articles/norton/dr_norton(18N).html


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