Question: Can a hatchling survive with a broken tail?

[DingoDoo]

My hatchlings are 5 days old. I have noticed one has a broken tail. Will it survive or will it die? due to its tail?

 

[Morrison]

I think he can.

 

[Jennewt]

It can recover. It may have its growth slowed due to the energy needed to regrow the tail.

 

[animalloversfb]

Hate to be a downer, but I had two with a broken tail, and neither survived for very long. If there are no wounds, hopefully he can regenerate. I'd keep it separate from the others and make sure it doesn't have to swim far for food.

 

[DingoDoo]

Hate to be a downer, but I had two with a broken tail, and neither survived for very long. If there are no wounds, hopefully he can regenerate. I'd keep it separate from the others and make sure it doesn't have to swim far for food.

the little thing is hard to catch, its very fast, despite its tail.
just curious as to how it broke in first place.

 

[animalloversfb]

Do you use a net? I had one tub get spilled by my very naughty kitten. I'm not sure if they were broken during the spill or by the way I had to scoop them up with the net from the counter. It wouldn't take much to break it - maybe even a sudden thrash on the side of the container?

 

[DingoDoo]

Do you use a net? I had one tub get spilled by my very naughty kitten. I'm not sure if they were broken during the spill or by the way I had to scoop them up with the net from the counter. It wouldn't take much to break it - maybe even a sudden thrash on the side of the container?

maybe happened when adding new water....i change water usually with a syringe, i leave them in the tub and syrings the water and bad stuff out.

 

[Jake]

Hate to be a downer, but I had two with a broken tail, and neither survived for very long. If there are no wounds, hopefully he can regenerate. I'd keep it separate from the others and make sure it doesn't have to swim far for food.

You'd be surprised how well they regenerate. The one in the pic looks like it'll be just fine as long as it is eating. Like Jen said, it probably will just grow a bit slower due to the injury.

It wouldn't take much to break it - maybe even a sudden thrash on the side of the container?

A sudden thrash against the side of the container wouldn't cause an injury like this unless there was a very sharp edge and the larva was forced against it. If sudden thrashes were to cause broken tails, none of mine would have tails

maybe happened when adding new water....i change water usually with a syringe, i leave them in the tub and syrings the water and bad stuff out.

The only way it could happen while adding new water would be if an object (net, fingernail, edge of container etc) were pressed against the tail. Unless you change the water with a pressure washer, that would cut it in half, but I doubt anyone here does that.