Fins falling apart.

[aquariumgirl16]

water parameters
amm 0
nitrate 0
nirite 0
pH 8.3


I have two firefish that it looks like their fins are just cracking apart. it's weird. top bottom and tails only. any help appreciated.

 

[mr llimpid]

Cracked fins is usually from fin rot, which is poor water quality. Having a 30gal. tank your prams. can change quickly, I would check the prams. several times a day. Plus the canister filter gets clogged and the pre filter needs to change every two weeks or more. What does your filter use as media?

 

[flower]

If the parameters are good, it could be aggression, if you have moonlights it will help the fish see what's coming at night....Then again it would have to be some quick fish to catch and nip a firefish...they don't call them dart fish for nothing. could they be picking on each other?

 

[aquariumgirl16]

the firefish sleep in a big shell. usually one is floating just above the other one or right next to it. I am seeing the same thing happen with my pygmy angelfish, but he looks worse than the firefish. I have been checking my parameters. I have a canister filter that I clean every month.

 

[aquariumgirl16]

I am now very sure it is fin rot. the only fish not affected is my royal gramma. could the shrimp also be affected or no? what would be the best product to treat them with? I keep my tank as clean as possible. siphon every day. Water change every week 10%.

 

[aquariumgirl16]

What should I use to help my fish with their fin rot. from the pictures I saw online, I think my angelfish is pretty close to the end. I would like to know which products are reliable, but not too expensive. I will go to the aquarium store tomorrow to get whatever I need for fin rot. I hope it all ends well.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by aquariumgirl16 http:///t/396535/fins-falling-apart#post_3533306
What should I use to help my fish with their fin rot. from the pictures I saw online, I think my angelfish is pretty close to the end. I would like to know which products are reliable, but not too expensive. I will go to the aquarium store tomorrow to get whatever I need for fin rot. I hope it all ends well.

Hi,

You need to set up a hospital tank, don't dose the display. There are medicines sold at the LFS for fin rot, follow the directions to the letter.

A hospital tank is very easy, a 10g or 20g tank, no sand but paint the bottom outside black, or put a towel under the tank, I remember reading something about the bare glass confusing the fish. Use some floss or sponge material from the display that's loaded with good bacteria, and get one of those cheap HOB filters to put it in, run an airline (no stone) and attach it via a rubberband to a piece of PVC pipe to hold it on the bottom of the tank. The PVC will be a hiding place to make the fish feel more secure, and the airline will move the surface water and oxygenate the tank.

Mix up some SW for an emergency water change in case of an ammonia spike, and get those ammonia test strips, test each day, any spike at all... do a water change. The hospital tank will make it easy to measure how much medicine is needed for that amount of water.