Black Skirt Tetras Missing Gills

[tristero]

I wish my first post could be on a happier topic. Long story short - picked up my first fish from the LFS yetserday - 6 black skirt tetras. I have a 29 gallon tank and began the cycling process with the introduction of bio-spira yesterday as well. Water tests this morning had amonia around .5-1.0, nitrates 0-.25 and nitrate at 5.0. I changed out 5 gallons of water shorly thereafter with a fresh dechlorinated batch.

The problem I noticed last night is that two of the six fish are missing parts of their gills. One fish is only missing a part of one gill on his right-side, the other guy is missing parts from both sides so that you can see the pink underneath.

I went back to the LFS - they said they'd replace or recommended I go ahead and euthanize.

Which brings me to this post. i'm not sure if the damage caused to these fish is by their fin-nipping behavior or whether or not it's the result of some kind of worm that was hastened by their introduction to a new environment. The LFS guys didn't seem to have much of an idea either.

Any advice?? Thanks in advance.

I should add that the other 4 seem to be doing fine - no signs of damage or distress and happily frolic in the bubbles generated by the air stone as well as during water changes. I just hope whatever is going on with the two other fish isn't contagious.

 

[WILDER]

I would take them back to the lfs, as if you are cycling the tank i will be know good for them, as with the gill peices missing you have to keep them in excellent water conditions so the gills dosn't get infected.

 

[tristero]

I would take them back to the lfs, as if you are cycling the tank i will be know good for them, as with the gill peices missing you have to keep them in excellent water conditions so the gills don't get infected.

The odd thing is, when I was at the LFS this morning - we looked at their tank of black skirts and could not find others with a similar problem. Which has me scratching my head. One of the tetras is larger than the others - and he's in fine health (or atleast appears to be so now)- makes me wonder whether or not this is a case of fin nipping than disease.

 

[WILDER]

They can be born with defects of the gill like that.

This is gill desease, if they are not laboured breathing, or flicking and rubbing, i doubt it gill desease.
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdgilld.htm

 

[WILDER]

This is interesting.
http/www.sera.de/English/autoframe.htm?u...Nahrstoffe4.htm

 

[tristero]

Thanks for the detective work, Wilder. The affected fish don't appear to be struggling as they are actively swimming about and eagerly snap up food when offered. Guess I'm torn whether or not to return these guys or try nursing them through it.

Do tetra gills regenerate over time??

 

[WILDER]

Well the cycle could finish the fish off as it bad on the gills in the first place, as they have to go through the ammonia,and nitrite process, which can irratate and burn the gills.
No the gills won't grow back.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

You keep saying gills, do you mean operculum/ gill cover? We got a few black skirts in without gill covers, and an angel. They were ok, but we were not allowed to sell them, since they were considered "damaged". They, therefore, were given away.

 

[tristero]

You keep saying gills, do you mean operculum/ gill cover? We got a few black skirts in without gill covers, and an angel. They were ok, but we were not allowed to sell them, since they were considered "damaged". They, therefore, were given away.

Correct - the front gill cover. What was strange is when I went back to the LFS today, none of the other black skirts seemed to have the problem. As I mentioned above - these guys seem to be doing okay as far as swimming around and whatnot - leaves a little to be desired aesthetically is all.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

So, in other words, you can get free fish if you don't mind the unaesthetic-ness of it.