sorry typo in the last link
Fin rot or damaged/growing fin?
- Thread starter lynhagan
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Hi Colin. I just cleaned the tank today, not sure why the water would be cloudy. Can you not see the raggedness of the fins much worse than in previous pictures? There is a hole in the centre of the back fin also. We tried for ages to get photos and video but he wouldn't flare at the mirror I held. I don't want to leave it in case he gets worse. Can the medication do any harm?
I can't see anything in the video. Perhaps if you make another video it might show more.
Medications can harm fish, especially if overdosed or you use the wrong medication for the problem. Without knowing what the problem is, I can't recommend anything except salt and water changes, which you have already tried.
Interpet Anti Fungal and Fin Rot medication might work but I have no idea what the ingredients are and the company's website and internet isn't offering any help to that either.
If you think the problem has gotten worse and you have the medication and want to try it, then you can. But I can't see anything so would rather hold off adding things until a more positive identification can be made.
If you do want to try treating the fish, see below for instructions for treating and on working out water volume.
-----------------------
To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.
When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.
If you have big rocks or driftwood in the tank, remove these before measuring the height of the water level so you get a more accurate water volume.
You can use a permanent marker to draw a line on the tank at the water level and put down how many litres are in the tank at that level.
There is a calculator/ converter in the "FishForum.net Calculator" under "Useful Links" at the bottom of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.
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THINGS TO DO BEFORE TREATING AN AQUARIUM
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge. This removes the biofilm on the glass and the biofilm will contain lots of harmful bacteria, fungus, protozoans and various other microscopic life forms.
Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. The water change and gravel clean will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in. It also removes a lot of the gunk and this means any medication can work on treating the fish instead of being wasted killing the pathogens in the gunk.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.
Remove carbon from the filter before treating with chemicals or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working. You do not need to remove the carbon if you use salt.
Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using salt or chemical medications to maximise the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Medications can harm fish, especially if overdosed or you use the wrong medication for the problem. Without knowing what the problem is, I can't recommend anything except salt and water changes, which you have already tried.
Interpet Anti Fungal and Fin Rot medication might work but I have no idea what the ingredients are and the company's website and internet isn't offering any help to that either.
If you think the problem has gotten worse and you have the medication and want to try it, then you can. But I can't see anything so would rather hold off adding things until a more positive identification can be made.
If you do want to try treating the fish, see below for instructions for treating and on working out water volume.
-----------------------
To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.
When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.
If you have big rocks or driftwood in the tank, remove these before measuring the height of the water level so you get a more accurate water volume.
You can use a permanent marker to draw a line on the tank at the water level and put down how many litres are in the tank at that level.
There is a calculator/ converter in the "FishForum.net Calculator" under "Useful Links" at the bottom of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.
-----------------------
THINGS TO DO BEFORE TREATING AN AQUARIUM
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge. This removes the biofilm on the glass and the biofilm will contain lots of harmful bacteria, fungus, protozoans and various other microscopic life forms.
Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. The water change and gravel clean will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in. It also removes a lot of the gunk and this means any medication can work on treating the fish instead of being wasted killing the pathogens in the gunk.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.
Remove carbon from the filter before treating with chemicals or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working. You do not need to remove the carbon if you use salt.
Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using salt or chemical medications to maximise the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Appreciate you taking the time to reply. Without him flaring at the mirror, I am not sure how to get better video.
I am wondering if it might be better to try aquarium salt again, at the higher dose rather than the medication? The hole in his back fin is a pin hole, and his fins have definitely become more shredded but it is slow. I put my first post in May and only now am I seeing it become worse.
I think the filter wasn't working properly. It is just a trickle and when I took the gravel out and cleaned it, it was filthy and there was a clear oily sheen on the top of the water. I will transition from the Fluval Flex 32l incorporated filter to a sponge filter which is more gentle, but wondering how to do it? Do you put it in and then take the old one out after a week?
Happy to try salt again or medication.
I am wondering if it might be better to try aquarium salt again, at the higher dose rather than the medication? The hole in his back fin is a pin hole, and his fins have definitely become more shredded but it is slow. I put my first post in May and only now am I seeing it become worse.
I think the filter wasn't working properly. It is just a trickle and when I took the gravel out and cleaned it, it was filthy and there was a clear oily sheen on the top of the water. I will transition from the Fluval Flex 32l incorporated filter to a sponge filter which is more gentle, but wondering how to do it? Do you put it in and then take the old one out after a week?
Happy to try salt again or medication.
If you are changing filters in an established aquarium, add the new filter and run both (new and old) for 2 months before removing the old one.
If salt didn't work last time it's not going to help now.
There have been holes in guppy and Betta fins for the last few years. They start out as tiny pin prick size holes and over a course of months they develop into big holes and the fins start to fall apart. These are caused by bacteria and most don't respond to medications, including antibiotics. Your fish might have something like this.
It might also have a weak immune system caused by inbreeding or lack of nutrients. If you are feeding the fish a dry food, perhaps add some frozen or live foods to its diet each day. It might help boost its immune system and help it fight off the problem.
If salt didn't work last time it's not going to help now.
There have been holes in guppy and Betta fins for the last few years. They start out as tiny pin prick size holes and over a course of months they develop into big holes and the fins start to fall apart. These are caused by bacteria and most don't respond to medications, including antibiotics. Your fish might have something like this.
It might also have a weak immune system caused by inbreeding or lack of nutrients. If you are feeding the fish a dry food, perhaps add some frozen or live foods to its diet each day. It might help boost its immune system and help it fight off the problem.
Hi Colin. I went ahead with the treatment and he is sitting low in the tank behind the heater coming out for an occasional swim. I put on an air stone because I read that is the right thing to do. I will be incredibly sad if the pin prick hole turns out to be what you describe. I am guessing that is fatal? I have done my best in my care of him, from his sad pet shop rescue. Its been a hard and expensive learning curve, and a hobby I am now passionate about. May I ask one more question? How do I manage water changes with the medication in? I normally do 25-30% a week. It says the active ingredient is Phenoxyethanol.
Can I just say thanks too for your replies? I understand it is what you do, but it takes some of the guilt away to have an expert to consult and follow the advice of...
Can I just say thanks too for your replies? I understand it is what you do, but it takes some of the guilt away to have an expert to consult and follow the advice of...
If it is a drug resistant bacteria then it is eventually fatal.
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It's a good idea to clean the tank before you re-treat the aquarium with medication. If you have to treat every couple of days, wipe the inside of the glass and do a huge (80-90%) water change and complete gravel clean, then add the next dose of medication.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.
If you have to treat the tank every day, try to clean it every day before re-treating or at least do it every second day before re-treating.
Cleaning the tank before adding the next dose of medication removes the biofilm and dead organisms (bacteria, fungus, etc) from the tank so the medication can keep working on the fish.
--------------------
It's a good idea to clean the tank before you re-treat the aquarium with medication. If you have to treat every couple of days, wipe the inside of the glass and do a huge (80-90%) water change and complete gravel clean, then add the next dose of medication.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.
If you have to treat the tank every day, try to clean it every day before re-treating or at least do it every second day before re-treating.
Cleaning the tank before adding the next dose of medication removes the biofilm and dead organisms (bacteria, fungus, etc) from the tank so the medication can keep working on the fish.
Thankyou again Colin
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