Fin Rot

[DanielG]

hi, i have had 2 guppies get fin rot now, 1 when i first got him, he did nt last more than a day, and now another seems to have it

why do guppies get it and what causes it?

 

[roseK]

poor water, stress,NIPPING

any other fish?

 

[Matty P]

Treating it sounds like a good idea...

 

[mark.w.jones]

hi, i have had 2 guppies get fin rot now, 1 when i first got him, he did nt last more than a day, and now another seems to have it

why do guppies get it and what causes it?

Just having male guppies means you are likely to get some aggression especially with only 2. 5+ is better as is backed up in the article below.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=99216

Poor water is also another reason. What are you readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and temp? What size is tank and how long has it been set up for?

 

[DanielG]

hi, i have had 2 guppies get fin rot now, 1 when i first got him, he did nt last more than a day, and now another seems to have it

why do guppies get it and what causes it?

Just having male guppies means you are likely to get some aggression especially with only 2. 5+ is better as is backed up in the article below.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=99216

Poor water is also another reason. What are you readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and temp? What size is tank and how long has it been set up for?

ammonia and nitrite are 0, nitrate is around 50ppm, tap water is 40ppm, ph 7.5

tank has been set up about 2 months, the first spent fishless cycling

 

[-germ-]

First and foremost fin-rot is due to bacterial infection, if of course its not as a result of simple nipping hence being certain to differentiate between fin-damage (treatment; good water conditions, melafix) and actual fin-rot (decent gram+/gram- bacterial medication).
Obviously this is connected to what has been said already, any fish suffering stress from poor water, nipping, poor-nutrition, aggression or various other factors is at a greater risk of infection than an unstressed, healthy fish.
That doesn't mean there absoultely has to be another factor, but it is more then likely, if you eradicate all the possible cause of stress and go with the aforementioned treatments you should be fine.
The bacteria commonly related with fin rot are;
Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Flexibacter, Vibrio.
Personally i don't believe that once fin rot has settled in that Melafix (as is commonly reccomended) is a suitable, or strong enough treatment.
Although this is obviously a topic for discussion.