Fin Rot?

[newfishy]

Im pretty sure my male guppy has either nipped fins or fin rot, I have read to use melafix to heal him a bit, and I have three questions

is melafix the same as pure tea tree oil

how much would I use per gallon if it is the same

and will the use of either tea tree oil or melafix distroy my biofilter.....really really worried about that because I do not want to go threw another fish in cycle.....ever.


a seperate tank is out of the question because the "hospital" tank is now full of fry...well 7 fry

so any quick advice would be helpfull

 

[newfishy]

ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

now while doing a water change I noticed the same male guppy has red looking marks that look like he has chunks bitten out of him.....soooo

his fins are disentergrated or nipped, and has bloody patchs on body, I didnt have a seperate heater so I took my one gallon hex tank, placed it inside the twenty gallon, scooped spunky (male guppy) into the one gallon, then placed one gallon on top of log so the two tanks r one inside the other but the water does not mix, I grapped an air pump and a bubblestone and placed them inside the one gallon so spunky can get oxygen.

I know he needs meds and rest, but what is his problem.....I do add salt to the water, a half a teaspoon per gallon, so more salt as a tonic and what meds does he need


is it fin rot or a parasite??? I have the parasite meds, and I have tea tree oil, will that help him if it is fin rot, I also have antifungle....but I dont want to dose him without knowing what to dose him with.

please help


oh and yea

20 gallon tank
4 platties
3 guppies
water before change....yes I know do a fishless cycle....new to fishkeeping, I have screwed up everything in the book so far

a...barely .25
na 20
ni...barely .25
ph 8.2

 

[hollyp0p]

If you are in UK try getting some myxazin by waterlife, or pimafix to go with the melafix....melafix only promotes healing, it doesn't cure anything contrary to what they tell you!

If you are in the US get maracyn one and two

 

[WILDER]

Bad water quality can cause septicemia.
Red streaky fins and blood patches on the body of the fish is septicemia hard to cure once it advanced even with antibiotics, as its blood poisioning.
I would issolate the fish even if its at the top of the tank in a container as the bacteria from the fish can enter the tank.
I would do some daily water changes on the tank to be on the safe side.
Its dosn't sound good for the guppy to be honsest, anti internal bacteria med by interpet.
is the fish also struggling to swim with having finrot. how much of the tail has been eaten away.

 

[newfishy]

ok...babies were put in net in big tank, hex container put in 5 gallon and then once acclamated fish is now in the 5 gallon as the hospital tank. did a very big big water change on big tank, fish gets around ok when he wants to and when I feed him. I have the anitbiotic, and I do a good water change on the 5 gallon every day anyways. he has about the same ammount of tail fin left as a small female guppy....this guy had a nice tail even though he is only like 3/4 of an inch long.

I think I may know why the fin rot had set in though, I noticed that the one female guppy likes to harries and pick on anything smaller then her...as in she tryed to kill the catfish last night.....I think she needs to go to a new home. could him getting all bit up be the start of all my fishys problems?

I will keep his water fresh and use the antibiotic, I guess that is all the more I can do for him right?

 

[LauraFrog]

I can't answer most of your questions, I'm also a beginner. I can tell you though, tea tree oil will kill your fish. Melafix is not tea tree oil, it is melaleuca oil and they are not the same. I've got a platy with suspected finrot as well - it seriously sucks. I hope Wilder's not right because if it is columnaris I could lose all of them. Unfortunately Wilder usually is right.
*AARGH!*

 

[WILDER]

Bacteria can enter a fish through cuts and wounds.
Keeping fingers crossed.
Good luck.

 

[newfishy]

well.....hes not dead yet and is a little more active, so woohoooo!
is it gonna be a long time til his fins heal, or will he look scragaly forever? ;(

 

[WILDER]

It will heal in good water quality, the bacteria had been nipped in the bud.