Fin Rot

[lisa2701]

I've got a fish (endler) with fin rot. I am a complete beginner and just only stocked my tank in the last week (it is all cycled). I didn't notice until it was in my tank that the clear section of its tail was missing (I assumed it'd been nipped), the next day it had lost more of its tail (the orange stripes) and it had a white fuzz on the edges. So last night I added 50% of the recommended dose of aquarium salt to the tank (with the intention of adding the further 50% today so they could get used to it) as I read it can help fin rot in liverbearers, and to be fair this fish's spirits have picked up today and there is no further damage to the fin. I bought Interpret fungal and fin rot remedy today and I am wondering if I should leave it a day or two to see if the salt works, or if I should add the fin rot treatment into the tank? Can I add the fin rot in with their being salt in the tank or so I need to do a huge water change first?

I have 8 Endlers in a 12g tank. My readings are :

Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0G
Nitrate:20 (having to do daily water changes to keep this at this level or below, it always shoots up to about 40+ each day)
PH: 7.2
Temp: 25c

Any advice would be much appreciated, would like to save this little, I feel really bad for him.

 

[LucyB]

If you only got the fish last week then they probably had the disease when you got them, although it doesn't sound too bad. If there is only a little bit of 'fuzz' like you said then I would just wait for it to clear up from the salt you have already put in.

 

[lisa2701]

Yes I noticed the tail damage the evening I bought it so I believe it has come to me with it. Should I add the remaining 50% of the salt into the tank today? Plus, should I do water changes to keep the nitrates down? Worried that I'd be taking salt out the water and not k owing how much to replace.

 

[WILDER]

What other fish do you have in the tank.
As not all fish tolerate salt to ell.

Any red streaking in the fins.
Any holes in the fins.
Any excess mucas on the fins.
Do fins look cloudy and transparant.
Do the fins have raggy edges.
Is the fish still maintaining balance ok.
The fuzz on the end of tail just white and fluffy. Any pink edges, or red.

 

[lisa2701]

What other fish do you have in the tank.
As not all fish tolerate salt to ell.

Any red streaking in the fins.
Any holes in the fins.
Any excess mucas on the fins.
Do fins look cloudy and transparant.
Do the fins have raggy edges.
Is the fish still maintaining balance ok.
The fuzz on the end of tail just white and fluffy. Any pink edges, or red.

I only have 8 Endlers in the tank - I have only just started stocking it.
I am finding it hard to tell as their fins are so tiny and clear and they keep them tucked in a lot of the time. The one I am concerned about has a lot of its tail missing though. The tail has a little more fuzz tonight though but no more apparent loss of tail. No red or pink, just white and fluffy. The colour of the whole fish is dull and dark though, its silvery colours are more grey and the oranges etc are darker than the rest. I have a picture from last night that shows the loss of the tail if it helps? The fish is balanced ok but obviously slow at swimming due to lack of tail.

*On top of this* one of my other fish has started itching against the sand! No apparent white spots on any of the fish and I've only just noticed it tonight. AS well as itching it seems to tense its body, slightly curved and flutter for a few seconds then swim off again? I also added the remaining 50% of the salt tonight so I wondered if the itching is possibly coming from the irritation of the salt as it was after I added the salt that i noticed it?

Here's a picture of the damaged tail... it now has white fuzz...

 

[Essjay]

it seems to tense its body, slightly curved and flutter for a few seconds then swim off again?

This is how male endlers display to females. Or if there are no females present, other males. Or even fish of other species. Displaying, and the urge to mate, seems to be hard wired into the brains of livebearers; they just can't stop doing it.


I can't answer about the sick fish I'm afraid as I'm not very good with diseases.

 

[lisa2701]

it seems to tense its body, slightly curved and flutter for a few seconds then swim off again?

This is how male endlers display to females. Or if there are no females present, other males. Or even fish of other species. Displaying, and the urge to mate, seems to be hard wired into the brains of livebearers; they just can't stop doing it.


I can't answer about the sick fish I'm afraid as I'm not very good with diseases.

Ahh ok, Well I will say the urge to mate is strong in this one

 

[lisa2701]

This little guy seems to have lost a little more off the top of his tail this morning... What are his chances of survival at this rate?
Here's a picture taken 2 days ago and a picture taken today...

2 days ago..

Today

Sorry about picture quality, they don't sit still for a second. Although this little guy is noticeably quieter again today.

 

[WILDER]

Once livebearers start to lose half there tail they usually don't make it. They start to struggle to stayed balanced.

Never rated the med by interpet. (Anti fungus and finrot med)
I find myxazin by waterlife a better med for finrot.

It could be the salt that's making the itch abit.
Dilute the salt content down in tank with a water change.

It's best to isolate fish when there sick. As other fish in the tank seem
to pick on sick fish.
I always advise investing in a hospital tank.
Helps the fish have some peace also when there ill.

 

[lisa2701]

Once livebearers start to lose half there tail they usually don't make it. They start to struggle to stayed balanced.

Never rated the med by interpet. (Anti fungus and finrot med)
I find myxazin by waterlife a better med for finrot.

It could be the salt that's making the itch abit.
Dilute the salt content down in tank with a water change.

It's best to isolate fish when there sick. As other fish in the tank seem
to pick on sick fish.
I always advise investing in a hospital tank.
Helps the fish have some peace also when there ill.

Thank you so much for replying. Its agonising waiting for advice, anyways.

I am very sad to hear his chances are slim but will do ALL I can to save him. His balance seems ok just now - probably helped by the fact his other fins aren't affected so far, he's very slow at swimming but managing and still swimming around, albeit slowly. I have a 5g tank that I could clean out and set up as a hospital tank, do I just move 30% of my filter media over to that tank to help it cycle? I don't have any replacement filter media tonight though so do I have to wait until tomorrow? The other fish aren't bothering it, I sit right by their tank and have been keeping a close eye on him and have never witness any kind of bullying towards him. Is the Interpret a complete waste of money? I haven' opened it so perhaps I could return it and get something else?

I am desperate to do a water change due to the nitrates being high, but I don't want to take salt out the water, what is my priority? Keeping salt in the tank or reducing the nitrates? (they are currently at least 40ppm), everything else is ok though.

EDIT: sorry just noticed regarding the water change due to the salt. Will do that and it'll help with my nitrates as well

 

[WILDER]

Nitrates of 40 is nothing to worry about.
It's rare to have a nitrate reading of 0.
It's nitrites you need to worry about.

I would like to use antibiotics on him but you can't get them from the lfs in the uk.
I would only advise using antibiotics in isolation.

You don't always need a filter in a isolation tank.
Just an airstone, and water changes.
Every time you preform a water change, you just add the correct amount of med back to water removed.

If you can't get antibiotics, I would start the fish on a course of myxazin by waterlife.

 

[lisa2701]

Nitrates of 40 is nothing to worry about.
It's rare to have a nitrate reading of 0.
It's nitrites you need to worry about.

I would like to use antibiotics on him but you can't get them from the lfs in the uk.
I would only advise using antibiotics in isolation.

You don't always need a filter in a isolation tank.
Just an airstone, and water changes.
Every time you preform a water change, you just add the correct amount of med back to water removed.

If you can't get antibiotics, I would start the fish on a course of myxazin by waterlife.

I knew that nitrates weren't too much to worry about but I try to keep them below 40 assuming high levels wouldn't be good, but i'm obviously creating more work than necessary for myself

I don't think I can get anitbiotics but I CAN get myxazin or Melafix? I have a built in filter in the small tank anyway so I will use that but its not cycled to be honest. It also helps oxygenate the water as the water returns to the tank from a slight height. I will get the tank all cleared out, cleaned and set up tonight for him and move him over. I really hope I can save this little guy.

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. i will no doubt have other questions, and will keep this thread updated with his progress.

 

[WILDER]

Test your tap nitrates. That will tell you if you can get your nitrates down.

Melafix is ok. But sometimes fish don't tolerate it to well. It's not bad on
mild infections. That's about it with melafix.
I find myxazin a better med for finrot.

Keep an eye on water stats in hospital tank.

Good Luck.

 

[lisa2701]

Test your tap nitrates. That will tell you if you can get your nitrates down.

Melafix is ok. But sometimes fish don't tolerate it to well. It's not bad on
mild infections. That's about it with melafix.
I find myxazin a better med for finrot.

Keep an eye on water stats in hospital tank.

Good Luck.

Thanks. My tap water has 0 Nitrates so can definitely get them down.

got the hospital tank all set up, just waiting on water clearing before making the move. Any advice for the transition? Obviously when you bring fish home from the stores you acclimatise them but I can't do that here. I have done my best to match the water temp, etc.

 

[lisa2701]

A quick update:

Little guys in the hospital tank and doing well so far. No further tail loss so far, so hopefully it doesn't get any worse as he's struggling already as it is to swim (his balance is good though), his tail isn't anywhere near as fuzzy today, its looking a lot cleaner so to speak so hopefully thats a good sign.

My local store didn't have any myxazin in stock so I have decided to medicate using the interpret fin rot treatment for now, I can always do a 100% water change and medicate using something else later on if its not working. I will be able to get through to my local MA at the weekend if I needed to I think.