Is This Fin Rot?

[yabadaba]

Hi, I added 6 Angelfish to my 5x2 tank around 3 months ago and noticed from day 1 that although this one behaves as though he's fit and well, his fins look very ragged compared to those of the other 5. He eats well, is just as active as his colleagues, his appearance is normal and I don't see any other fish nipping at his fins, so I had presumed that this was fin rot and that it would gradually clear up over time with regular water changes.

But 3 months on and there doesn't seem to be any change in the condition of his fins - no better, but also no worse. So, does this look like fin rot? Is it something that could get transferred to the other inhabitants? Anything I should do?

Water conditions have always been good - no nitrite, no ammonia, nitrate at somewhere between 10 and 20ppm on the API scale and pH of about 7.6. I do a 25% WC once a week.

 

[WILDER]

How many gallon is the tank.
How many fish and which type.

Can you issolate the fish and use a bacterial med?

 

[yabadaba]

How many gallon is the tank.
How many fish and which type.

Can you issolate the fish and use a bacterial med?

It's a community tank of approx. 130 us gallons. Inhabitants other than the Angelfish include juveniles of the following species....Yoyo Loach, Golden Nugget pleco, Twig Catfish, Spotted Climbing Perch, Kribensis, Bolivian and Czech Rams, Florida Flagfish, Black Ghost Knifefish. According to the stocking calculator on this site I am not overstocked, though as certain of these fish start to reach adult size I will have to thin the numbers out.

Once my son's gourami fry are finally big enough to vacate our fry tank I could put him/her in there, although it is a tad small.

You think it is fin rot then?

 

[WILDER]

Signs of finrot are.
Translucent fins, or cloudy looking fins.
Fins look slimey.
Raggy fins, or fins falling apart.
White, pink, red edging to fins.
Fluffy cotton wool on edging of fins.
Red streaking in fins.
Holes in fins.

If the fins look raggy and the fish hasn't damaged them on objects in the tank, or been nipped, or to much fileration, it sounds like bacterial finrot.

Water quality good aswell so it sounds like it might be bacterial finrot.

 

[BethK]

That's not fin rot, can you see that his rays are still intact and it's the membrane effected.

Looks like tail biting, not sure if an angel can do that to it's self, if not, then other fish have been having a nibble.

 

[loraxchick]

That's not fin rot, can you see that his rays are still intact and it's the membrane effected.

Looks like tail biting, not sure if an angel can do that to it's self, if not, then other fish have been having a nibble.

rays can stay intact with finrot as the delicate membranes erode first (and more easily).
id up the waterchanges and really watch the tank. i suspect nipping as well in this case.
cheers

 

[Anna Robinson]

Actually it looks as though that might simply be the way this fish is. I don't think there is any damage here at all - some long-finned angels are naturally a bit ragged-looking. I would be inclined just to keep an eye on it.

 

[yabadaba]

Hmm, not sure what to do now. From day one I wasn't sure what it was - natural, fin nipping or disease, so did nothing as I thought that if it was fin rot it would clear up as I change 25 to 33% of the water weekly. I have kept an eye out for fin nipping but haven't seen any at all, not even a failed attempt so I doubt it's that and that's why I keep going back to thinking it might be fin rot. But, if this could indeed just be a natural 'raggedness' then that would explain things.

I decided yesterday to treat the whole tank (because I can't isolate) with 'esha 2000' and was supposed to dose again this evening and then again tomorrow. But, I think I'm going to end the treatment early....I was nervous about medicating the tank with my two Black Ghost Knifefish in it anyway.

Thanks for the interest and comments everyone.

 

[WILDER]

Now you started the med you might aswell finish the course.