Liz.21

New Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2019
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
I’ve had a synodontis eupterus for almost 4 years now. About a month ago, I transferred him from my 55 gallon to a newly cycled 75 gallon. I gathered my own driftwood from the banks of the Mississippi and treated them thoroughly before putting them in the tank. I have added 5 Congo tetras, 3 Roseline sharks/Dennison’s barbs, a juvenile Bruno pleco, and a rope fish to the tank. My synodontis has been hiding a lot in a cave structure I assembled. Recently I’ve noticed his adipose fin is much paler than the rest of his body. He still eats and swims normally when he’s not hiding. Could this be a sign of sickness? If so, how should I treat it?
 

Attachments

  • 53F90043-64E6-479D-91E5-78513B3644EC.jpeg
    53F90043-64E6-479D-91E5-78513B3644EC.jpeg
    142.1 KB · Views: 209
Hi and welcome to the forum :)

How long has the tank been set up for?
How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?

What sort of filter do you have?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

Check the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and GH of the tank water. If you have any ammonia or nitrite (above 0.0) then do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate.
If the nitrate is above 20ppm do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate.

---------------------------
Is the fish rubbing on objects in the tank?
Is it eating well?
How long has the fish been like this?
Has the pale/ white area gotten bigger, if yes, over what time frame?
Did you add anything new to the tank a couple of weeks before this started?

---------------------------
Health issues that can cause things like that include:
Excess mucous caused by poor water quality or something toxic in the water.

A fungal infection. The fish generally have to be injured for fungus to get in but cold water or poor water quality can allow the fungus to gain entry into the skin.

An external protozoan infection that was either introduced or the tank conditions got dirty. This would usually cause the fish to rub on objects in the tank.

---------------------------
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate each day for a week. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media in a bucket of tank water and re-use it.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum :)

How long has the tank been set up for?
How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?

What sort of filter do you have?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

Check the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and GH of the tank water. If you have any ammonia or nitrite (above 0.0) then do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate.
If the nitrate is above 20ppm do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate.

---------------------------
Is the fish rubbing on objects in the tank?
Is it eating well?
How long has the fish been like this?
Has the pale/ white area gotten bigger, if yes, over what time frame?
Did you add anything new to the tank a couple of weeks before this started?

---------------------------
Health issues that can cause things like that include:
Excess mucous caused by poor water quality or something toxic in the water.

A fungal infection. The fish generally have to be injured for fungus to get in but cold water or poor water quality can allow the fungus to gain entry into the skin.

An external protozoan infection that was either introduced or the tank conditions got dirty. This would usually cause the fish to rub on objects in the tank.

---------------------------
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate each day for a week. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media in a bucket of tank water and re-use it.
Thanks for all the info.
The tank has been running for almost 2 months now.
I was advised to let the tank get dirty to properly cycle it so I’ve only done 1 water change (about 30% 2 weeks ago). I will test my water and do a water change accordingly today.
———————————
The newest additions to the tank were 3 roseline sharks about a week ago. I work at the shop I bought them from and haven’t noticed any signs of sickness on the batch of fish I purchased from.
———————————
I’m using a pennplax canister filter 1000 and an air pump powered sponge filter. I will rinse the media out today when I do the water change.
———————————
The only thing I can think of that may have injured him are the rocks he constantly hides under. They form a small arch. I only see him leave it at night.
————————————
Are there any medications you can recommend to give him a better chance of surviving whatever this symptom may be?

Thanks
 
Is the fish rubbing on objects in the tank?
Is it eating well?
How long has the fish been like this?
Has the pale/ white area gotten bigger, if yes, over what time frame?

-------------------------
I was advised to let the tank get dirty to properly cycle it so I’ve only done 1 water change (about 30% 2 weeks ago).
Unfortunately, you were advised badly. Dirty tanks are a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus, viruses and protozoans. Poor water quality and dirty tanks cause most fish health issues and keeping tanks clean with regular water changes and gravel cleaning will prevent most problems from occurring.

The following link has some information about what to do if your fish get sick. It's long and boring but worth knowing. I recommend printing it out and reading it in bed to help fall asleep. :)
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/what-to-do-if-your-fish-gets-sick.450268/

-------------------------
If you are cycling a tank with fish in, you should be feeding them a couple of times a week and doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate 4-8 hours after feeding. You should also do a 75% water change any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

You continue doing this until the filter has cycled, which normally takes 4-6 weeks. After which time you can feed the fish each day and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.

New filters should not be cleaned for the first 6 weeks while they are cycling otherwise you can mess up the process and cause it to start again. After the filter has cycled, you should clean it at least once a month and every 2 weeks is better. Filter materials should be washed in a bucket of tank water and re-used.

-------------------------
If the catfish was in the tank while it was cycling, it might have suffered from ammonia burns, which could cause the white areas. This would also allow fungus to get in and affect the damaged tissue.

-------------------------
Do not add any medications yet.

At this stage I would just do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week and see how the fish looks after that.

If the problem gets worse during that time, post more pictures and updated information and we can look into medications then.
 

Most reactions

trending

Back
Top