silver sharks losing scales

[betta_boy]

I have a pair of 3'' silver sharks. They have started losing their scales and their fins look tattered.
The NO2 level is at 0.1mg/l and NO3 is 10 mg/l. PH is 7.5. Temperature is at 81F.

The silver shakrs used to loose a couple of sacles which grew back earlier but this time the number of scales they are losing is pretty high.

Is it some kinda diease or some deficiency in vitamins?

I feed them freeze dried blood worms, freeze diried tubifex worms and cichlid pellets .

 

[clunkster]

it could be physical damage what other fish do you keep with them

 

[WILDER]

If you have tattered fins as well, something is going on, are the scales fluffy any white edging in between the scales, any red edging to the fins or fungus on them, also you have a slight nitrite reading there so the tank want's a water change, how many gallons is the tank, plus how many fish are in there and which type.

 

[betta_boy]

I did a partial water change and the N)2 is now zero. There seems to be some white edging between the scales. I have a 30 gallon tank which the sharks share with couple of dwarf gouramis and a betta. any medications required???

 

[tttnjfttt]

the white stuff edging between the scales is probably columnaris. I'm too tierd right now to type everything out for you, so here are a few links...
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdcolumn.htm
http/www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm

Basics are you will need to decrease the temperature to the mid to low seventies, add salt (should be fine as long as it is just the sharks, gouramis, and betta), and treat with a strong bacterial medicine.

Do you realize how large bala sharks grow to? http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=54527 They are also schooling fish and prefer to be in a group of 6+.

Also, I don't think the betta should be in the tank wiht those fish. My brain isn't functioning at the moment, but I know the betta + shark + gouramis is a bad combo.