Angelfish with secondary fin rot treatment?

[CarissaT]

One of my angelfish has developed secondary fin rot to a viral infection. He’s eating fine but mostly hiding, probably still fighting off the virus as well. Just wondering recommendations for treatment. As of now the tank is 82 degrees and I have salt added at the rate of 1/2 tsp per gallon. I know that’s not very much, I’m thinking I’ll see if I can get some more coarse salt today as I’ve run out. I don’t have access to any fish medications, well I do but would have to order it and it would take at least a week. Anything else I can do? What would be something more healthy than flake food I could give him? Would a salt dip help?

 

[GaryE]

Stay the course. I would not keep it that warm, as some fungi like warmth and it can give them an advantage. I'd stay lower in the ideal range for the species.

That's a lot of salt already. I would not do a dip, which would be more for parasites. When I see raggedy fins on an angel (I have kept many over the years) I simply raise my game on water changing - 40% at least twice a week til it clears. I don't know where you are on the rock, but if you're around St John's, you have dream water for angelfish.

If the fish has fought off a virus and the water is clean, then it's a question of how much damage the virus did. There are no meds we can legally get in Canada that will help, and probably none anywhere, given how hard it is to be exact about what's causing the issue.

It's a forum cliche, but do you have a photo? It would help for seeing how bad it is.

 

[CarissaT]

Not the best photo, but you can see his tail fin. The fin on top is affected too at the back. But I think the viral stuff is getting better now. That’s the sort of whitish stuff on the top of his head you can kind of see. That’s decreased a lot. I did add some more salt so it’s up to 3/4 tsp per gallon, think I’ll just stay the course now for a few days then start doing water changes. All that fin rot started in the last two days. I see some in the bottom fin too now.

I’m in central, but I have soft well water. Very good water for them. I actually add a little calcium and mg for plants and snails.

 

[CarissaT]

Well either the salt is helping, or the fish is fighting it off on his own. He’s active and swimming around with his fins open as normal for the first time in over a week. His fins look bad but if he’s acting healthy I’m sure they will repair themselves quickly. Assuming things continue to progress well, I think I’ll leave the salt as is until the weekend when I do my regular 25% water change and allow the salt levels to come down naturally as I do my water changes. Nobody appears particularly stressed with the salt level, including the yo-yo loach which I was the most concerned about, but it’s kind of hard to tell with snails. Snails are still active though, so nothing particularly serious as of yet with them either.