Bleeding heart tetras

[Mathew1991]

I got 6 bleeding heart tetras on Saturday and noticed this on one of there back fins
Can anybody help me

 

[Colin_T]

Excess mucous produced by the fish to cover something irritating the tail. It could have been damaged in the shop or on the way home and needs a few days to heal.

Clean water should let it heal, and maybe some salt if it hasn't improved in a few days.

If you need to add salt, use 1 heaped tablespoon of rock salt per 20 litres (5 gallons) of water. Keep the salt in the tank for 1 week. If there's no improvement after a few days of salt, post more pictures.

 

[Byron]

Agree. I would get a few more too, say another 3 or 4. This is important for shoaling fish, very important. In fewer numbers they can get nippy.

Do you have floating plants? The light may be a bit bright, and this fish will colour up beautifully in light that is less rather than more brightness.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello Mathew. It appears the fish is healing from a recent injury. Looks pretty minor to me. If you're keeping a clean tank, then the fish will easily recover. It looks healthy to me. Just keep up on your water changes and add a little Spirulina to your fishes' diet. It's an excellent immune system booster.

10 Tank (Now 11)

 

[AlexT]

Excess mucous produced by the fish to cover something irritating the tail. It could have been damaged in the shop or on the way home and needs a few days to heal.

Clean water should let it heal, and maybe some salt if it hasn't improved in a few days.

If you need to add salt, use 1 heaped tablespoon of rock salt per 20 litres (5 gallons) of water. Keep the salt in the tank for 1 week. If there's no improvement after a few days of salt, post more pictures.

Colin, thanks. Is the salt addition in this scenario like a prophylaxis to help prevent fungal or bacterial infection? Or is the salt a treatment in itself in this case? Thanks.

 

[Colin_T]

Salt is used to kill fungus and bacteria that might get into the damaged tissue. But try doing a couple of big (75%) water changes and if it doesn't improve, then add salt.

 

[Lcc86]

You may want to move your ADF's out if you do end up using rock salt to be on the safe side, some sites say they can tolerate aquarium salt but not rock salt. I'm not 100% but thought I should add this info so that you're aware.

 

[Colin_T]

most aquarium salt is rock salt, basically it's just plain old sodium chloride with nothing else.

 

[Lcc86]

most aquarium salt is rock salt, basically it's just plain old sodium chloride with nothing else.

Ah I stand corrected! Hmmm I would still be wary with the ADF's, have read some horror stories in the past with salt, but also have seen some conflicting info out there about it.

 

[Colin_T]

Yes you don't want any salt in with frogs. It goes straight through their skin and stuffs up their kidneys.