Fin Rot. Is It Healing Or Progressing?

[fishtanksmomma]

[font="Verdana][/font][/color][color="#222222"][font="Verdana]y daughter's fish "Fishtank" had fin rot when we first got him. If not, it definitely developed at some point. I've been treating him for a few weeks now (maybe 3-4) with daily water changes and about 10 days worth of antitbiotics. I had him in a small quartine tank and planned on doing a fishless cycle of his new, larger tank. However, because I almost killed him with Melafix and Pimafix, I moved him to his uncycled tank and I am now doing a fish-in cycle. I hope keeping on top of his water conditions and hopefully completing this cycle with him alive will keep the fin rot from progressing and eventually heal it completely. I think he's showing some signs of improvement, but I never had a fish before so I'm learning as I go. Any advice or insight would be appreciated.[/font][/color]
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[color="#222222"][font="Verdana]This is him when we first brought him home. [ATTACH]67328.IPB[/ATTACH][/font][/color]
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[color="#222222"][font="Verdana]This is about a month ago. You can clearly see some regrowth. [ATTACH]67329.IPB[/ATTACH][/font][/color]
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[color="#222222"][font="Verdana]This is today. His tail is looking much longer but his top fin (don't know what it's called) looks shorter. However, I believe I see some new regrowth. [ATTACH]67330.IPB[/ATTACH][/font][/color]
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[color="#222222"][font="Verdana]This was also today. Here you can clearly see the brownish/red tinge to his tail and fins. [ATTACH]67327.IPB[/ATTACH][/font][/color]
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This morning I tested his water and got these readings:

Ph: 6.2
Amonia: 0.25 ppm
NitrIte: 5.0 ppm (I actually think it was somewhere between 2.0-5.0)
Nitrate: 10.0 ppm

I did a 75% water change. I'm going to let it filter through for about an hour and then retest.

 

[KISSfn]

Does the quarantine tank have a cycled filter? Was the antibiotic you used for gram negative bacteria (such as Maracyn 2)? Top fin is called the dorsal fin. If you're using test strips they are very inaccurate and you should get a liquid test kit. Your Ammonia and Nitrite readings should be as close to 0 as possible so you should do larger waterchanges (just enough water for fish to swim upright) and more often. Fin rot needs cleanest water and correct meds to heal.

 

[fishtanksmomma]

No the quarentine tank did not have a filter. I changed 100% of his water daily & used Tetracycline. Now he is in a filtered tank (doing a cycle). I figured out that my tap water has an ammonia reading of .5 so I'm going to buy new water conditioner to treat that accordingly. After two large water changes yesterday, I got the ammonia down to .25 & nitrites to 0. I also used ammonia remover.

 

[KISSfn]

Recommend Seachem Prime water conditioner. Which ammonia "remover" product are you using? What are you testing water with?

 

[fishtanksmomma]

Recommend Seachem Prime water conditioner. Which ammonia "remover" product are you using? What are you testing water with?

It's an ammonia remover made by api and I test the water with a master kit also by api.

 

[KISSfn]

Keep in mind the ammonia "remover" does not actually remove ammonia but converts it to ammonium which is less toxic than ammonia but still toxic. Also it's affect is temporary and the ammonium will convert back to ammonia. API ammonia test shows ammonia plus ammonium as a combined reading. Prime converts 1mg/l of ammonia to ammonium so that would be the best product for you. Prime's conversion lasts 24 hours. I personally prefer Seachem products over API.

 

[fishtanksmomma]

Keep in mind the ammonia "remover" does not actually remove ammonia but converts it to ammonium which is less toxic than ammonia but still toxic. Also it's affect is temporary and the ammonium will convert back to ammonia. API ammonia test shows ammonia plus ammonium as a combined reading. Prime converts 1mg/l of ammonia to ammonium so that would be the best product for you. Prime's conversion lasts 24 hours. I personally prefer Seachem products over API.

Ok thanks. Yes, im going to look for the Prime. Is that made by Seachem?

 

[KISSfn]

Glad to help! Prime is made by Seachem.

 

[fishtanksmomma]

Great! Thanks again!

 

[KISSfn]

 

[fishtanksmomma]

Glad to help! Prime is made by Seachem.

One more question. Sorry if this sounds dumb; I don't really understand the science behind the nitrogen cycle. What I read was that the ammonia peaks first then lowers. Ater that the Nitrites will peak and the lower, and finally Nitrates. Since my tap wat already has ammonia in it, will this help the tank to cycle faster?

Also, I had already pretreated the water for tonights water change with API Stress Coat. Can I add the Prime to it as well or should I add the ammonia remover and use the Prime in the next batch of water I prepare?

Sorry, I know that was two questions.

 

[KISSfn]

No such thing as a dumb question! What you said about Ammonia peaking etc. refers to a fishless cycle. Since you have a fish in your tank you are now in a fish in cycle. Your fish cannot tolerate the Ammonia and Nitrite spikes associated with a fishless cycle. A cycled filter has 2 types of good bacteria in it. One processes ammonia to nitrites, the other nitrites to nitrates. Nitrates are removed with weekly water changes. If you buy the sponge I told you about you will have a cycled filter. I have no association with that site but I did buy an active filter from them when I was new to this and my filter was nearly instantly cycled. If you don't want to go that route you must follow the instructions for a fish in cycle in the link under my pic. It will take you many weeks and many water changes to cycle your filter this way. Your tap water ammonia will not cycle your tank faster, ammonia is toxic to fish and the ammonia a fish produces is more than enough to cycle your filter. More than that or nitrites are killers. You can add Prime and use it exclusively as it converts ammonia to ammonium (less toxic) and also helps to detoxify nitrites and nitrates. Since you already have the API stress coat you can use it but I would not buy any more as I think it is inferior to Prime's abilities and Prime is much more concentrated as 250ml treats 2500 gallons!

 

[fishtanksmomma]

Thank you. I bought the Prime today. I'm going to look into buying one of those sponge filter. Thanks again for your help. I appreciate it!

 

[KISSfn]

Forget that part about the active filter if you live outside the US! Sorry I confused your post with another!

 

[fishtanksmomma]

Nope, I'm in the US. Already googled it. I think the website is called Angels Plus? Or something like that. I'm going to contact them because I'm not exactly sure what kind of filter I need. Thanks again.