Fin Rot?

[DevotedToDiscus]

Option 3 mate!

And generally "no" as for question 4.

If you are struggling to catch the fish I am guessing that you have a small net? Get yourself a bigger net and then use the little net to chase the fish into the bigger one.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Righto, option 3 it is then!
 
Good, not worried then for fin rot passing to my other thread fins. Have done quick searches online, apparently fin rot is most commonly caused by 3 things,
 
Stress/injury - could be stress from too many males or possibly an aggressive female fin nipped and small damage to tail in which case could cause fin rot to set in
 
Water parameters - bad water conditions could be a factor, but I do not believe this is the case for this fin rot. As water parameter are really spot on, zero for ammonia and nitrite, and even nitrate is only at 30 ppm at most. 35% water changes done at weekend without fail. Temp at a very steady 25C to 25.5C.
 
Overfeeding - overfeeding can cause fin rot or other infections! 
 
Right, so believe could be one of the above or more likely a combination of stress and overfeeding being the main culprits of fin rot in this case I reckon.
 
I've already do not feed fish for one day a week, thinking may increase this to 2 days a week of no food and try not to overfeed on feeding days. (kinda hard to know if overfeeding or not, thats the problem!)
 
You sure learn a lot in fish keeping, I like learning new things but wish not affected my stock in first place!
 
When I've test on nano tank later tonight and if readings are at 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, thats tank is cycled, only took 5 days!!

This will be 2nd confirmation of ammonia and nitrite going to zero within 24 hours just for your info.
Mature media from main tank to Nano tank sure helps a lot!

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

It is good that you nip it in the bud. Is always easier than trying to cure an established infection, etc.

As for feeding. Fish in the wild often go for weeks/months without food, so we should not try to make a 3 meal per day connection like us folk!

 

[Ch4rlie]

I feed them once a day! A wee pinch of micro pellet food, an occasional squashed pea (once every 2 weeks or something like that)
 
Do treat them to brine shrimp or bloodworms once a month as not too good for shrimps on high protien food too often.
 
Thats it really. 

 
My GF makes me laugh sometimes, she does says "these poor fish must be STARVING if you don't feed them properly, give them more for goodness sake!"
 
Have persuade her repeatedly that these fish have stomachs the size of their eyes, so one or two micro pellets for one fish is like a feast for them!  

 

[Ch4rlie]

Nano Tank is cycled 

 
2 consecutive tests of 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite after dosages of 3ppm within 24 hours!
 
Lovely! Have done a big 'ol water change, heater temp down to 25C, turned down flow output on pump.
Will re-test water parameter in 30 mins to be sure.
 
Then *sighs* try and catch her this time!
You asked earlier what sized net i have for netting her, actually have a small, medium and large net! 

 
But first will try with little net to chase her into the large net, see if that works. 

 
Then salt dips as discussed before then to Nano tank! 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Finally, got her!
 
Took longer than thought but done now.
 
She now had first salt dip then to tank water container then to Nano tank.
Lights off straightaway to calm her down and will see how things are in morning!
 
Stressed out both of us!
 
Realise now that in my main tank how difficult things are to catch any fish or shrimp for that matter, floating plants, led lights, filter intake pipe, spray bar and heater were all places where she hid and unaccessible with net! 
 
Whew, do not want to do that again!

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Good effort 

 

[tha pint]

I treated my oscar with that esha stuff a few weeks ago and his fins seemed to start to clear up but now it's beginning to come back again. He's been plagued with this since I got him of a friend .All the other fish are 100% but I guess he just wasn't properly cured. I'm gonna try this salt dip but I'm just a bit apprehensive as he's quite old and I'm worried this will mess him up. Should I go ahead and dip

Btw my tank is spotless and I do water changes 2 weekly

 

[Ch4rlie]

Bad news!

This morning when I put her in the salt dip tub, it was apparent very quickly something was wrong, she started to curve sideways I immediately put her into the tank water tub, but no change, started to swim strangely.

Then put her straight back to the nano tank. She never recovered, swam very erratically and started to swim upside down.

Had to euthanise her after 5 mins of painful watching!

No idea what went wrong, did I injure her during netting? Is the salt concentration too much in salt dip tub?
I put in the same amount as previous dips , half table spoon as discussed previously, water was dechlorinated, temp 26C etc
Nano tank parameters good. 0 amm, o nitrite, 20 ppm nitrate.

Previous dips went ok, she was going to back to main tank today after last salt dip this evening!

Hated this morning! Really kicking myself for something I don't know what happened exactly!

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

That sucks buddy. 

 
It would take several minutes to an hour for the salt to start effecting the fish, even if it was a really strong mixture. Given that you've been doing it each day without problems, it seems odd.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Really sorry for your loss! 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thanks guys.

I agree with DTD that it's just odd the way she died, looked a lot more neurological rather than an injury.
This is the second female to die rather strangely.

I bought the females separately from males do no interbreeding if that happens.
Wonder if it's possible these females are if a 'bad' batch or something like that?

Just the fact that I do not really know how they died just niggles at me, if it was my fault or a confirmed cause then ok, fair enough, as it is just a little odd.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

Could be that she had something terminal anyway, and the stress just tipped her over the edge and sent her on her way. Was probably inevitable.
 
This might sound harsh, but for me, I don't ever see my fish as pets, so have little emotional attachment to them. If I lose one it's annoying, but is not like it would be if it were a dog or a cat. I have been fortunate enough not to have lost any for a long time. Last time was when my girlfriend accidentally killed a pair in a breeding tank by dosing too much Formalin on the eggs while I was at work. She cried like a baby about it, but I told her it was just an accident and I went and replaced them.
 
Am sure many people would see that as coldhearted, but fish keeping is a hobby at the end of the day. Also when you have so many delicate creatures together it's going to happen no matter how experienced we think we are. 
 
Only 2 certainties in this world, paying tax and death. At least your fish didn't have to pay tax!!