fin rot

[TomSawyer]

Hi guys

I just came back from work and had a look at my fish. I discovered that I had a barb was swimming slower than usual. I had a closer look and found that it's fin & tail was shorter, as if it has been torn . I believe it's fin rot. So I moved it out of the aquarium and put in a 5l tank filled with water from the aquarium. Did I do the right thing? what should I do next?

I think will also have to look after my aquarium. Is there nothing else I should do to prevent the fish to be sick.? For your info, I live on Mauritius, a tropical island. Presently, we r in winter. I do not have a thermometer nor a heater in my aquarium.

Thanks for your advice

p.s

I notice that there r some pics below your nicknames. how do I put one?

 

[Dragonslair]

Hello TomSawyer,
There are two questions to your posting. I'll take the easiest one first. The names you find underneath the avatar is put on automatically depending on the number of postings you make. It is purely for a bit of fun and bears no reality in life. The aside statement you make about having no thermometer-eeek! I know you live in a country that is warm even in winter, but a thermometer is a basic equipment for any aquarium setup, coldwater or tropicals. Now to the main question. Fin Rot or not? Do you have any "fin Nipping" fish in the same tank? If you do then the "fin rot" could well be due to fin nippers. However true fin rot is caused by bacterial infection, one of 3 types of common bacteria, Aeromonas, Psudomonas or Flexibacter. These are usually opportunistic and infect a site on a fish that is/has already been damaged. Fish scales are the primary defence against external disease and if the scales are damaged in any way, either by stress, flicking themselves against rocks or fights, this paves the way for these secondary infections.
Unless your fish is a special one, treatment for fin rot is usually not cost effective and if the rot is in the latter stages, mortality rate is low. However if you are interested in treatment-let me know.

 

[TomSawyer]

Thnx Dragonslair for your clarification.

I've checked and there is no "fin Nipping" fish in the same tank. There are only goldfish, one angel and 4 3 spot gourami. I've noticed that my bards (2) were often running after each other. I would be grateful if you could advise me of the treatment.

Thxn again

 

[skiltrip]

I have 4 tiger barbs, and for a while, i thought the same thing.

One of my tigers was always hiding behind a plant, and his tail fin was chewed down pretty short. Squared off. His other fins looked a little "trimmed back" too. I did notice my Barbs chasing each other around a lot, and going after each other, but i didn't think they could do damage like that to the other fish...

Well, a few weeks later, he's back with the pack, and his tail and other fins are growing back beautifully. Seems they were just establishing the heirarchy of tiger barbs. He was low man on the totem poll and was getting the beat down. Sooner or later I suppose he proved himself and was back in the gang.

I too had thought maybe fin rot was getting the little guy, but it was just nip abuse. I suspect that it may be the same deal you have there.

- kip

 

[Dragonslair]

It is difficult to give you an answr, but I can give you a suggestion as to treatment. Interpet sell a product designed for fin rot, you may be able to tr that. Do you know if the affected fish you have are salt tolerant, if they are you might be able to bathe them in a salt solution. A highly effective medicine but costly is Gentian Violet. You may need to see you local vet to obtain this. Similar to methelyene blue.

 

[wetwetwet]

Just one more thing for the long term.....

I don't know which barbs you have but most are shoaling species and should be kept in a larger group (say 6) - this should cut down the aggression.....

 

[TomSawyer]

Thxn guys for your advice, I feel less anxious now

Dragonslair, u mentioned that thermometer is an important hardware for any aquarium, This means I will have to buy 4. what model should I should. I had a quick look at the pet shop. they had 1 like a sticker and 1 like a real thermo. Is a heater as well needed, n if yes, can i purchase only 1 and share it with the other aqua ???

 

[wetwetwet]

I prefer the stick on ones...... B)

....but with 4 tanks a glass one could be shared

I don't think you will be able to share a heater unless you want to start getting technical with a centralised system....

....how big are the tanks and how close?

 

[Dragonslair]

Stick on ones are economical, but if you can't stretch to that one glass one can be shared amongst 4 tanks. If you've a coldwater setup, do you really need a heater?

 

[TomSawyer]

As recommended by Dragonslair, I visited my lfs this afternoon and purchase 3 glass thermo ( of JBL make).
On it there is the recommended temp and the least extreme temp can be afforded. I just check and they r showing 22 Deg Celcius, near the least extreme. Mt lfs told me that if my fish are used to the cold, then I can continue without the heater. With your experience, what do u recommend? for you info, a heater of european make cost apprx Rs 800, i.e GBP20.

 

[Tanked]

if you have the $$$ to spend on the heater I'd get one as temps will cool off later in the year and it helps keep your tank at a constant temp.

 

[Jamnog]

if your going to get a heater i recomend looking at prices in the shops and on line most heaters tend to last for at lease 7 years in my experience. but if they are in cold water then so long as it doesnt get too cold it may be just as well to keep them without or when you add the filter put it on a low temp setting so as not to shock them at all.

 

[TomSawyer]

Jamnoq thxn fopr yur advice. well i to but one urgently this afternoon as most of my fishes were dying before of cold. I bought one heater of Rena make. (100w) I think it;s a bit to powerful for my tank. But the least powerful there was.

I will check one for others. Can u recommend any make that will suit?

 

[TomSawyer]

My other tank full of goldfish as well got white spot.
I think its the bad chemistry of the water following water change. I already put anti-white spot medicine. I read that I should raise temp to 82'F, which is about 27"C. Do I also need to proceed with some water change?

 

[TomSawyer]

OOOOPPPPSSSS I think I got the wrong subject.