Need Some Help With Injured Fish!

[MylesP]

Hi,

I got some fish last week. They have been getting along well. I fed them last night and this morning i noticed one of the tails has gone missing.
Any Sujestions? Ill post a picture up.

 

[fishnovice]

That;s the worst case of fin nipping I've ever seen, Poor fish. Do you have anything else in the tank apart from goldfish? Looks like you have a nasty preditor in there

 

[MylesP]

That;s the worst case of fin nipping I've ever seen, Poor fish. Do you have anything else in the tank apart from goldfish? Looks like you gave a nasty preditor in there

I have 4 of them fish. And 2 loaches.

 

[Bridie]

Hi, what kind of loaches are they?
I once had a sun loach (inherited it with second hand tank), and it nipped fins quite badly, had to put it in a tank on it´s own. And he is less than 3 inches long, it´s not always the big fish that are the bad boys.

 

[kelly528]

...you sure those are goldfish?! They look like gold barbs. Or some type of barb. But defintiely NOT goldfish!!!

Is it possible that a tail could have gotten caught in the filter? Did you notice any erosion of the tail beforehand? And lastly what are your water stats?

Might get more suggestions if you PM a mod requesting to have this moved ot the tropical section.

 

[MylesP]

Hi, what kind of loaches are they?
I once had a sun loach (inherited it with second hand tank), and it nipped fins quite badly, had to put it in a tank on it´s own. And he is less than 3 inches long, it´s not always the big fish that are the bad boys.

Im not sure what type they are but heere is a picture!

*Edit* Correction, I beleive these are weather loaches?

...you sure those are goldfish?! They look like gold barbs. Or some type of barb. But defintiely NOT goldfish!!!

Is it possible that a tail could have gotten caught in the filter? Did you notice any erosion of the tail beforehand? And lastly what are your water stats?

Might get more suggestions if you PM a mod requesting to have this moved ot the tropical section.

Hey,

Yes, These are Gold Barbs. The filter only has a sponge which is open to the fish, any moving parts are hidden away.

The tail had no erosion before and this happened over night.

Not sure what you mean by water stats but i took a sample of water to my local fish store and they said the water was a healthy level of everything.

I have noticed the tail has started growing back. Can this happen after 2 days? if so is that a good sign?

Finally, i have had to turn my filter off as the poor fish kept on being blown in the wall

Thanks.

 

[kelly528]

...you sure those are goldfish?! They look like gold barbs. Or some type of barb. But defintiely NOT goldfish!!!

Is it possible that a tail could have gotten caught in the filter? Did you notice any erosion of the tail beforehand? And lastly what are your water stats?

Might get more suggestions if you PM a mod requesting to have this moved ot the tropical section.

Hey,

Yes, These are Gold Barbs. The filter only has a sponge which is open to the fish, any moving parts are hidden away.

The tail had no erosion before and this happened over night.

Not sure what you mean by water stats but i took a sample of water to my local fish store and they said the water was a healthy level of everything.

I have noticed the tail has started growing back. Can this happen after 2 days? if so is that a good sign?

Finally, i have had to turn my filter off as the poor fish kept on being blown in the wall

Thanks.

Well its a good sign if the tail is growing back after 2 days and it may have been an injury... either the fish got trapped in something (ie a decoration) and tore its tail off trying to free itself or it was bitten by another fish. I know loaches have a general reputation for being cantankerous, not sure about weather loaches. Another possibility it that your barbs are harassing each other which is very likely if you are not distributing their aggression by keeping them in a proper school (ie at least 6).

Also you will want to refrain from turning the filter off (IF your tank is cycled), espescially if it is an external filter ie a canister or a hang-on-back filter. Your nitrifying bacteria (given you have any) last little more than a few hours without the constant supply of food and oxygen provided when the filter is running. If the filter is off for more than a few hours in a cycled tank it will go 'anoxic', spewing toxins back into the tank as soon as you flip it on again.

I am also seriously doubting that the fish store was correct in telling you your water is 'okay', unless you performed a fishless cycle before introducing the fish. Their standards for water quality can be pretty dismal, and they failed to specify whether they meant 'fine' for long term health or 'fine' as in your fish aren't gonna die tomorrow. The general consensus among hobbyists is that water is not fine unless you have absolutely no ammonia or nitrite, and minimal nitrates.

If you added your fish before establishing bacteria to render their wastes harmless (cycling), a process that takes about a 4-8 weeks, your water is probably quite polluted and getting worse every day.

 

[fishnovice]

...you sure those are goldfish?! They look like gold barbs. Or some type of barb. But defintiely NOT goldfish!!!

Is it possible that a tail could have gotten caught in the filter? Did you notice any erosion of the tail beforehand? And lastly what are your water stats?

Might get more suggestions if you PM a mod requesting to have this moved ot the tropical section.

Hey,

Yes, These are Gold Barbs. The filter only has a sponge which is open to the fish, any moving parts are hidden away.

The tail had no erosion before and this happened over night.

Not sure what you mean by water stats but i took a sample of water to my local fish store and they said the water was a healthy level of everything.

I have noticed the tail has started growing back. Can this happen after 2 days? if so is that a good sign?

Finally, i have had to turn my filter off as the poor fish kept on being blown in the wall

Thanks.

Well its a good sign if the tail is growing back after 2 days and it may have been an injury... either the fish got trapped in something (ie a decoration) and tore its tail off trying to free itself or it was bitten by another fish. I know loaches have a general reputation for being cantankerous, not sure about weather loaches. Another possibility it that your barbs are harassing each other which is very likely if you are not distributing their aggression by keeping them in a proper school (ie at least 6).

Also you will want to refrain from turning the filter off (IF your tank is cycled), espescially if it is an external filter ie a canister or a hang-on-back filter. Your nitrifying bacteria (given you have any) last little more than a few hours without the constant supply of food and oxygen provided when the filter is running. If the filter is off for more than a few hours in a cycled tank it will go 'anoxic', spewing toxins back into the tank as soon as you flip it on again.

I am also seriously doubting that the fish store was correct in telling you your water is 'okay', unless you performed a fishless cycle before introducing the fish. Their standards for water quality can be pretty dismal, and they failed to specify whether they meant 'fine' for long term health or 'fine' as in your fish aren't gonna die tomorrow. The general consensus among hobbyists is that water is not fine unless you have absolutely no ammonia or nitrite, and minimal nitrates.

If you added your fish before establishing bacteria to render their wastes harmless (cycling), a process that takes about a 4-8 weeks, your water is probably quite polluted and getting worse every day.

Hope you don't have any more problems and that poor fish's tail has grown back. The culprit may well have been the golden fish. That is NOT a weather loach, it looks like a golden Chinese algae eater CAE which is a predator that sucks on the slime of flat bodied fish like goldfish and may even bite them, Algae eaters grow to 8 inches so check that your "gold loaches" are not in fact CAE

 

[nurglespuss]

Hi there, those are definately two chinese algae eaters sometimes sold as 'sucking loaches'.

They will get large, I had one top out 12".

They aren't 'predatory' pers'e as stated by previous poster, as they arent equipt physically for such a role. They are definately scavengers, able to take advantage of plant matter, invertebrates, algae, and yes, in the confines of an aquarium, may attempt to 'rasp' slime coating off of slow moving, resting, generally broad sided fish.

They get more aggressive as they age, and quite territorial too. Being a robust, strong, torpedo shaped fish, this can result in severe physical bullying of other fish.

Now, although they may stress your barbs out, I've never heard of them damaging fins (this would be difficult nigh impossible due to the arrangement of their feeding apperatus and the shape of any fins that are 'non flowing').

I would isolate the affected fish if possible (possibly in a breedin trap) and apply melafix and stress coat. I can't see any evidence of fin-rot/fungus yet but its chance of developing is increased. If you see signs of fungus, apply fungal treatment.

i would also, definately, take both algae eaters back to your petshop for a refund. Once your fish are recovered and seem active and healthy, i would perhaps introduce a few more of the barbs (as they like to form loose shoals), and if you want another 'algae eating fish' invest in a bristlenose catfish, or a few ottocinclus (dependent on tank dimensions, an possibly upgrading the filter, and adding plants.

I hope that helps.

 

[haowin]

Hey, http/www.loaches.com/species-index/photos/m/misgurnic_angullicaudatus_06.jpg/image_medium
was looking into gettin a weather loach for my tank, ive read they're a good addition with goldfish. playin about and that. but the picture shows weather loaches having whiskers.

Can anyone reassure me theyre compatible. also will they have a go at plants? was looking into gettin some riccia fluitans.

 

[fishnovice]

Hey, http/www.loaches.com/species-index/photos/m/misgurnic_angullicaudatus_06.jpg/image_medium
was looking into gettin a weather loach for my tank, ive read they're a good addition with goldfish. playin about and that. but the picture shows weather loaches having whiskers.

Can anyone reassure me theyre compatible. also will they have a go at plants? was looking into gettin some riccia fluitans.

yes REAL weather loaches (not CAE!)have whiskers and eel like bodies. in fact they move in S shapes like snakes rather than swim like fish sometimes!CAE are more rigid and can't twist their bodies into eel-like S shapes
Weatherloaches are OK with goldfish, mine lived with them for years