What are these white growths on the Tetra's fin?

[cherryshrimp]

It doesen't look like Ich. It's more of just 2 white spots on this one Tetra's fins. They often nip at each other during the chase of breeding in the early morning. I think the white spots developed after I overfed the tank on Repashy, causing a very small ammonia spike last week. No other tetras are showing visible signs like this one. I went to go raise the tank temperature this morning since I thought it may be Ich, but really doesn't look like it at closer inspection. Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

 

[CassCats]

Looks like the start of fin rot or nipping. Skirt tetras are prone to nipping. How many do you have?

 

[cherryshrimp]

Looks like the start of fin rot or nipping. Skirt tetras are prone to nipping. How many do you have?

There are 5 long fin and 1 glo fish skirt. The fin nipping occurs when they breed in the morning, the males chase each other and the females. Any good way to beat this back? Daily water changes I suppose?

 

[Stefan3289]

Water changes can't change the fact that they are fin nipping, but it will help keep an infection from starting. If you have room, I recommend adding more to make a good male to female ratio would definitely help (not sure what it is though).

 

[Colin_T]

It's excess mucous caused by something in the water stressing the fish.

Check the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[cherryshrimp]

Water changes can't change the fact that they are fin nipping, but it will help keep an infection from starting. If you have room, I recommend adding more to make a good male to female ratio would definitely help (not sure what it is though).

It's excess mucous caused by something in the water stressing the fish.

Check the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

The white spots developed shortly after I overfed the tank on Repashy, causing a very small ammonia spike last week. Parameters are good now. I struggle with anything over 50% water change. My ph comes out of the tap between 8.5-9ph with 0 buffer so drops to about 7.5 in the tanks. Anything over 50% change seems to push the tanks pH up to about 8 for a period of time before dropping back down, which seems stressful to the fish.

 

[CassCats]

With skirts you want more females than males, so see how many of each sex you have. If you have more than 2 males in that group, buy more females. Ideally you want 1 male per 3 females. Males tend to be more aggressive

 

[cherryshrimp]

It's excess mucous caused by something in the water stressing the fish.

Check the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Unfortunately did a 75% water change today and pH spiked to 8.2 from 7.4. Some guppies were in shock and were not eating after the water change, so ultimately the stress will probably be a net negative on the fin rot. Absolutely cannot win with this tank.

 

[itiwhetu]

Unfortunately did a 75% water change today and pH spiked to 8.2 from 7.4. Some guppies were in shock and were not eating after the water change, so ultimately the stress will probably be a net negative on the fin rot. Absolutely cannot win with this tank.

That's a shame, things will get better

 

[BumblePrime]

That's the result of fighting which they do an awful amount. I wouldn't add any treatment to the tank but I would get some more tetra to even amount the number. My diamond tetras were absolutely viscous to each other during spawning and the torn fins were exactly the same as pictured above.

 

[Colin_T]

Unfortunately did a 75% water change today and pH spiked to 8.2 from 7.4. Some guppies were in shock and were not eating after the water change, so ultimately the stress will probably be a net negative on the fin rot. Absolutely cannot win with this tank.

Have you tried aerating the tap water for 24 hours before using it?
At the least it would let you test the pH before and after the 24 hour period and see if the pH is going up or down or staying stable.

 

[cherryshrimp]

Have you tried aerating the tap water for 24 hours before using it?
At the least it would let you test the pH before and after the 24 hour period and see if the pH is going up or down or staying stable.

The ph runs about 7.4-7.5 in the tanks so I assume it would drop if I left it out for 24 hours. The guppies tails are looking very bad today (07/25) after 75% water changes on 07/22 and 07/23. I took yesterday off since the large water changes are shocking to them. I will do another one today, and tomorrow.. and the next day.. and the guppies fins will keep rotting until they die. This is totally f****** up.