Fin rot death - plus a n00b

[sexymumma]

Hi everyone

I am new to tropical fish keeping, as well as this forum.

My angelfish died this afternoon from what looked like fin rot that he got overnight.

He hadnt been well for the last few days, but today it must of just been the end of his fight.

Should I treat the intire tank with medication? All the other fish look really healthy.

Thanks

Rhiannon

[pl*co]

I could ask several questions, such as how many other fish, what size tank, what are the results of your water tests, etc., but to get right to it, here is a good article about fin rot, what to do, etc.

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/disease/p/finrot.htm

[sexymumma]

Thanks.

All I know is ph is 7.2, I have 1 other angel(who is fine), 3 guppies, and 1 bristlenose catfish, thats it.

He was a tiny angel, just a juvenille, about the size of a 10cent peice (I'm talking Oz money here).

Did water change last night and last weekend.

[pl*co]

Do you change the water weekly? How much water do you change out? 25% is typical. You may want to consider expanding your testing to include Nitrite and Nitrate. Also, the fish you mentioned, except for the catfish, like a little aquarium salt in the tank.

[Bravofleet4]

Whenever you think a fish is sick, it's often best to isolate that fish in another smaller tank with its own filter and heater, a sort of hospital tank. This is to prevent disease from spreading from that one fish to the rest of the fish which is often a real danger because of the enclosed environment that fish live in. Although I admit that does not help you currently, you wouldn't have to consider administering medicine to the entire tank. Since I'm relatively new to fish, though, I'll let some more experienced answer that.

[sexymumma]

Yes I have read they like salt, but what do you do when you have a species that doesnt ie. the catfish.

Yep we have been doing water changes weekly, and about 30% of the water. This week we did it on sunday and thursday.

I just feel like a bad person because he died.

I need to be strong!

[rosita]

Welcome to AC!!
Actually, in regards to aquarium salt in the water, you only need it when treating for ich. Freshwater fish are freshwater fish. You can search past threads/posts here for alot of info about that.

A primary way to keep your fish free of fin rot and a host of other maladies is: frequent and regular partial water changes. Some old timers will tell you they've kept healthy tanks for years, decades, with NO problems by simply keeping up water changes and feeding quality food (without overfeeding). So keep those up, bully for you, and right now you may want to increase amount of change to 50% (won't hurt).

You may want to treat the tank with Melafix, after testing water parameters for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and doing partial water changes (pwc) including vacuuming that gravel if you have a substrate. I've used it to treat individuals in a tank when my hospital/quarantine tank was already occupied for whatever (it also serves as a grow0out tank). I have had great success with Melafix in healing outer problems, such as scrapes on cory snouts, and surface wounds due to skirmishes (cichlid boys, lol!) It heals a host of other problems (check "search" for threads) and is less expensive and strong than alot of other meds. And, scaleless fish take it w/out problems.

So sorry about your loss--we get so attached to our fishy kids, and it is hard to lose one. Happy trails!!!

[jessicar613]

Are you sure it was fin rot and he wasn't being attacked by the other angel?

[Star_Rider]

when I hear fin rot..I think water problem.

I recieved some angels from peru early this year..they survived the trip but had fin damage...from ammonia burns.

they are doing pretty good now..I kept them in a cycled tank and did 3week water changes..clean water is the best remedy for fin damage.
that said.

how long has the tank been set up?
you would bebfit by getting a water test kit. API has a master test kit that will test pH, ammonia(total) nitrite, nitrate.

you need to test to see what if anything could be going on in the water. this will give you great insight on how to try to start treatment.

how big is this tank (liter/gallons)? angels get fairly large so you will need about 10 gallons per angel.

I agree with much of what has been mentioned. fin damage can be a result of water conditions or fighting.

hang in there

[sexymumma]

I have a 20 gallon tank, so that would of been ok, 10 gallons per angel, mind you the angels were only the size of a 10 cent peice.

I am now only going to stick to the surviving angel and I dont think I will get anymore. I feel sorry for it though because I know I wouldnt want to live my life alone. But it seems happy playing with my guppies.

I dont think this angel attacked the dead angel.

I need to get a test kit for nitrates.

I am in australia and today brought some multicure, which cures fin rot, white spot and some other stuff. So I will be adding that today.

I'm trying to hang in there. I didnt know fish keeping could be so hard..