Dealing with angelfish fin rot

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!
J

JoelB

AC Members
Jul 17, 2008
100
0
0
39
Last week I put an angelfish (and others) into a new tank. I had been seeding some filter material but the tank mini cycled. Ammonia touched 1ppm but nitrate appeared yesterday. I have done three partial water changes in the past week smoothing it over.

I had been watching the angelfish keeping to one side of the tank, and seeming less than enthusiastic about the change.

Today I noticed his dorsal fin fraying at the top, kind of like a paper chinese fan that has been opened too many times, with small sections falling out. I noticed a furry whitish fungus like growth at the tips of the spines.

This evening I transferred him to a 2G QT with a standard dose of malachite green and 3tsp/G of marine salt while I did a partial water change on the DT. After half an hour, I upped the salt by a further 3tsp/G and waited another half an hour before putting him back.

I decided to ramp up the display tank to 1tsp/G of salt, hopefully calming them a little and helping with the nitrite.

Is there anything else I may have missed or could do better?
 
Draal5

Draal5

AC Members
Apr 23, 2007
700
0
0
you should be using aquarium salt not marine salt to treat the fin rot.

You should be doing daily water changes to remove the nitrites and to help with the growing back of the angels fins.

has all the white fungus gone away?
 
J

JoelB

AC Members
Jul 17, 2008
100
0
0
39
More information. I recall that the day after the tank swap the caudal fin split along one spine but it has since repaired itself.

The anal fin is affected as well (didn't notice before).

There is nothing furry remaining, and the tips look good from one side but are white from the other.

Nitrites are at 0.15ppm, nitrates are at 5ppm (tapwater is usually 0).

Should 25% WC/day be OK?
 
Star_Rider

Star_Rider

AC Moderators
Dec 21, 2005
11,731
1
38
67
Spanaway, Wa.
Real Name
Ed
water changes alone will help heal any damage or fin rot.

at 1.0 ppm ammonia I wouls suspect ammonia the culprit in this.
do water changes as needed to keep ammonia below .25(same is true with nitrite)

a 50% wc should be fine. i did a 75 % water change yesterday in my wild angel tank.
 
J

JoelB

AC Members
Jul 17, 2008
100
0
0
39
Ammonia is now zero, nitrite is very low and falling (even accounting for the water changes).

There is a change in the fins. It doesn't look great, but it doesn't look worse either. I guess that's a good thing.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I now know the culprit and the fix. Somehow I thought it would be much worse.

I have already started a course of Melafix, may as well finish it.
 
abcdefghi

abcdefghi

AC Members
Jun 6, 2007
1,331
5
38
Just keep doing daily water changes to repair the fins, I had one fish that had its tail completely gone. I moved it into a 10G and carried out 25% daily changes and the tail grew back completely.

There is no point spending money on salt/meds when all you need is clean water.
 
Star_Rider

Star_Rider

AC Moderators
Dec 21, 2005
11,731
1
38
67
Spanaway, Wa.
Real Name
Ed
:iagree: meds are not needed to repair fins.

fix what caused the damage and the fins will be fine.

any fin nippers in the tank?
 
J

JoelB

AC Members
Jul 17, 2008
100
0
0
39
star_rider said:
any fin nippers in the tank?
Click to expand...
Ha! If I had to name one it'd be this angelfish. Anyway, he's been good for some time now that he seems to have an understanding with his tank mates.

The fins don't have any holes or gaps anymore. They have filled with a clear film that is slowly changing to match the rest. They are still short, but at this rate might well be back in a matter of days or weeks :)

Amm 0.0
NO2 0.0
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store
Top Bottom