White tips on rasboras fins???

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Elfinbrook

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May 25, 2006
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Inverness, CA
Today when I got home from work I noticed all seven of my harlequin rasboras had white on the ends of their fins. Is this the beginning of fin rot? Anyone know what causes this and the recommended treatment? They share a 60 gallon planted tank with a male betta and an oto. I have some melafix and some ich-attack. Would treating the tank with salt help? I also have a 10 gallon quarrantine tank currently occupied by a few ramshorn snails and future home of 2 apple snails due to arrive soon. I appeal to all learned fishkeepers for your sage advice. Thanks!
 

jm1212

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Jul 22, 2006
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its not fin rot, but you should quarantine them to make sure it does not spread.
to me, it sounds like the beginning of lymphocycts, or white splotches mainly on the edges of the fin. like i said, its best to QT them so it doesnt spread to the rest of your fish.
 

NinjaPirate

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Oct 28, 2006
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fishorama said:
try lymphocytes
Isn't that something in the human blood stream?


Anywho, it really depends. If it's an infection of some kind, then there are really two general treatment methods.

For parasitic infections increase the water temp and add salt.

For bacterial infections, treat with an antibiotic.

Being as you can't really make a true ID of what it is now, I'd go ahead and treat it like a parasitic infestation and see what happens. Doing so shouldn't really hurt the fish (unless they really hate warm water) and won't affect a bacterial infection. Deffinantly QT and start with fresh treated water, or do a WC if it's an established tank. I'd do like a 40% WC on the tank where they developed the infection too if there are healthy fish still in it.

If they develop sure-fire signs of fin-rot or some other bacterial infection, you can always begin an AB treatment later. (I don't like medding fish if I don't have to)
 

Elfinbrook

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May 25, 2006
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Inverness, CA
Well, I discovered in the interim that every single snail in my tank suddenly died, and my otherwise healthy looking oto also took the gas, seemingly all at once. I tested the water, Ammonia 1.0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, but a very low ph reading below 6.0. All this was before I found the dead oto. I removed the oto, then put 6 tsp amquel in and turned on the airstone. Two days later, all rasboras look normal - no white tips on fins! I have been turning on the airstone at night when lights are off, and they all have their appetites back and seem normal. However, the tiny whitish spot on my betta's pectoral fin has returned. It seems to come and go. Did my tank have a pH crash, and could this have killed the snails and oto?

Incidentally, the tank (60 gal) has been running since July. I didn't do a formal fishless cycle. I used Biospyra and put fish in roughly the same time and they have been healthy for 4 months before this. However, I have never had a nitrate reading above zero. This probably indicates an imbalance. Being a newbie, I don't yet have enough knowledge to know what I did wrong. I do weekly 35% water changes, but I have a low bioload. Its possible I may be overfeeding. Can anyone comment on this and give advice?
 

CaitxSith

A little too obsessed with neons.
Sep 30, 2006
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The pond with some Triops
waaaiiittt.... so you're tank isn't cycled.

i guess sometimes, even a little ammonia can kill :huh:
 

NinjaPirate

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Oct 28, 2006
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An ammonia reading of 1.0 is plenty high enough to cause issues. Anything over .5 is very bad for fish. Even the "safe" levels aren't good for fish.
 

Elfinbrook

AC Members
May 25, 2006
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Inverness, CA
OOps - my decimal point was way off - I meant the ammonia reading was 0.1. So after 4 months of biospyra, fish, food, and water changes, my tank still isn't cycled? Does a nitrate reading of anything above zero indicate cycled?
 
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