My guppy may have fin rot. What should I do?

[mel_20_20]

I've noticed that my 2 guppies have a problem with their fins. The small guppy has a bit of raggedness to the dorsal fin, and the larger one has some to his tail fin.

I had a guppy die during the cycling period of my tank, and his tail had begun to look like this. There were some pretty rough times with nitrite levels during the cycling and I guess it weakened his system.

These guppies have just gone through a mini cycle, and nitrites got up to 1 and maybe 2 on the dip stick. I did water changes and managed to finally get it under control, but I'm worried that they have sustained consequences from this.

What can I do? I don't want to lose them. I have an Emeral cat, and 3 neon tetras that look OK so far. 2 ADFs and 3 ghost shrimp. nitrites are at .5 and 0 ammonia, good nitrate level.

 

[Star_Rider]

large daily water changes
it appears you are still cycling .
how long has the tank been set up?

nitrites at .5 is still not a good level. doing a 50% water change may be the course of action for now.

 

[mel_20_20]

I set it up on 10th of June. In first week of August the nitrites went to 0, ammonia 0 and this stayed that way, until just last week when I added 2 more guppies, an Emerald cat, and 3 ghost shrimp. I think I caused a mini cycle. Too many fish added all at once. I did 25% yesterday, 25% the day before that, did about an 80% on Sunday. I added Amquel plus each time, and aquarium salt per directions for per gallon. I just tested the water and the nitrite on the dip stick shows barely any color on it.. not up to the caution level, but one of the guppies is hanging out at the top of the tank.

Would it help him to get him out and dose him with a tiny bit more of a saline solution. I read that Na improves the O2 exchange in the gills in these cases.

With nitrite level this close to being unreadable, do you think I should still do a 50% water change?

 

[AlexW]

First off, please do not use aquarium salt. Emerald cat (I assume this is Emerald Cory, Brochis sp.) are very sensitive to it. It really doesn't do much for aquariums anyway.

Next, the fins, while they may be frayed do they have visible fluffiness to it? Guppies are known to occasionally nip at one another.

 

[mel_20_20]

Uh oh... OK no more salt. Has it hurt him do you think? To describe the fins on the guppy: Healthy fins have long tiny slender spines and the membranous filmy covering. The fin on my guppy has slightly tattered edges, but also, the little spines have a small area in which there seems to be a line running across the fin from the lower edge proceeding upward and at an angle backward, lighter in color, and at which point along this line the fin seems to have a crease, that allows it to flex or bend unnaturally. It is a small area so far, but I'm concerned that the area may grow more pronounced. Does this sound like fin rot?

Also, the guppy seems to be chunky, but the scales aren't standing out from it's body. There is a pale, filmy trail of, I assume, feces, from it's anal area. I think it may be constipated.

 

[Snakes]

It is advisable to Quarantine the Guppy if u have a QT
There are medications available for fin rot at the LFS

increase the temp to about 80-82’F (26-27’C) and do 50% water change after treatment and 10-15% Daily

 

[jm1212]

large water changes are the best remedy.