Fin Question

[Joester2k3]

What exactly is fin rot??? My two perculas are perfect. My Yellow Tang and bi color psudecromis however seem to be missin some fin?????? Is it due to imprper nutrition or something else. I checked my water quality and everything is fine. And the skimmer is pulling all kinds of junk out. Any ideas??? :}

Thanks

[TCTFish]

Fin rot is usually a secondary infection of wounds. Perhaps someone in the tank isn't behaving very nice.

What are your nitrates reading? A number please.

An infection to nipped fins will show a whitish lining along the ragged edges of the damaged fin.

Damaged fins will grow back so long as the nerve endings are intact (which are located at the base of the fin where it connects to the body). Keep nitrates down as low as possible to help prevent infection of damaged fins.

Observe the tank for the culprit(s). Sometimes these things happen at night when no one is around to see. Best to view the tank at night with either a moonlight or a red light so it doesn't disturb the night time activity of the fish. A small flash light can help a little if you don't have any of the others.

[Joester2k3]

Nitrates is 0 or 1 nitrites 0 ammonia 0 phosphates 0 :/

The yellow tangs is his top fin. And its not White its brown like its hittin off the rock. He might be the one that caused it to the pseudicromis though cause the pseudicromis has a lil white where the fin is messed up. The two clowns are fine and no one messes with them (i think because i added them first) Its a 65 Gal and they all have plenty of room.

[TCTFish]

The water quality is good and will help keep any infection from spreading like wildfire. You could isolate the pseudo if it's fin shows a progression in rotting away...same for the tang. In the mean time, if you don't already have, a skunk cleane shrimp may help. Though known for their external parasite control, but have been seen to pick at open wounds...sort of cleaning it of any dead and dying tissue the infections feed on. I had one do that to me!!...LOL. I had a scrape on my knuckle and when I put my hand in the tank, the thing came right on over, parked himself on my hand and picked away at the wound. Usually they go for under the nails, but he went past that and straight to the scrape on my knuckle.

Yellow tangs have an attitude, so it wouldn't surprise me if it's chasing the pseudo...though pseudos can get pretty pesty themselves with some fish. It's almost like they deserve to get chased...LOL. How long have you had the tang and pseudo? If one or both are still considered new, the picking may ease over time, but if they continue at it and cause more harm than a simple nipped fin, then some rearrangements may need to be made.

Good luck.

[roka64]

I get more nipping right after water changes. My Blue Devil (the meanest one in the tank) gets it wors, for some reason. My 1st water change I had a low Ph and didn't aireate the water for 24 hours, that caused a little stress. My last H2O change, I got the Ph up and let it run for 24 hours...I have well water and the calcium and lime buildup on my thermometer was about 1/16 of an inch. Anyway, the fins grew back and everyone is happy....

If by bicolor you mean Royal dottyback (Pseudochromis paccagnellae)? You have one of the meanest fish going. Might want to reconsider it's addition to a community tank. At the very least, do not add conspecific fish.

Your best remedy by far will be plenty of large water changes and fortified vitamin enhanced foods. Simple fin rot that has not progressed to red enflamed sores is easily beaten as long as DOC is reduced and controlled.

Cheers
Steve