Injured cardinal tetra

[Reygan2]

I added 3 new cardinal tetras to my QT tank Friday and this morning I could only find 1 off them. It occurred to me to check the filter and sure enough one was in there. It survived, but it is visibly injured. It's tail fin is missing. It is swimming and hanging out with the other one, but I'm not sure what to do. I can't find any trace of the 3rd one. I know I need to keep the water as clean as possible, but should I add some aquarium salt to the tank? Do a salt dip? Medicate? I have 5 endlers in this tank also. I really want this little one to survive. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Fishanatic]

How badly is it ripped? The whole thing? Depending on how much, it should regrow. If it's too much, he might be ''amputated'' for the rest of his life.

 

[Reygan2]

How badly is it ripped? The whole thing? Depending on how much, it should regrow. If it's too much, he might be ''amputated'' for the rest of his life.

He started swimming erratically so I made the decision to euthanize. Should have used a pre filter sponge . His entire tail fin was gone and he looked a little crooked. No telling what the little guy went through being sucked up an AC 20 filter. Never did find even a trace of the 3rd one.

 

[Fishanatic]

He started swimming erratically so I made the decision to euthanize. Should have used a pre filter sponge . His entire tail fin was gone and he looked a little crooked. No telling what the little guy went through being sucked up an AC 20 filter. Never did find even a trace of the 3rd one.

I'm sorry for you're fish. Well, anyways, that's the way to learn. You learn from you're mistakes, and I hope you won't make this same mistake again. Again, I'm sorry for you're fish

 

[Paulm7373]

I'm sorry for you're fish. Well, anyways, that's the way to learn. You learn from you're mistakes, and I hope you won't make this same mistake again. Again, I'm sorry for you're fish

Ermm I can't see there being an actual "mistake" made by Reygan2. I haven't seen what the filter looks like exactly, but maybe the manufacturer should have done something to prevent fish getting sucked into it, like placing some sort of netting or mesh, or maybe smaller inlet holes. If the filter is intended for a small sized tank, then surely you will only keep small fish in there, and cardinals would be a popular choice. This is what I believe was the cause of the problem i.e. sub-standard design rather than Reygan not anticipating for this to happen.

 

[Paulm7373]

Here's a link about a guy experiencing the same issue with his betta being sucked into his AC 20 filter. It also mentions placing filter sponge over the intake would be a good idea and also a good place for BB to grow.

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/freshwater-beginners/94465-aquaclear-20-sucked-up-my-betta.html

 

[Fishanatic]

Ermm I can't see there being an actual "mistake" made by Reygan2. I haven't seen what the filter looks like exactly, but maybe the manufacturer should have done something to prevent fish getting sucked into it, like placing some sort of netting or mesh, or maybe smaller inlet holes. If the filter is intended for a small sized tank, then surely you will only keep small fish in there, and cardinals would be a popular choice. This is what I believe was the cause of the problem i.e. sub-standard design rather than Reygan not anticipating for this to happen.

It was a sad mistake because he should of put a sponge in front of the filter intake to prevent a too powerful flow to do something like this. Unintentional mistake.

 

[okapizebra]

Cardinal tetras are perfectly capable of not getting sucked into the filter. I do not blame the OP at all. I have 8 neons in my 29gal with an AC 50 and not one has ever been sucked in and I do not have anything over the intake. IMO, most healthy fish are able to handle the currents. There could be other causes for the fish to be weak.

 

[Fishanatic]

Cardinal tetras are perfectly capable of not getting sucked into the filter. I do not blame the OP at all. I have 8 neons in my 29gal with an AC 50 and not one has ever been sucked in and I do not have anything over the intake. IMO, most healthy fish are able to handle the currents. There could be other causes for the fish to be weak.

Js I'm not blaming the op in case that was directed to me. I'm just saying he learned something from it.

 

[Reygan2]

Cardinal tetras are perfectly capable of not getting sucked into the filter. I do not blame the OP at all. I have 8 neons in my 29gal with an AC 50 and not one has ever been sucked in and I do not have anything over the intake. IMO, most healthy fish are able to handle the currents. There could be other causes for the fish to be weak.

Must have been. These were young and small, but I don't understand that either. It never occurred to me to put a prefilter over the intake tube. Of course in hind sight I wish I had, but the endlers have been in there for weeks and I haven't lost one to that filter. Must have been the fish.

 

[Paulm7373]

Must have been. These were young and small, but I don't understand that either. It never occurred to me to put a prefilter over the intake tube. Of course in hind sight I wish I had, but the endlers have been in there for weeks and I haven't lost one to that filter. Must have been the fish.

Maybe this youngster was the adventurous type and thought the intake tube was some thrill-seeking water slide where he thought he would have slid down very fast along a very vertical ride! What a 'cardinal' error that proved to be!