Tail Rot?

[pardoal]

Hi folks. I have a 55 Gal Fresh Water Aquarium, with the following fish.
4 Cory Cats
4 Swordtails
4 Silver Dollars
1 Neon Dwarf Gourami
8 Neon Tetras.
Plastic Plants due to the Silver Dollars.
Recently I noticed that two of my swordtails have this white look on their tails and some of the tail is missing where the white is.

Now I have not had Tropical Fish in many years and just recently got back in to the hobby, but this looks a lot like what remember Fin/Tail Rot looked like. Today I quarantined the two swordtails in a separate tank and added melafix to the small tank they are in along with a small air pump due to the effect the medicine has on the water. I took a close look at the rest of the fish in the main tank and they seem to be okay. These are all new fish, yeah I know I should have waited but I just couldn't wait. I checked the ammonia, nitrate, nitrite levels and they are all within the safe range. I've been doing water changes, about 20%, every three to four days. For those of you who have dealt with Fin/Tail Rot can you tell me is there something else I should be doing?

 

[Blueiz]

I would suspect a fin nipper in the tank, my number one suspect would be the dwarf gourami..I would keep an eye on the tank for this.

Putting that to the side, since you have just aquired these fish, there is a good possibility they came already "damaged" from the store, you just didn't notice it. It could be fin rot, could be nipped fins. Either way, you are on the right track for treating them. Do you have a filter on your qt tank? Be sure to keep the water super clean

As far as your tank. Try to keep the ammonia at .25 or lower and the same for nitrites. Did you seed the tank in any way? If you have a local trusted fish store, such as the one you got your fish from, perhaps you can get a hand full of gravel to get your tank started quicker.

 

[dkpate]

I have heard that as long as it's okay for all fish, you can use a little aquarium salt the help speed up the healing of the tail. And yes yes yes to the clean water! I would suspect the gourami too, since mine is notorious for that! He is a little brat! I have actually witnessed him doing it....I try to stop him, but he does not listen...HAHA! Good luck with your fish!

 

[pardoal]

Thanks for adive guys.

Hey guys, thanks for the advice on the Fin/Tail Rot. The swordtails will be going back in the main tank tomorrow. What looked like white on their tails is now orange and black, so I'm putting back in the main tank tomorrow. Thanks again guys.

 

[bs6749]

Personally, I'd wait at least a week before putting them back into the tank. Most cases of tail rot can be cleared up with clean water and aquarium salt as has already been recommended. Might as well let whatever was plaguing those fish run its course as there shouldn't be any rush to add the fish back to the main tank just yet. This whole thing could start right back up if you prematurely put them back in there.