Hello everyone, new to the forum and I was hoping to get some advice on one of my swordtails. For about a week I have noticed there is some white crust on my swordtails fin, none of my other swordtails seem to have it. Otherwise all fish seem to be fine but I am totally new to this hobby so I'm hoping to get some input.
Here is the best pic I was able to get:
Here is my questionnaire:
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
Swordtail has a white crust on its caudal fin.
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
0/0/10-20/78°F/7.2pH
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
The tank is 29g. It has been in my posession for about a month and a half. I am not sure about the previous owner. Bought the tank from a person on craigslist who was leaving the country. The tank was moved apx. 30 miles with about 6 inches of water left in the tank. When we arrived, and replaced the water (with the same that had came from the tank with the exception of about 5 gallons), there was a bunch of debris kicked up from the move. The next morning the filter was very dirty and got changed, and water properties were checked. The tank was 0/0/300+/78°F/6.4pH, and over the next week I was doing 25% water changes to bring the nitrates under control. All the fish had clamped fins during this time. About 3 weeks ago I got the nitrates under control, and the fish started acting healthier.
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
This is going to be a hard one to answer. The previous owner had built a custom filter into the side of the tank. The water gets siphoned out of the main tank into the filter area. It has a fairly porous blue/white filter media at the top, with a carbon filter pack below. Below that is a thick foam filter media, followed by an area with porous objects I assume to hold some good bacteria (he had used about 20 little bundles of shortly trimmed plastic straws, followed by another thick foam filter media. I don't think the flow rate is significantly high as there is no impeller driving it. After that, the air pump hose goes up a tube coming from the bottom of the filter that causes the water to rise, and then fall back into the main tank.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
8 swordtails ranging from 1-1/2" to 3" and 2 very small babies less than 1/2"
3 peppered corydoras 2-1/2"
2 albino corydoras 2-1/2"
1 pregnant female guppy 2"
1 neon tetra 1"
1 border loach 2-1/2"
1 clown pleco 2-1/2"
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
last week I did a 25% water change and gravel vac. I'm still getting into a normal routine, so I will keep an eye on my nitrates and try and aim for less than 20ppm. I've been doing them at least once a week, but if you read above I have done many in the last month and a half. (probably 10 or 12 total)
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
The fish in question is not new, it came with the tank. However we did re-home 13 of the swordtails that came with the tank, and 5 albino corys. The border loach and clown pleco are new additions to the tank.
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
About a month ago, we added hiding places for the fish (a castle ornament with a couple hiding places) as well as another small open barrel ornament. Last week I also added a new light (Finnex Planted Plus LED) which is set up to use the 24/7 mode. Previously that tank had 2 standard CFL light bulbs. The LED is brighter when at mid day.
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Tetra fish flakes (diet has not changed), we feed once in the morning and everyone comes out for food except the pleco.
Here is the best pic I was able to get:
Here is my questionnaire:
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
Swordtail has a white crust on its caudal fin.
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
0/0/10-20/78°F/7.2pH
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
The tank is 29g. It has been in my posession for about a month and a half. I am not sure about the previous owner. Bought the tank from a person on craigslist who was leaving the country. The tank was moved apx. 30 miles with about 6 inches of water left in the tank. When we arrived, and replaced the water (with the same that had came from the tank with the exception of about 5 gallons), there was a bunch of debris kicked up from the move. The next morning the filter was very dirty and got changed, and water properties were checked. The tank was 0/0/300+/78°F/6.4pH, and over the next week I was doing 25% water changes to bring the nitrates under control. All the fish had clamped fins during this time. About 3 weeks ago I got the nitrates under control, and the fish started acting healthier.
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
This is going to be a hard one to answer. The previous owner had built a custom filter into the side of the tank. The water gets siphoned out of the main tank into the filter area. It has a fairly porous blue/white filter media at the top, with a carbon filter pack below. Below that is a thick foam filter media, followed by an area with porous objects I assume to hold some good bacteria (he had used about 20 little bundles of shortly trimmed plastic straws, followed by another thick foam filter media. I don't think the flow rate is significantly high as there is no impeller driving it. After that, the air pump hose goes up a tube coming from the bottom of the filter that causes the water to rise, and then fall back into the main tank.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
8 swordtails ranging from 1-1/2" to 3" and 2 very small babies less than 1/2"
3 peppered corydoras 2-1/2"
2 albino corydoras 2-1/2"
1 pregnant female guppy 2"
1 neon tetra 1"
1 border loach 2-1/2"
1 clown pleco 2-1/2"
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
last week I did a 25% water change and gravel vac. I'm still getting into a normal routine, so I will keep an eye on my nitrates and try and aim for less than 20ppm. I've been doing them at least once a week, but if you read above I have done many in the last month and a half. (probably 10 or 12 total)
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
The fish in question is not new, it came with the tank. However we did re-home 13 of the swordtails that came with the tank, and 5 albino corys. The border loach and clown pleco are new additions to the tank.
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
About a month ago, we added hiding places for the fish (a castle ornament with a couple hiding places) as well as another small open barrel ornament. Last week I also added a new light (Finnex Planted Plus LED) which is set up to use the 24/7 mode. Previously that tank had 2 standard CFL light bulbs. The LED is brighter when at mid day.
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Tetra fish flakes (diet has not changed), we feed once in the morning and everyone comes out for food except the pleco.
