GBRs With Fin Rot

[DeirdreHoyle]

Hi all,
I got two male GBRs a few weeks ago. When I got them their tail fins were a little ragged but I assumed that was just stress from moving. Now, almost a month later, their tails are still ragged and one of them has a little black stuff around the edges where the fin is torn. What can I do to help these guys? My tank parameters are below:
25 gal community tank
pH: 6.8
Ammonia & Nitrite: 0
Nitrates: about 20-30 ppm
Temp: 80 degrees (the heater is off but it's been so hot here the water stays at 80)
Stocking:
7xNeons
6xharlequin rasboras
1xclown pleco
2x GBRs

 

[absolutangel04]

I suggest keeping your nitrates as low as possible while you are working on the fins. Do you have a quarantine tank to treat them in separately. You can try adding aquarium salt, or else pick up a broad spectrum antibiotic to do treatment with. I suggest skipping like melafix or pimafix. They are pretty low dosage products and you would be better suited to use salt, or else skip to the big guns, especially since it has been awhile.

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

I suggest keeping your nitrates as low as possible while you are working on the fins. Do you have a quarantine tank to treat them in separately. You can try adding aquarium salt, or else pick up a broad spectrum antibiotic to do treatment with. I suggest skipping like melafix or pimafix. They are pretty low dosage products and you would be better suited to use salt, or else skip to the big guns, especially since it has been awhile.

Thanks for the reply! I forgot to add that I have 5 kuhli loaches which is why I haven't used aquarium salt, I heard they are sensitive to it. I did pick up some melafix and have been doing half doses of that every day. No real improvement yet but I'm hoping to see something soon

 

[absolutangel04]

Well, I have salted loach tanks for treatment without an issue. I do know that is what you read all the time, but you usually won't have an issue with a loach in a salt treatment tank for the limited time you are doing it. Of course, any medication can have side effects though sometimes. I have had good experiences with it though.
As for the melafix, that stuff is very weak. If you want to attempt the full dose and extra water changes before more drastic measure, feel free. I am pretty unimpressed with it, but you already have it anyways. Just make sure not to let the issue go on too long without improvement or you can reach the point of no return if the infection gets too deep.

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

Well, I have salted loach tanks for treatment without an issue. I do know that is what you read all the time, but you usually won't have an issue with a loach in a salt treatment tank for the limited time you are doing it. Of course, any medication can have side effects though sometimes. I have had good experiences with it though.
As for the melafix, that stuff is very weak. If you want to attempt the full dose and extra water changes before more drastic measure, feel free. I am pretty unimpressed with it, but you already have it anyways. Just make sure not to let the issue go on too long without improvement or you can reach the point of no return if the infection gets too deep.

I'm glad you've had a good experience w/salt and loaches...I have aquarium salt so maybe I'll start using it tomorrow. I forgot to say in my previous reply, no I don't have a quarantine tank. I wish but my apartment manager will evict me if I get another lol.

His tail doesn't look too bad yet, none of the rays are exposed. I hope it gets better soon though they're some of my fav fish

 

[absolutangel04]

I'm glad you've had a good experience w/salt and loaches...I have aquarium salt so maybe I'll start using it tomorrow. I forgot to say in my previous reply, no I don't have a quarantine tank. I wish but my apartment manager will evict me if I get another lol.

His tail doesn't look too bad yet, none of the rays are exposed. I hope it gets better soon though they're some of my fav fish

I know how the limited space thing goes.

For the salt, start with a lower dose and watch. Also, keep an eye on live plants too as the salt can wilt some of them at a high enough dose.

You can go ahead and try upping your melafix dosage as well to try and improve things. Just, try to do things spaced out by about 12 hours so you can watch the loaches and make sure they are good.

I have used salt with clowns, zebra loaches, and red sum loaches and not had an issue. I have seen more issues with cories and salt, but even those reactions seem somewhat rare. I personally tend to believe that the salt sensitivity has been blown out of proportion. I have also only done light salt and tried to avoid too high of a dosage.

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

I know how the limited space thing goes.

For the salt, start with a lower dose and watch. Also, keep an eye on live plants too as the salt can wilt some of them at a high enough dose.

You can go ahead and try upping your melafix dosage as well to try and improve things. Just, try to do things spaced out by about 12 hours so you can watch the loaches and make sure they are good.

I have used salt with clowns, zebra loaches, and red sum loaches and not had an issue. I have seen more issues with cories and salt, but even those reactions seem somewhat rare. I personally tend to believe that the salt sensitivity has been blown out of proportion. I have also only done light salt and tried to avoid too high of a dosage.

Sorry it took me so long to reply! I just finished 7 days of dosing the melafix and it hasn't helped I can see fin rot on two of the neons now. Re-reading the instructions I noticed that I forgot to take out the carbon in my filter.....that's probably why it hasn't worked. if I take out the carbon in my filter and do the melafix treatment again will it be too much for the fish?
I want to try salt but I have a lot of live plants so I'm not sure if I should use it.

 

[absolutangel04]

I forgot to remind you about carbon because I don't run it. I apologize or that. For future reference, you really don't need carbon in your filters. I actually have regular sponges in my smaller HOB filters for bb to grow on. Cheaper too.

You need to get the carbon out to keep treating. I would try to that asap, and if you don't see improvement within a few days, jump up to heavier meds. The infection will prove to eventually be too much for the fish if it continues, so I think that in this case you are looking at the lesser of 2 evils by continuing to treat. If it was, I would run out to my lfs and get a broad spectrum antibiotic to treat with. If you let it go too long, you will unfortunately run out of options, at least for some of the fish. The meds will be easier to balance with your plants. If you want to try continuing the current med for a few days without the carbon, you can see if there is any improvement before you get bigger guns. Up to you though. My fear is that your gbr will eventually get too weak to be brought back if you wait too long though.

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

I forgot to remind you about carbon because I don't run it. I apologize or that. For future reference, you really don't need carbon in your filters. I actually have regular sponges in my smaller HOB filters for bb to grow on. Cheaper too.

You need to get the carbon out to keep treating. I would try to that asap, and if you don't see improvement within a few days, jump up to heavier meds. The infection will prove to eventually be too much for the fish if it continues, so I think that in this case you are looking at the lesser of 2 evils by continuing to treat. If it was, I would run out to my lfs and get a broad spectrum antibiotic to treat with. If you let it go too long, you will unfortunately run out of options, at least for some of the fish. The meds will be easier to balance with your plants. If you want to try continuing the current med for a few days without the carbon, you can see if there is any improvement before you get bigger guns. Up to you though. My fear is that your gbr will eventually get too weak to be brought back if you wait too long though.

No need to apologize, I didn't read the instructions correctly :/

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

I forgot to remind you about carbon because I don't run it. I apologize or that. For future reference, you really don't need carbon in your filters. I actually have regular sponges in my smaller HOB filters for bb to grow on. Cheaper too.

You need to get the carbon out to keep treating. I would try to that asap, and if you don't see improvement within a few days, jump up to heavier meds. The infection will prove to eventually be too much for the fish if it continues, so I think that in this case you are looking at the lesser of 2 evils by continuing to treat. If it was, I would run out to my lfs and get a broad spectrum antibiotic to treat with. If you let it go too long, you will unfortunately run out of options, at least for some of the fish. The meds will be easier to balance with your plants. If you want to try continuing the current med for a few days without the carbon, you can see if there is any improvement before you get bigger guns. Up to you though. My fear is that your gbr will eventually get too weak to be brought back if you wait too long though.

Oops, premature commenting! Anyway, I took out the carbon in my filter and started dosing again. Fingers crossed.
I add flourish excel (liquid carbon) every day for my plants, should I stop doing that as well?

 

[absolutangel04]

The carbon in there is not the same as the activated carbon that runs in your filter. It is fine.

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

Alright thanks for all your help! I will let you know how the fish look when i finish the treatment

 

[augustjd123]

I'd use MELAFIX by API. It's worked for my Rams and helps with many fungal infections. I don't feel the need to remove carbon it works with it left in from my experience.

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

I'd use MELAFIX by API. It's worked for my Rams and helps with many fungal infections. I don't feel the need to remove carbon it works with it left in from my experience.

I used Melafix for a full 7 days with the carbon left in and I didn't see any improvement If anything it got worse because it's spread to some of my neons.

I'm on my 3rd day of using it with the carbon removed. Hoping this works because I don't really want to use salt, I have a lot of plants in my tank.

 

[augustjd123]

You may have discovered their disease too late when you began treating were their fins already very torn up?

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

You may have discovered their disease too late when you began treating were their fins already very torn up?

The fins were a little ragged when I first got them but I assumed that was stress from moving. Now they are a little worse but still not too bad, I can't see any fin rays or anything. How do you know when it's too late?

 

[augustjd123]

Not really sure. But don't be surprised if they don't make it. I would recommend a lot of aeration and water changes as Melafix lowers the oxygen levels in the water. What is the temperature in the aquarium?

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[DeirdreHoyle]

Not really sure. But don't be surprised if they don't make it. I would recommend a lot of aeration and water changes as Melafix lowers the oxygen levels in the water. What is the temperature in the aquarium?

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They're still eating and behaving normally! I don't want to lose them the water it's about 82 degrees right now

 

[augustjd123]

Do you have an aerator running

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[augustjd123]

How big is the tank?


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