Ich or just nipped fins?

[pachuco2k]

Happy Thanksgiving all. My tank is almost 7 weeks old and it is stocked with 4 zebra danios and 2 red tetras. I've just started to get signs of Nitrates and Nitrites in my tank. But my question is in regards to one of my red tetras. Both of them have been in my tank for 2 weeks and 5 days. Hopefully this picture comes out but the most colorful red one has some tiny clear specks on his Caudal fin. The fish doesn't appear to be displaying any symptoms of ich. It doesn't sulk in one area of the tank. There is no rapid gill movement, or so it seems. It also doesn't appear to rub itself anywhere in my tank. What I have noticed is that the other tetra seems overly agressive towards the other one. It chases it around for part of the day and seems to really go for it during feeding time. Like right now it just tried to ram the afflicted fish with its head! So anyhow, should I begin some treatment for ich on this fish or is there a way I can lower the agression level of this other fish. I'm guessing that would involve some level of QTing, but I have no QT tank. Take a look at the pic. My camara sucks but hopefully you get the idea. Eat well!!

 

[pachuco2k]

Whoops!!

Please delete the two dupes moderator. Thanks!

 

[Fishboy-from-NY]

What yoru fish have is Tail Riot. Please check the water quality & make sure that other fish in the tank are not harassing him. Also, I would just put in some vitamin additives in the tank so they can rengenrate if it's torn fin. If its tail rot you need to treat them with the proper medication.

 

[pachuco2k]

Its just the other tetra that's harrassing it right now (nott sure if its M or F). So how shall I cure it? Should I isolate this fish somehow when I add a treatment or does it not matter? Some of these treatments I've read so far seem to not disrupt other fish. Treatments like quick cure and Jungle Binox Crystal.

 

[Allivymar]

Its kinda hard to see from the pics; I don't see any clear spots. Can you get a closer pic (I know, its hard)?

It does look like theres some fin rot going on there tho. I suggest staring with a big ol water change. Water parameters are usually a contributing factor (what are they exactly btw; all 3: ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?). You might want to start with something called Melafix. Its a mild antibiotic based on Teatree oil; won't affect the water parameters at all, and is usually helpful in mild cases of fin rot. I would suggest moving it to a QT tank to treat tho; if the Melafix isn't strong enough you'll need to use a stronger antibiotic like tetracycline or Kanacyn. Plus, it will remove the fish from the source of stress which will also help it heal.

Oh, and Melafix won't do a thing for ich.

 

[pachuco2k]

Here's the latest and greatest test info: Ammonia 4, 0 Nitrite, 5 Nitrate. OK, so what's weird is that I have noticed that my ammonia is in a spike (began at .5 7 days ago) of course. Except here's the weird part. My nitrite readings have always been 0. 7 days ago however my test kit read nitrates at 4 for 3 days, then 0 for 2, then 5 yesterday and today. The 0 nitrite thing with nitrates kind of tipped me off that something strange was going on with my water. After all, a nitrite spike is supposed to occur before nitrates develop correct? So I did a 20% change two weekends ago. A 10% change this past weekend. And another 20% change yesterday to try to clean stuff up in there. The tank looks to be pristine but then again it has not cycled yet. So it sounds like this fish is having trouble with the changing water conditions. I needed to get a QT tank anyhow so I'll hook that up tomorrow. But tonight I'm going to do another 20% change to try to lower my ammonia. Even after yesterday's change though my ammonia increased by 1.5. I'll test my tap water again too. Thanks for this input. I have some work to do!! But maybe my tank is almost cycled after almost 7 weeks of patient waiting!!

 

[Allivymar]

Ahhh. There's the culprit. The ammonia and nitrite levels. Stresses the fish out something awful (as well as being deadly at high levels) and reduces their immune system, leaving them susceptible to all sorts of nasties.

You will want to water change daily at this point; you need to get those ammonia levels down and fast. You really don't want anything over .5 ppm of ammonia. And you don't want nitrites in the tank either (ammonia burns the fish's gills, nitrite competes with oxygen and either way the fish suffocates; ammonia can also cause burns on other areas - that may be the cause of the fin rot).

Yes nitrites usually spike before nitrates. Then again, its not an exact science so its possible to miss it.

What sort of testing kit are you using? Vial or dipstick? Dipstick ones tend to be very unreliable.

And water looking pristine means nothing to fish's health as I think you know. Ever look at a bottle of ammonia? Clear as a cloudless day. Would kill your fish in a second if you put it in the bottle tho.

It sure does sound like your tank is nearing the point of equilibrium, where the amount of bacteria is up to the task of handling the amount of nitrogenous waste...yay!

 

[pachuco2k]

I'm using the Freshwater Master Test Kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It doesn't come with a Nitrate tester so I got one from the same company. They are vials as opposed to the dip sticks. So how much should I change daily? I just did another 20% water change for the 2nd day in a row. Should I keep doing 20% changes or lower it to maybe 10%? Thanks for the advice on Thanksgiving holiday. I ate too much!

 

[pachuco2k]

Better Picture

Well, unfortunately Petsmart was out of there 10 gal tanks today. Looks like I have to wait until tomorrow. But I did manage to get a clearer picture today after I changed the water yet again. The only place this has appeared in my tank is on this fish, and on the lower area of its Caudal fin. The shine on the body is simply glare. Still fin rot?