Healthy Arowana / Ragged Fins

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T

Towhead

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 31, 2012
29
1
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United States
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My 8-9" arowana has a great appetite (eats live mealworms and frozen shrimp), behaves normally, and swims confidently around the tank. The water parameters are all great (nitrite/ammonia = 0, nitrate < 10 ppm, ph = 7.0, chlorine = 0), except that I have hard water. I use city water, and since I live just outside Houston, who knows what is in my tap water.

The problem is that he has ragged fins and has had them for months. Every fin is a bit disfigured. His tank mates are 1 ornate bichir and 7 black skirt tetras. I have never seen the tetras behave aggressively with fin nipping, but it has crossed my mind. Alternatively my aro has never acted aggressive with them (I suppose its a matter of time for them though, especially since my 5" bichir is already making lunges at them from time to time). The bichir and aro are a match made in heaven.

Any ideas whats causing the fin issues? I have not noticed any whiteness in the fins or spots. I don't thin its disease, because he has had the symptoms for months and has always kept a robust appetite and good relaxed swimming behavior. Occasionally he gets stressed and spazzes out, especially when I vacuum/water change. He also is afraid of the dark, because when I enter the room and it is pitch black, he sees me and freaks a bit. I suppose I should get him a night light.;) All silver aros are a bit skittish though right?

I think it is something in the water. Any thoughts guys and gals?

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Well, how do you have hard water when your pH is 7? To do water changes I suggest you just go get the 5 gallon jugs that you put on a water dispenser and get that filled up for a dollar at a store near your house and use that to water change. I basically do that, I never use stress coat, stress zyme, or any of that bs they have you buy
 
I'm no expert, but that is what my test strips say consistently. My next course of action is water changes from a better source like you're saying.

If that doesn't work, then I suppose I will have to put the tetras in my hospital tank for a while and see if they are the culprits. I'm with you on not using a pharmaceutical patch. I want to expose the root cause and fix that way.

Thanks for all the responses guys!
 
Bderick67 said:
Your arowana has fin rot, it also looks to be affecting the scales. Most of the time it can be cleared with just pristine water conditions, in your case though looks like some medication will be needed. Let me see if i can find a particular threads that may offer some help.
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Wow that is discomforting. I'll trust your experience. You are right about the scales. I actually thought he was getting healthier because his scales look like they have had more shine to them the past couple weeks. Now that I inspect them closer, I can see that they are in fact raising up a bit at the bottom and catching the aquarium light more. Is the scale problem due to the fin rot, or is it a symptom of dropsy???

The more I read on fin rot the more depressed I get by the cause of it; poor aquarium maintenance. I thought I was on top of this. I'm doing 20% water changes once every two weeks by vacuuming the bottom. I have snails doing sand duty and plants helping with nitrates. My nitrates have never been over 20 ppm. I'm cycling the water in my 75 gallon tank 6 times per hour with my 450 GPH pump with bio wheels.

I just did a water check with Tetra brand strips, and these are the results:

Ammonia = .5 ppm ( I recently medicated the tank with antibacterial, and I think it may have killed some of my beneficial aerobic bacteria)
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = < 20 ppm
GH = 150 - 300 ppm (hard to very hard)
KH = 80 - 120 ppm (moderate to ideal)
pH = 6.8 to 7.2
Water Temp = 81 deg F (Heated to remain this temp. Should I go higher?)

It seems you're helping Wendy with a similar situation. In my situation could it simply be the hardness of the water leading to a stressful condition? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really love this fish.
 
Water hardness will have nothing to do with it. I can;t find the thread where an arowana was treated and cured from severe fin rot with meds. In my experience I have never had to do more then provide excellent water conditions. In your case I don't think this is the issue, I think you need to treat with meds though I can't recommend what meds to use. Sorry. Good luck with this.
 
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