Black Arowana w/ fin rot question!

[Bosa]

Hey,
I've noticed the fins on my baby black which is about 4.5" long looks like it is starting to have signs of fin rot. They look a little jagged, I also have 3 baby clown loaches which i am positive they aren't picking at the fins. They are all in a 10 gal tank (temporarily), just until my 125gal cycles. I've read several threads about treating fin rot, i have Melafix as well as aquarium salt, my question is do i add enough salt for the amount of water that i am changing? or enough salt for the 10gal tank?

Water Params:
PH: 6.6ppm
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40ppm (I don't know if i did the test correct, I don't knw what the ideal level should be either.)
water temp: 87 degrees

Thanks in advance!

 

[Arowanana]

Same thing happened with my baby black at around that same size...I think its stress. I bumped temp to 82, did 50% water change, and added salt and melafix and now hes doing great.

I only added enough salt for the amount of water I changed. Same with the melafix. My tank is big though.

 

[Bosa]

Thanks i figure I'll just put enough for the water being changed, I don't want to turn it into a saltwater tank.

Question with the Nitrates...what is the ideal level, or how do i bring down if i have to?

 

[Arowanana]

I try to keep mine at around 10, but at one point they did get up to 20...and that was actually right around the time my aro started showing signs of stress.

 

[Bosa]

How did you bring it down?

 

[Arowanana]

water changes. I do at least two 40-45% water changes a week and sometimes smaller ones in between if I think I've overfed

 

[Bosa]

thanks!