HELP!!! fins

[BuggyNutt]

I have 2 hi fin sharks and one of them is acting all weird. It is swimming really slow and his fins are shreded and look like they are just raughting away. What can I do. It is one of my favorite fish and I dont want him to die.

Thanks
Jason

 

[guppy]

Can you post a picture? Does it look like damage from fighting or actual rot. Is there any fuzzy growth on the fins? If no fuzz or fight damage it is probably bacterial fin rot. before treating for this check your pH as this type of damage can sometimes be caused by high pH. If the pH is normal use an antibiotic, preferably sulfur based, such as TMP sulfa, tri-sulfa, or even Neoplex, follow directions and it is best to bypass your filter during treatment. Use sponge filters or a Q-tank as the meds tend to kill off filter bacteria as well. Also give your tank a good cleaning and partial water change. One cause of fin rot is dirty tanks and water.

 

[BuggyNutt]

I think you can see the fin and tail are lite colored and look bad. I dont think it is from nipping or fighting because they are in a tank with zebra danios.

 

[guppy]

go with the antibiotics

 

[BuggyNutt]

Thanks for the help!! Im going to get meds right now

Thanks again
Jason

 

[BuggyNutt]

I lost him. I geuss it was worse than I thought. It happend so fast I dont even know what happend to cause it. I have check my water and all is good and Ph was only 7.4 So im at a lose. I have and will be watching the other shark to see if he has the same problem.

Thank
Jason

 

[guppy]

To lose one that fast sounds like hemolytic septicemia, A systemic bacterial infection, The fins would have been just a symptom of the immune system breaking down. If you do a necropsy on the fish you will often see a cloudy fluid around the organs.
It is contagious so it is probably best to be ready to treat the other fish at the first sign of fin rot, bodily swelling, erractic swimming or resting in odd poses, or even bulging eyes.

 

[BuggyNutt]

Thanks!! Should I go ahead and treat the whole tank just to be sure??

 

[guppy]

Take a good look at the fish that are left, if you see redness around the base of the fins then yes, otherwise I would not. But I would go with melafix or 1 tbsp salt/5g for a while.