I'm pretty positive my 30 gallon tank has fin rot in it after a fight broke out and one of my fish got badly injured... it's been about 4 weeks since the fight and the one fish that got beat up is not getting any better. I've gotten stuff to treat the tank I've turned the temp up to about 85 and added a little extra cichlid salt. Regardless of what I do however the one little guy only gets worse, and the rest of the fish are also starting to get fin rot symptoms. the fish I'm having the most issues with has gotten to the point that he has absolutely no back fin and spends most of his time face down in the sand or on his back in a corner (and this has been going on for a week now). What I'm wondering is, how long fin rot lasts if it gets to the point of causing such damage that the fish can't recover from it and will die slowly or if there's still any way possible to save them. I just had to kill an algae eater I've had for about 8 months because both of it's eyes were pecked out and I just don't think I can take putting the guy out of his misery if it's needed. Any help would be appreciated thank you!
Need help African cichlid tank - fin rot
- Thread starter Drrrfffeee
- Start date
Can you post pics? Are you sure the fins just aren't damaged?
Why'd you kill the pleco? One of my favorite fish was a 9-10" pleco missing both of it's eyes. He'd cruise the tank like a shark.
Why'd you kill the pleco? One of my favorite fish was a 9-10" pleco missing both of it's eyes. He'd cruise the tank like a shark.
here's the tank in general if anything stands out that may cause aggression let me know cause i'm having an issue with that.
here's the worst one.
here's the second worse he never got in a fight.
I just can't keep their aggression down to a level that works... also while getting the fish for the pictures found out my rubber lip pleco died in here last night eyes pecked out. I've had the fish for about 9 months now never had any issues until last month and I've gone through 5 plecos that have all had their eyes pecked out and 3 of them had been there the whole 9 months and now and then there's these guys I'm lost I don't know what's wrong and nothing has really changed
That looks like damage caused from fighting, not fin rot. Can you list out the tank stocking? Name every fish, the qty of each and size.
How many fish do you have in there? They look pretty big for a 30g. Maybe just a tad overstocked?
Anyway, I would start doing some aggressive water changes, and maybe set up a hospital tank if you have one laying around. At this point, any size will do, just to get the affected/infected fish out of there.
That first pic doesn't look like fin rot. Looks like the rest of the tank has been picking on the weakest link. I've had a few Africans get the hell beat out of them and they can hold on for a long time.
If it truly is fin rot, have you tried using an antibiotic?
That's about all I can think of. To be honest, I've never had a problem with any kind of diseases. Knock on wood.
Good luck!
Anyway, I would start doing some aggressive water changes, and maybe set up a hospital tank if you have one laying around. At this point, any size will do, just to get the affected/infected fish out of there.
That first pic doesn't look like fin rot. Looks like the rest of the tank has been picking on the weakest link. I've had a few Africans get the hell beat out of them and they can hold on for a long time.
If it truly is fin rot, have you tried using an antibiotic?
That's about all I can think of. To be honest, I've never had a problem with any kind of diseases. Knock on wood.
Good luck!
Pharaoh;5104606; said:
This.
From your picture it looks like you have mbuna, which do require at least a 55g tank and you want to slightly overstock the tank to spread out the aggression. Also, even in a 55g you want to stay way from the really aggressive species - which Petsmart/Petco and other "Assorted African" tanks in LFS' seem to have the most of.
I really honestly couldn't name the fish I bought them off craigslist and can't be positive if the guy knew what they were or not but they are all about 3 - 4 inches long, I think there's 9 in there and I have talked to my wife about getting a new 50 gallon instead but I don't know if she'll let me. Also I have the exact same breeds of chichlids plus 2 breeds in a 70 gallon and there's about 30 in that one since they've been breeding like rabbits only had about 15 originally. Oh and yes I put antibiotics in the water and got new filters turned up the heat and increased salt, I've done some pretty good water changes and ya no real change like I said he's been like this for a month the second fish just started with the worn out fins a week ago or so.
The first one has been beaten on, for sure. The only way to save that one is to get it out of the tank. Since that one is no longer a threat, the rest of the tank has probably turned their attention to the other fish now.
Do you have a test kit? You might want to test your parameters to make sure everything is correct.
Do you have a test kit? You might want to test your parameters to make sure everything is correct.
Ive got other tanks I could put the worst guy in but my wife doesn't want me to infect other fish if it's fin rot.