I have posted this issue before, several months ago. I need any and all ideas that I can get.
I'll start by saying that I have been keeping cichilds non-stop since 1993, so I consider myself knowledgable in basic cichild care.
I have an orino that I have had for almost exactly a year. He was about 3" when I got him, in perfect condition, and is now 10-11".
He lives in a 125 with a 5" royal pleco that he keeps under the only decoration a have in the tank, a large piece of Malaysian driftwood.
The tank is filtered with two Emperor 400s and two large hydro sponges with vigorous air movement. I do not add any additional carbon filtration, and replace my filter pads when they become saturated.
I do one 50% water change/gravel vac per week; once the water is removed I add (two caps of) Prime to the tank and fill up from my municipal water supply. He is fed frozen silversides and freeze dried krill, occasionally soaked in a liquid vitamin supplement.
The temperature is kept at 84 degrees, the pH stays between 6.5 and 7.0, and nitrates are not measurable with a dip strip test.
He is comfortable in the tank, and is actually very protective of his territory, charging the gravel vaccuum when I am in there.
So here is the problem. For well over six months, he has had some soft fin erosion. It started in the soft parts of his dorsal. It has now appeared in all other fins to some degree, minus his caudal. There are no white margins around any of the erosion sites. It is not severe, really appearing that a tiny puffer is taking small, half-moon bites out of the soft rays of his fins, but it is definitely there. Today I noticed that he has a couple of thin spots in the center of a pectoral fin.
I do not get it. My best guess used to be that he was banging his dorsal on the tank frame when he feeds, as he is a very violent feeder. I think that this is less likely now that the problem has appeared on other fins.
Is it something in the tapwater? Is it dietary? Is it related to growth rate? Is it some sort of heredetary condition? Evil leprechauns?
Again, any and all ideas are welcome.
I'll start by saying that I have been keeping cichilds non-stop since 1993, so I consider myself knowledgable in basic cichild care.
I have an orino that I have had for almost exactly a year. He was about 3" when I got him, in perfect condition, and is now 10-11".
He lives in a 125 with a 5" royal pleco that he keeps under the only decoration a have in the tank, a large piece of Malaysian driftwood.
The tank is filtered with two Emperor 400s and two large hydro sponges with vigorous air movement. I do not add any additional carbon filtration, and replace my filter pads when they become saturated.
I do one 50% water change/gravel vac per week; once the water is removed I add (two caps of) Prime to the tank and fill up from my municipal water supply. He is fed frozen silversides and freeze dried krill, occasionally soaked in a liquid vitamin supplement.
The temperature is kept at 84 degrees, the pH stays between 6.5 and 7.0, and nitrates are not measurable with a dip strip test.
He is comfortable in the tank, and is actually very protective of his territory, charging the gravel vaccuum when I am in there.
So here is the problem. For well over six months, he has had some soft fin erosion. It started in the soft parts of his dorsal. It has now appeared in all other fins to some degree, minus his caudal. There are no white margins around any of the erosion sites. It is not severe, really appearing that a tiny puffer is taking small, half-moon bites out of the soft rays of his fins, but it is definitely there. Today I noticed that he has a couple of thin spots in the center of a pectoral fin.
I do not get it. My best guess used to be that he was banging his dorsal on the tank frame when he feeds, as he is a very violent feeder. I think that this is less likely now that the problem has appeared on other fins.
Is it something in the tapwater? Is it dietary? Is it related to growth rate? Is it some sort of heredetary condition? Evil leprechauns?
Again, any and all ideas are welcome.
