Possible fin rot + Emaciation/internal parasites?
- Thread starter kinokunya
- Start date
Are these fish in the same tank or separate tanks?
What are the water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH)?
What do they eat?
How big is the tank?
What are the other tankmates
What is your tank maintenance regimen?
When did you last buy a new fish?
Was it quarantined?
How long has your tank been established?
If the split fin of your bichir appears to have white rotting edges, then it is almost certainly bacterial infection wherein you need to watch your water parameters very well as dirty water is often responsible for tattered-looking fins. Please check as well that the bichir's tankmates are not trying to harass it. Decorations should not also be too abrasive that they can tear the fins and skin of the fish.
As for your Chinese algae eater, aside from the questions I asked earlier, how long have you kept this fish? Does it get adequate food supply at all? How does its poop look? Does it still eat well? Assuming we are battling internal parasites associated by loss of appetite, listlessness and white stringy poop, then you need to treat the fish in a hospital tank with praziquantel at 5mg per liter dosage. If this is internal bacterial infection, the fish needs to be treated with kanamycin or tetracycline. It is best if either treatment is combined with foods that the fish should ingest it to kill the bacteria responsible for internal infections. In the meantime, add garlic on the food to strengthen its appetite and boost its immune system by pushing out the internal parasites as the internal parasites seem to get irritated easily by the allicin substance produced by garlic.
What are the water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH)?
What do they eat?
How big is the tank?
What are the other tankmates
What is your tank maintenance regimen?
When did you last buy a new fish?
Was it quarantined?
How long has your tank been established?
If the split fin of your bichir appears to have white rotting edges, then it is almost certainly bacterial infection wherein you need to watch your water parameters very well as dirty water is often responsible for tattered-looking fins. Please check as well that the bichir's tankmates are not trying to harass it. Decorations should not also be too abrasive that they can tear the fins and skin of the fish.
As for your Chinese algae eater, aside from the questions I asked earlier, how long have you kept this fish? Does it get adequate food supply at all? How does its poop look? Does it still eat well? Assuming we are battling internal parasites associated by loss of appetite, listlessness and white stringy poop, then you need to treat the fish in a hospital tank with praziquantel at 5mg per liter dosage. If this is internal bacterial infection, the fish needs to be treated with kanamycin or tetracycline. It is best if either treatment is combined with foods that the fish should ingest it to kill the bacteria responsible for internal infections. In the meantime, add garlic on the food to strengthen its appetite and boost its immune system by pushing out the internal parasites as the internal parasites seem to get irritated easily by the allicin substance produced by garlic.
Hi Lupin,
They are in separate tanks.
Bichir tank
pH: 7.4
I have no testers for ammonia, nitrate and nitrites. I'll get 1 shortly.
Tank size: Grow-out tank of 60 x 23 x 28 cm
Tankmates: Another slightly shorter Albino sen bichir
Diet: Market Shrimp
Maintenance: 20% WC weekly.
Tank has been running for 2 weeks.
Tank setup:
Is my setup very wrong. Do I have to remove the rocks.
I'll keep a lookout for white rotting edges of the fins in the meantime.
----------------------------------------
CAE: Living in a Comm tank
Diet: Algae wafers
Tank size: 21 x 29 x 37 cm
Tank mates: Another CAE, 4 Guppies, 3 tetras, 5 Cherry shrimps, 3 Yamato Shrimps
Maintenance: 20% WC weekly
Tank has been running for 3 months
Set-up: Planted tank of Java ferns and Anubias (Nana + Petite) with Driftwood
The CAE has been with me for 3 months. Passes out black strands for poop. It is always getting chased by the bigger and fatter CAE, though I bought them at the same size since day 1.
They are in separate tanks.
Bichir tank
pH: 7.4
I have no testers for ammonia, nitrate and nitrites. I'll get 1 shortly.
Tank size: Grow-out tank of 60 x 23 x 28 cm
Tankmates: Another slightly shorter Albino sen bichir
Diet: Market Shrimp
Maintenance: 20% WC weekly.
Tank has been running for 2 weeks.
Tank setup:
Is my setup very wrong. Do I have to remove the rocks.
I'll keep a lookout for white rotting edges of the fins in the meantime.
----------------------------------------
CAE: Living in a Comm tank
Diet: Algae wafers
Tank size: 21 x 29 x 37 cm
Tank mates: Another CAE, 4 Guppies, 3 tetras, 5 Cherry shrimps, 3 Yamato Shrimps
Maintenance: 20% WC weekly
Tank has been running for 3 months
Set-up: Planted tank of Java ferns and Anubias (Nana + Petite) with Driftwood
The CAE has been with me for 3 months. Passes out black strands for poop. It is always getting chased by the bigger and fatter CAE, though I bought them at the same size since day 1.
I don't think any of the rocks in your bichir tank seems sharp. The test kit I'd recommend are liquid drops by API. Avoid test strips as most of the time they are inaccurate. I'd do at least 2-3 times water changes a week until fin heals up.
As for the CAE, maybe bullying has actually caused your CAE to look skinny if he is actually deprived of fair share of food and stressed constantly by the harassments. I'd separate either of the two.
As for the CAE, maybe bullying has actually caused your CAE to look skinny if he is actually deprived of fair share of food and stressed constantly by the harassments. I'd separate either of the two.