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I have a platy, probably about 18 months old -- maybe a little mroe -- whose fins have very, very slowly been getting tattered and eroding just a little bit. When I say "slowly" I mean that this has gradually happening over the past two or three months -- it's definitely not a galloping case of fin rot.

The fins aren't edged in white, don't have cottony growths, etc. It's just her dorsal fin and her tail that are affected. I'm pretty certain no one's chewing on her -- it's just not that kind of a look. Her tail looks more like it's getting fringe, and her dorsal fin looks like the edge is getting sanded away at a bit of a weird angle.

She's in a 30-gallon tank with 3 pearl gouramis and seven other platies, none of whom have had a problem. The tank gets 25 percent weekly water changes (which usually include New Improved Cycle) has a Penguin 330 biowheel filter, and has not had any problems in terms of temperature fluctuations, ammonia, nitrite, etc., since I cycled it a year and a half ago.

I'm thinking about pulling her out to treat her -- but for what? I did try Melafix, but to no avail.

Any suggestions?



Last edited by lmuha at 06-Nov-2004 08:51

Melafix, an anticeptic, will not be effective for slowly deteriorating fins, a reaction to long-term nitrates...

There's nothing to do except provide good nutrition to replace the vitamins lacking within the trop to rejuvenate the wasting fins.

--garyroland.

One additional possiblity is similar to what is happening to my fancy guppy in my 20 long. That is, somebody is nipping. Now, all I have are white clouds, harlequin rasboras and another male guppy other than the benign bottom feeders. These fish are not known to be nippy. But, the Cobra has this persistent "rot" which is not a rot. It took me months to figure it out. I stood back from afar just observing my tank different times during the day.

What I learned was that when I put an algae pellet in the tank, everyone has learned how to feed from it. The white clouds smack it in an ungraceful manner to kick up pieces and the harlequins wait above for the debris to come flying up (since they haven't figured out how to smack it ). The guppies peck at it while pretty much remaining in one place which annoys the white clouds. They nip at the green cobra fancy guppy to get him out of the way . I removed a white cloud for a time and Cobra's tail started to heal and grow.

I now drop the pellets in when the tank is totally dark and all other inhabitants are sound asleep. Cobras tail is doing a little better, but i have noticed that the harlequins and white clouds occassionally nip at Cobra when they think he is swimming too close to where they laid eggs. Poor little guy just can't get a break in there. However, I watch the tail closely and it grows and fades. Cobra is now 2 years old and has been dealing with it all this time. I don't have another tank to separate them into. It hasn't gotten to that critical point of being too close to the base. Once it gets there it can't grow back.

My guess is that possibly, someone in the tank is nipping your fish. The nip may possibly get infected on occassion and melafix is great or pimafix. If the tank doesn't have live plants, then even a half dose of slowly dissolving salt is even better (replaces electrolytes lost through the wound).

Anyway, its just a thought.

If you see redness on the border and your nitrates are less than 40ppm (preferrably below 20ppm), then I would feed the new Jungle Anti-Bacteria medicated feed. It is currently only available at PetSmart. While it is external, the sulfa and nitrofurazone in the feed will boost his blood cells ability to fight from within, much like human acne can respond to tetracycline when ingested or a superficial infection can be treated in humans. If there is an infection externally that is not healing, it can lead to a serious internal infection that will be more difficult to treat.

One other way to see if it is someone nipping is to simply separate him into a tank by himself for a good 3 weeks and see if it grows without meds.


Last edited by Cory_Di at 06-Nov-2004 11:45

"I'm pretty certain no one's chewing on her -- it's just not that kind of a look. Her tail looks more like it's getting fringe, and her dorsal fin looks like the edge is getting sanded away at a bit of a weird angle..."

Pieces of fin being torn (nipped) are pretty evident, Diane. That's why I didn't suggest it.

--garyroland.

If its definitely not be chewed, then I would do the medicated feed because it is far more effective than waterborne and doesn't foul the water. My concern would be that if it is a slow moving external infection, it has every opportunity to become a difficult to cure, internal infection.

How high would the nitrates have to be to cause that sort of a problem? They're usually around 30 -- it's hard to get them lower because we live in a rural area and the amount in our tap water is pretty significant. (Higher than 10)





Last edited by lmuha at 06-Nov-2004 19:03

I was comparing your trop's problem with Oscars...

Some claim HITH is a direct cause of long-term exposure to nitrates but no one has a clue as to what level of ppm is the cause.

It may just be low ppm over a period of time that causes the problem, the same with your trop suffering fin breakdown.

Anyway, Laura, older trops do have problems with finnage breaking down, some species more than others.

--garyroland.

Last edited by garyroland at 06-Nov-2004 20:37