Overstocked Aquarium help

[Modika]

Hi there, first some background info, I live in Western Australia and have just gone into the fishkeeping hobby last year. I have bought a 60 G (228L) tank and I'm planning to upgrade to a 260G (987L) tank within the next couple of months.

At the moment, the aquarium is heavily stocked and I'm assuming the water quality has gone down. The fish include a broad range of Tiger Barbs, a Flagtail Prochilodus, Clowns, many Yoyos, Kuhlis, etc. All of the fish are still juveniles. I do 40% water changes every Wednesday and Sunday so that seems to keep it relatively stable (I hope). I mainly feed my fish Spectrum Thera +A and live/frozen Black/Blood Worms.

Recently one of my Tiger Barbs have developed a rather intense case Fin Rot. I've read mass water changes can cure this but I have yet to see any results.

My question is whether or not adding aquarium salt would help remedy the fin rot and further prevent my already heavily stocked aquarium from developing other diseases to the fish. (any other methods would also be appreciated).

This would only be short term as I will be upgrading within the next couple of months...

Some pictures of the aquarium:

[starsplitter7]

I can't help you with the fin rot. My best suggestion for you would be to set up a Quaranine tank and treat the barbs with fungus treatment or antibiotics that treat fin rot. I always keep an extra filter running on my tanks, so I can set up a Q tank at a moment's call.

Your tank looks very nice.

One of the experts will be along shortly.

[bigpow]

Not an expert- just speaking from personal experience, Melafix will help with the fin rot.

Are you sure it's fin rot? Tiger barbs, in small pack and small space, can destroy each other's fins. Regardless, Melafix will help the healing even if this is the case.


Limited feeding and daily water changes will help restore water quality, if it's true (check the water parameters, get a test kit or bring water sample to pet store to have it checked).

[FishyLady]

I was going to say the same thing, Tiger barbs are known fin nippers and this could well be the problem.

Val

[irab]

Nice set up good and good luck on you treatments I hope all goes well

[newshound]

what filteration are you using?
from the images it doesn't look to overstocked.
I looked for some sign of filter equipment in the pix but couldn't see any.
Might be underfiltered?
cause those are some 1/2 decent W.C.s

[Modika]

Are you sure it's fin rot? Tiger barbs, in small pack and small space, can destroy each other's fins. Regardless, Melafix will help the healing even if this is the case.

Exactly my first thoughts however the pectoral fins appear to also be damaged (freyed) and shortened in length. The edges of the caudal fin are white and are unevenly about half length. I have also noticed that another barb appears to also have the early signs of whatever this may be, fin rot perhaps (edges of the fin are white and slightly shortened). I'm afraid it may spread to my Clowns/Yoyos and even my Flagtail before I get my larger tank.

what filteration are you using?
from the images it doesn't look to overstocked.

I'm using the hang on AquaClear 70 which says it should filter 152-265 liter (40G - 70G) tanks.

To be more specific I have 7 Clown Loaches, 6 Yoyos, 14 Tiger Barbs, the single Flagtail, 12 Kuhli Loaches, a Kribensis (very interesting and peaceful Cichlid!), 4 Pygmy Corys, and a Bosemani Rainbow I got accidentally.

I'm hoping to get some sort advice on a short term remedy. Perhaps buying some sort of medication (Melafix like was stated previously) or even adding aquarium salt to supress the actual bacteria that's causing the rot (possibly from overstocking).

[Francois van Brederode]

Adding a serious amount of plants will probably help with water quality.
It also gives fish more places to hide, perhaps they will chomp each other a little less if the can hide more.....

My tank is also overcrowded, but with 2 oversized filters and more plants then you can wave a stick at, it all seems to be going great.

[newshound]

I'd add another filter
hagen is bad for over rating the gph of the filters.

[starsplitter7]

Watch the medications and salt with the loaches and Cories. Watch them very carefully, and be ready to do a quick water change if there's a problem. Be careful not to disrupt the proper osmosis in your fish with the salt and later removing salt, if you decide to use it.

Good luck.

[Diana]

I would not add salt to this tank 'just in case'.

Fin rot can be caused by any of several bacteria that can be more active when water conditions are poor, such as high nitrates. The white edges you are seeing sound like fungus moving in on the damaged tissues.

Ditto the suggestion to add lots of fast growing live plants. There are probably so many plants not available too you (Fast growing generally means invasive if they escape into the wild) that I would suggest you go to an aquarium store and find out what is available locally, or join a local aquarium club and ask who keeps planted tanks. I see the plants in your pictures. To have enough plants to be a good filter you should have enough plants that you cannot see the back of the tank.

Other ways to reduce the nitrate in the tank:

Even more water changes.
Add media to the filter that is specifically designed to remove ammonia and nitrate.
Use a dechlorinator that locks up nitrate. Prime is one such product.
Remove some fish.

I use the Aquaclear filters. They are very good, but I do tend to place them on smaller tanks than they are rated for. I aim for 10x the tank volume per hour in water movement, so a 60 gallon tank needs a filter, powerhead or other that will move at least 600 gph.
Same formula for liters. 228 liter tank would get 2000+ lph of water movement.

A test kit would be really good so that you can keep track of how much nitrogen the plants are removing.

[Tracey]

Im no expert but when I expected there was bacteria or fungus in my 75g, I used Pima fix and Melafix together and my fish couldnt be more happy. They are right about the two filters. Its nice to have one you can start another tank with quickly. Good luck with your new tank.

[Modika]

For the past two weeks I've been using Melafix at full dose without any success. The fin rot has now spread to another 3 Tiger Barbs and my Flagtail Prochilodus is infected. Oddly enough, not a single Loach in the tank is showing any sings (including my Kribensis pair). I have noticed however, the edges of the fins are no longer white after using Melafix.

Here are some closer pictures of the worst infected fish:







My new tank has only been cycling for a week now so placing them there is not an option. I've done 50% water changes every 2 days.

[bigpow]

I think it's working - as long as the fins don't turn white.
They should grow back in no time.

Seeing the pictures, I think those looks like some sibling love than disease.

Keep good water quality, params and temp and they should be golden for now (before going into bigger tank).