Pleco with Fin Rot?

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kayjay
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 5:14 pm
Location: Oregon

Pleco with Fin Rot?

Post by kayjay » Thu May 19, 2011 4:21 pm

I'm sure this has been mentioned in the past but I can't find specific info. I have a pleco with apparent fin rot. Here's the details:
Type of fish that are affected Royal long-finned pleco
* How long has the tank been set up for? one year
* Size of tank (dimensions and volume). 48" x 21" x 13" (55 US gallon)
* How is the tank being filtered? Two HOB Penguin 150s with bio-wheels, also a sponge filter on one intake. Extra ceramic filter media in the 150s. Also run a bubblebar.
* Water temperature 78 degrees F.
* Your maintenance regime Weekly water changes, 25-30% each time. Filter pads are rinsed in tank water, not replaced unless hopelessly clogged. Water used is well water (no chlorine) so no additives are used. No substrate in tank, I just vacuum up debris weekly or as needed.
* Has anything new been added to the tank recently? (fish, plants, live food, decor etc). This pleco was the last fish added, he already had the fin damage. No ornamental items added except one piece of driftwood from the pleco's previous tank.
* What other fish are in the tank? Three fancy goldfish.
* As detailed a description as possible of the symptoms the fish are exhibiting (remember a photograph can speak a thousand words). This little guy was in a tank given to me when its owner died in Dec. 2010. The pleco had shredded tail and dorsal fins, none of the other fish (platies, corey cats, giant danios) had any such symptoms. I moved him in with the GF 3 months ago because I thought the fin damage was caused by the too-small ornamental "roman ruin" where he liked to hide. No improvement since then, but he seems no worse either. Tail has a couple white streaks on outer edges, like the membranes there are dead. Tail is in shreds roughly 50% of its length, dorsal fins for about 30%. Sorry, can't get a decent photo, he's too shy!
* How long ago the affected fish were added to the tank, and how long the fish have been displaying symptoms. The pleco has been in the 55g for 3 months, has had the tail & fin damage ever since I've had him (5 mos). He is otherwise active, has a good appetite, is growing.
* Your current water parameters - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH Ammonia 0, Nitrate 0, Nitrate 7, Ph 7.8. (My well water runs 7 on nitrates right from the tap
I'd like to know if you guys think this is a bacterial or fungal fin rot, what meds anyone has tried for plecos, & which ones were effective. Any comments are appreciated!

Diana
Posts: 4675
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Pleco with Fin Rot?

Post by Diana » Sat May 21, 2011 10:31 pm

Keeping the nitrate low helps. I do not see how you can keep them at 7 ppm (same as the well water) in between water changes. The fish keep adding to the nitrates via the ammonia.
Planted tank? The plants will remove the nitrate.

I have used Melafix for fin rot on Angels. I use it when I first spot a problem, though, not wait for it to get chronic.
Melafix works well when there is no other organic matter in the tank, so it attaches to the disease organisms. It does not do well if there is debris in the tank, or dissolved organics.

You might want to increase the filtration, too. Penguin 150s are really small. I use them on 10 gallon tanks. Try adding an Aquaclear 70 (at least) or even a 110. I use the 110 on a 50 gallon semi-river tank with a big power head (Rainbow fish) and on a 72 gallon with another filter (slower moving water). I use a 70 and a 50 together on a 45 gallon tank with Angels. Slow moving water. A canister like the Rena Filstar XP3 would be even better.

A substrate would become a home to many beneficial organisms, but if you do not want the gravel in the tank, then I really would get a much larger filter and incorporate a lot of ceramic bio-media in that filter.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

kayjay
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 5:14 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Pleco with Fin Rot?

Post by kayjay » Mon May 23, 2011 12:29 pm

I've never had fin rot on ANY fish before, so when I was given this little guy I thought he was probably just shredding the fins himself by squeezing into too-small spaces. I was really hoping someone could tell me how much damage I should or should not be expecting to see on a longfinned pleco in fairly spacious accomodations, as well as how to tell when fin rot is starting and whether plecos have any special sensitivity to meds. I realize it's hard to visualize his condition when I can't get photos of him, sorry!

I've ordered Melafix so will be trying that in hopes that plecos are OK with it. Re. nitrates, of course they go up between WCs! This tank has plants in pots, but it's not easy to keep enough plants alive with GF to make a huge difference. I would certainly love to get bigger, better filters but can't afford it just yet. So I've got the otherwise empty spaces in the filter boxes full of ceramic BioStars, and have the sponge filter too. Substrate isn't a good thing with messy goldfish.

Wow, I'm feeling really defensive here, is it just me having a bad day or do you always flame newbies who have what you obviously consider a pitifully inadequate system? :( If you want to jump on someone for "waiting for it to get chronic" the appropriate target would be this pleco's original owner. Oh, wait, that won't work, she's dead! :shock: At least give me credit for wanting to learn more! Maybe I just asked my questions in the wrong place. . .

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Ashleigh
Posts: 831
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:04 pm
Location: Newtownards, Northern Ireland

Re: Pleco with Fin Rot?

Post by Ashleigh » Tue May 24, 2011 7:46 am

I dont think anyone was having a go at your system.

Many of use use simple systems just like the one you have described, there are tanks of mine I do not have gravel in and it poses no problems, and with goldfish and the amount of waste they produce I can see your point about keeping it cleaner with little or no gravel.

With regards to finrot, there are several reasons why a fish can pick this up. It can be down to some resident in the tank nipping, catching on decor, stress and other serious problems such as water quality and bacterial infections.

I understand that your nitrate rises between water changes, what is the maximum that it would increase to in a week? Hvaing water out at 7ppm must be difficult to keep below 20 with messy goldies!

It is possible that your pleco was subjected to poor water conditions before you got him and has such got a secondary infection, but maybe not - it is very hard to say without looking at the fish hense all the questions and do you do this and that. It allows those who cannot see the fish physically to rule out simple problems and try and narrow it down so please dont take offence :)

The fins that are shredded, what colour surrounds them? Are they red, have white lines through them or is there a white colour going round the edge (this indicates new growth).

I think for treatment, keep the nitrates as low as possible, provide vitamin enriched food so if there is an infection - you know yourself your immune system isnt the best, and source a treatment to cater for bacterial infections. Melafix I dont really use but if Diana uses it, then I would try that. if no improvement and the diet and water quality is good you might need a stronger medication. Please keep the post updated as there are plenty of other treatments people have had success using on here

Ash

kayjay
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 5:14 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Pleco with Fin Rot?

Post by kayjay » Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:59 am

Thanks, Ashleigh. Sorry about the delay getting back here, I'm working long hours & not much time to go online right now. I did use the Melafix, the pleco has not changed in either appearance or behavior. Quite active, good appetite, but still has shredded fins, mainly the tail and big topsail fin. Both have a little white on edges. My nitrates get up to 13-18 between WCs, depending on how long it's been. Try to do at least 30% once a week, and twice a week now that the weather's hotter. And, BTW, since I'm in the midst of my busy season at work I will soon be able to afford a canister filter for this tank!

I still haven't discovered whether anyone else with long-finned plecos has a similar problem. I'd really like to know if it's possible to keep them without fin damage, or if this is just something you should expect with long-finned plecos.

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