Goldfish, torn fin

[Kithy Kitty]

Seems my troubles never stop /sigh

Parameters are perfect, water changes once a week. Cycled, etcetc. Just noticed the tears today. I have no idea how this happened, I kind of suspect the filter intake but they look more like splits to me.

Picture....



It was really hard to get a good picture of the tears or splits because he is constantly moving like a brat and they're rather hard to see.

I don't see anything to suggest it was my BN pleco and I don't think the plastic plants are tearing it. Everything I have in there now is the same as was in the 55gal.

Just did a water change yesterday and parameters were fine. He doesn't seem to be feeling bad or anything and the white spots you see there are on the glass, not the fish or in the tank.

So I'm not sure how to proceed here. I've heard you can't do an aquarium salt treatment with plecos but I've also heard you can. I don't really care if my sword dies if it comes down to it. But at the moment I don't really have a backup tank either.

Should I wait to really treat it until I suspect fin rot? No black or red at the ends of anything, he looks pretty healthy, well fed, etc. I'm thinking of moving up to two changes in a week because I don't think one is enough truly. Even though I barely see ammonia come up the day of the water change I just feel it would be better to do two. So my current plan is to keep the water clean and stable temp while watching carefully.

Think that should be fine? Or should I get proactive?  

[Shanna66]

dont plecos and swrods need warmer water than goldies?

anyways, looks like it might have just been ripped by a plant. do you have any plastic plants? if so take them out. soft cloth/silk plants and real plants are the only things you should be using. plastic and rough cloth plants are well known for ripping fins

as for healing i would just make sure your water is clean and dont do anything different. fints uaually heal fast on their own  

[Akari_32]

Shanna, their temp ranges over lap wink

I would just up the water changes a bit. No need to add anything. Pleco's don't like salt anyways. It could kill them. Most live plants don't like it either.

If its persistent, you can use some Kordon Fish Protector. That stuff works wonders! Its not a chemical or a medication, either. Its vitamins and minerals.  

[Shanna66]

Akari_32

Shanna, their temp ranges over lap wink

I would just up the water changes a bit. No need to add anything. Pleco's don't like salt anyways. It could kill them. Most live plants don't like it either.

If its persistent, you can use some Kordon Fish Protector. That stuff works wonders! Its not a chemical or a medication, either. Its vitamins and minerals.

ah, ok. i guess im just so used to keeping my tank at 80 i somnetimes forget that fish arent as picky about their temps as reptiles  

[Akari_32]

Shanna66

Akari_32

Shanna, their temp ranges over lap wink

I would just up the water changes a bit. No need to add anything. Pleco's don't like salt anyways. It could kill them. Most live plants don't like it either.

If its persistent, you can use some Kordon Fish Protector. That stuff works wonders! Its not a chemical or a medication, either. Its vitamins and minerals.

ah, ok. i guess im just so used to keeping my tank at 80 i somnetimes forget that fish arent as picky about their temps as reptiles

No, they don't mind so much. As long as the temp is stable.  

[Kithy Kitty]

Well the fins look much better so I'm not sure what happened there. I inspected everything when I did a 50% change and nothing seemed to be the cause so I have no idea. Unless part of his fins got sucked into the filter intake and ripped a bit.