Do you think your fish has fin rot? Don’t fret. Fin rot is a very common fish disease. The good is that it is treatable and preventable. The bad is that it can kill your fish if you don’t act fast. Fin rot is caused by bacteria. The most important thing to take from this is that fin rot strikes fish when they are stressed. Fix the problem that is stressing your fish and you can quickly treat and deal with the problem.
Let’s Make Sure it’s Fin Rot
Fin rot can spread to the body of your fish in its later stages, but it starts with the fins. Don’t forget it’s bacteria which means it can quickly spread. Rotted or ragged looking fins, white edges on fins, or puffy sores on the fins, are all signs of fin rot. In the later stages of fin rot you might also notice a lose of appetite.
So Why Does My Fish Have Fin Rot
The number one reason for fin rot is stress on your fish. This is just about always caused by poor water quality. Clean up your water quality first and foremost. Secondly, you must develop some good fish tank care habits. Regular water changes and weekly water testing are essential to maintaining a healthy fish tank.
4 Things to Do Before Treating Fin Rot
- Regular Water Changes
- This is probably the most important step.
- Testing Often
- Test your tank water weekly to correct any known problems fast.
- Get Rid Of The Bullies
- Bullies can nip at your fish’s fins leaving them susceptible to the fin rot bacteria.
- Feed With Care
- Be careful not to overfeed your fish. Left over food will quickly lead to lead to harmful water.
Then What?
Tetracycline is the most popular way to medicate your fish with fin rot. There are other antibiotics that will also work well. You can find them at your aquarium retailer. Just follow the directions on the bottle. Make sure to first correct any of the problems above first. If you don’t address the root of the problem medications will have a tough time keeping up. The last you want to do is over medicate. That’s it. You are now on your way to a fin rot free tank.
12 responses so far ↓
1 Mary // Jan 6, 2008 at 7:15 am
Hi. Just when I thought everything was going great w/ my new fish. I get another disease. My redtail shark has some fungus that looks like fuzz on her. I think I’m going to buy Maroxy for her. Can she spread this on to my other fish? I sure do hope not.
2 Eric // Jan 9, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Hey Mary, Sounds like you have a fungus of some sort. From you description, it could be Saprolegnia. This fungus has a spiky type fuzzy look to it. The Maroxy is a good treatment option. Maroxy can be used to treat both fungal and bacterial diseases. Most fungi can spread, so I’d quarantine if you can. Good luck!
3 Nath // Jan 22, 2008 at 12:49 pm
My son has just had fish for a couple of weeks. Only 6 two of each type. One died yesterday and now it’s partner has developed what initially looked like an injury to it’s side but this has now gone very white. Wwe thought initially it was an injury, now I am not so sure… anyone able to offer any advice?
4 Eric // Jan 24, 2008 at 7:24 am
Hi Nath, Sounds like your fish probably has a fungus of some sort. This might look sort of cotton like. There over the counter medications to treat all sorts of fungi.
5 Sally // Feb 19, 2008 at 2:17 am
We’ve had four of our fish die in the last month. Now our four inch goldfish has white stringy stuff on his gills, eyeballs, and what looks like translucent fins. One of the cave dwellers is struggling with what looks like a curved spine, and our upside down catfish is staying afloat on the top of the tank listlessly with the odd movement here and there. Now are flying foxes are starting to swim above the aquarium’s decorations which they never used to before. They are usually well hidden and like to play around the bottom of the tank.
We’re not sure what’s going on.
6 Eric // Feb 21, 2008 at 7:18 am
Hi Sally,
The white stringy stuff could be any number of things. Columnaris, a bacterial disease comes to mind. Might be a fungus of some sort.
The curved spines leads me towards Swim Bladder disease. This is usually caused by eating too much, too fast. The swim bladder being out of whack causes the mid section to floaat towards the top of the tank. This makes the spine looks curved.
Swim Bladder treatement would be to cut back feeding for a day or so. You can also try feeding shelled peas. This helps clean them out if they will eat them.
7 Kyle // Feb 24, 2008 at 12:14 am
My fish has white fussy bumps on his back tail and he keeps on having sisers or jerking movements. Also hes a goldfish and his ph is 6 does that mater. And how do i remove carbon from my filter because i got this thing for ick treatment but i dont know if he has ick it also cures external parasites. And his anal fin no looks like its been riped and he flairs it out with all his other ones and flys around the tank like somethings after him. Please help. Also he lives in a 10 gallon tank and hes 5 inches long and like 2 inches tall when his fins are normal. Could it be this fin rot stuff? Can I put the fin rot medicine and the ick medicine in at the same thim or would that be bad or even faital. Tomorrow is his 5th birthday (25th of September to 25th of Feburary) and i want him to live at least a year more than that would be awsome. After this should i get him a new friend to help him with stress? If thers any other questions you have for me about the set up of his tank or him just ask. PLEASE HELP MY FISH!!! thank-you
8 Eric // Feb 24, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Kyle,
It does sound like Ich. Not sure on the Fin Rot. Most of the Ich medications do also treat many external parasites. I would treat the Fin Rot separately with an antibiotic if you come to the conclusion that is what you are dealing with.
9 Kyle // Feb 24, 2008 at 8:57 pm
thank you eric now how do i get carbon out of my filter to treat the ich.
10 Eric // Feb 29, 2008 at 3:32 pm
You’re welcome Kyle! It sounds like you have a sealed filter that has the filter and carbon together. Maybe an Eclipse? Just cut a slit in the filter part and pour out the carbon if this is what you have. After treatment you can just replace the filter with new.
11 bethan southcott // Mar 27, 2008 at 8:58 am
my angel has a bab case of fin rot iv treated him im just want to know will his fins grow bk ? thanks beth
12 Eric // Mar 30, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Hi there Bethan,
Many times fins will grow back. You’ll have to get the fin rot completely cleared up first. With good water conditions you have a great shot at it.
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