Fin rot

Fin rot is a disease in fishes that is caused by many types of Bacteria like Aeromonas, Vibrio, and Pseudomonas. This disease is a common one found in the fishes as a secondary infection when the fishes are affected by some other disease. This disease is very common in aquarium fishes. Fish rot is curable. You have to take the steps to treat the fish that are infected with fin rot, otherwise this would affect the other fishes in the aquarium.

Some of the symptoms of fin rot are white edges of the fins, enflamed basement of the fins, fins fray and the entire fin might be rot. Once the fish is affected by fin rot the fins might go away in a short period of time. If you find white edges of the fins then it might be fin rot. Sometimes you might also notice a cotton wool like growth in the fins. it is a sign of the fin rot infection. As the fin rot advances, the fins might turn red in color in the base area and sometimes you could also witness patches in blood appearing, which is a sure sign that the fins are to go away.

Treatment for fin rot is by changing the water first and to correct the cause of the infections. Treatment with antibiotics is also taken up. Aquarium salt can also be added as a part of the treatment to fin rot. The gram negative bacteria are the root cause of the infection. Drugs like Oxytetracycline, Chloramphenical, and Tetracycline are effective against the gram negative bacteria that causes fin rot. You can find the instructions of the manufacturer of these medications and you can follow the instructions given by them in the treatment of fin rot.

Poor water quality is the main cause and this should be addressed immediately if you want to treat the fishes affected with fin rot. Apart from this overcrowding the tank, improper handling of fishes, and inadequate feeding of the fish could also result in fin rot. Such conditions might raise the stress level of the fish and the increase in stress level is one of the main causes for fin rot. Clean up the aquarium properly and remove any unwanted particles found in the aquarium. Vacuum the gravel in the aquarium properly and fill it with good quality water. There are some people who feed in large quantities of improper food to the fish. Such things should be avoided. Feeding them with good quality food and at appropriate levels would prevent fin rot.

The pH level of water and the temperature of water in the aquarium should be maintained at the appropriate levels to prevent fin rot. If the pH level is not correct it might lead to fin rot. Using aquarium salt as a part of the treatment is also good. But beware that some kinds of fish like cat fish will be affected with aquarium salts. Fresh fish feeds are good than the outdated ones. Check the date at which you have bought them and make a note of them. As time passes the vitamins and minerals in the food will be lost. So it is better to update your feed to the fish with fresh items. Do not feed stale foods.