Fin Rot In Aquarium Fish: What To Do If Your Fish Is In Need Of A Disease Treatment (Video)

Fin rot is one of the most common diseases in aquarium fish. The infection attacks the fins and tail of the fish. This causes color changes, deterioration, and eventually, the loss of the fins or tail. Fin rot can affect any type of aquarium fish, both freshwater and saltwater. Aeromonas, Pseudomonas or Vibrio bacteria are most likely to cause fin rot. Symptoms of fin rot include discolouration, fraying, and ragged edges. (max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/fin-rot-1378481-FINAL-0546cd6b03564df595829abaae45f7c6. png) The typical fin rot symptoms include black, white or brown spots on the fins, tail, or body. The affected fins may become red and inflamed, including around the base of the fin, as more tissue is eaten away. The fins and tails become shorter and shorter as the dead flesh continues to slough off.

The direct cause of Fin rot is infection with bacteria. The indirect cause is some type of stress that lowered the infected fish's immune system enough to allow the bacteria to take hold. Many fish can be diagnosed by the characteristic symptoms. Treatment with a drug that is effective against gram-negative organisms is recommended. Feeding your fish fresh, high quality food is far better than frequent, large feedings of stale foods. Always treat fin rot according to your veterinarian's specific directions. The best prevention against fin rot is good maintenance. Change the water regularly, vacuum the gravel, and monitor the water chemistry. Only feed the fish as much food as they will consume in about five minutes, twice daily. Watch for signs of fighting between fish that may damage fins. . . .