You will also need to remove the other fish in the tank to a separate container with clean, fresh unchlorinated water. Use a different net to remove the other fish as fish rot can be spread through shared nets. Do not place the affected fish in the same container as the other fish as this can cause the fin rot to spread.
Give the tank a good scrub with hot water. [6] X Expert Source Craig MortonAquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020. Do not use soap when you clean the tank. Use paper towels to get into the crevices of the tank and make sure it has been cleaned thoroughly. Soak the tank accessories in hot water for five to ten minutes. If you have live plants, soak them in lukewarm water. You can then take them out of the water and let them air dry. Wash the gravel too. [7] X Expert Source Craig MortonAquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020. Use warm water and hoover it with a small vacuum to get rid of any dirt or debris.
If your tank is cycled, meaning there is an established colony of beneficial bacteria built up on the submerged surfaces of the tank (accumulated mainly through fish living in the tank and excreting nitrogen), you can do a 50% water change; subsequent smaller proportion water changes are recommended. [10] X Research source If your tank has a water filter, you should clean that as well. [11] X Expert Source Craig MortonAquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020. Take a bucket of the fresh tank water and wash the filter with the water. Once the filter is cleaned of any gunk or dirt, you can place it in the tank. Do not use tap water to clean the filter as this can contaminate the filter.
Once you have confirmed the water is suitable for your fish, you can slowly add the fish back into the tank, including the fish with fin rot. You may then add antibiotics or antifungal medication to the tank water to help kill the fin rot. The combination of a clean tank and medication should help your fish to get rid of the fin rot.
These medications often contain antibiotics to kill off the fungal infection, such as erythromycin, minocycline, trimethoprim and sulfadimidine. Make sure the fin rot treatment does not contain any organic dyes, as they can be toxic to certain fish. Popular types of fin rot treatment include Jungle Fungus Eliminator and Tetracycline. You can also use brands like Maracyn, Maracyn II, Waterlife- Myxazin, and MelaFix. [15] X Research source API Bettafix is another option. [16] X Expert Source Craig MortonAquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.
You can add a one to two drops of tea tree oil to the tank water to keep the water clean and sterile. Make sure your fish do not react negatively to the tea tree oil before you add more to the tank the following day. Tonic salt, or sodium chloride, can also be used to prevent fin rot. Add 1 ounce salt per gallon of tank water. Only use tonic salt on salt-tolerant freshwater fish.
If your fish is a Betta, set the air pump on low so the current is not too high, as a high current can be stressful for Betta fish. You should only use the medication for the duration of time specified on the label. Medication can be stressful for fish and should only be used on a by need basis.
If you have a one gallon tank, you should change the water every three days. A 2. 5 gallon tank should be changed every four to five days and a 5 gallon tank should be changed every seven days. [20] X Research source If your tank is uncycled, you should do a 100% water change every time you clean the tank. Wash all the tank accessories and the gravel as well. Add aquarium salt to the water after every cleaning to keep the tank water healthy and monitor the pH of the tank so it is comfortable for your fish.
If you start to notice that certain fish are nipping or biting at each other, this may be a sign that your tank is overcrowded. You may need to remove several fish from the tank or isolate one fish who seems to be acting aggressive towards the other fish. Certain fish are known to be fin nippers, including tiger barbs, serpae tetras, and black widow tetras. Angelfish and catfish can be fin nippers as well as pufferfish and targetfish. If you have any of these fish in your tank, keep an eye on them and separate them from other more vulnerable fish, like guppies. [22] X Research source In general, don’t have more than 1 inch (2. 5 cm) of fish per 2 gallons (7. 6 L) of tank space. [23] X Expert Source Craig MortonAquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.
Giving your fish too much food can also introduce too much bacteria into the tank, as uneaten food will float around in the water and increase the concentration of bacteria in the tank.
