Fin corrosion is a common symptom of a fungal disease affecting a variety of fish, from bettas to goldfish. It is often caused by dirty aquarium, poor maintenance or exposure to other infected specimens. The diseased fish shows torn and frayed fins as if they were rotting. This disease fades the colors of the fish and the animal assumes a lethargic attitude. If not treated properly, corrosion can cause permanent damage to the fins and become fatal. It is also a highly contagious disease and should be managed as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading to other aquarium specimens.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Clean the Aquarium
Step 1. Remove the diseased fish from the tank
Start by isolating the specimen to be treated and placing it in a separate aquarium with clean, chlorine-free water.
You will also need to remove the other animals and temporarily keep them in a separate tank with fresh, clean, chlorine-free water. Use different nets to catch sick and healthy fish, as infection can also occur through these tools. Do not put the healthy specimens with the one affected by corrosion, otherwise the pathology spreads
Step 2. Wash the main aquarium and accessories
You have to discard all the water present, remove the accessories and gravel.
- Wash the tub thoroughly with very hot water. Do not use any type of soap, but scrub the corners and crevices with paper towels to make sure the whole aquarium is perfectly clean.
- Soak the accessories in very hot water for 10 minutes. If you have live plants, soak them in warm water. Afterward, remove the items from the water and let them air dry.
- Wash the gravel with warm water and clean it with a small vacuum cleaner to remove any residue and debris.
Step 3. Change all the water
When you have washed and air-dried the aquarium, you can put the gravel and accessories back inside. If your tub doesn't have a filter, do a complete water change, using chlorine-free or treated water. Make sure it has a temperature of 26-27 ° C.
- If the aquarium has a pump and a filter, you can change 50% of the water.
- If the tub has a filter, you should wash it in a bucket of clean water. Once you've gotten rid of any residue and dirt, you can put it back in the tub. Do not use tap water for this as this could contaminate the filter.
Step 4. Check the pH of the water
Before returning the fish to the aquarium, you must use a kit to verify that the water is of good quality. The pH should be around 7-8, there should be no traces of ammonia, the nitrite and nitrate levels should not exceed 40 ppm.
Once you are certain that the water is suitable for the fish, you can slowly return them to the tank, including the diseased one. It is advisable to add antibiotics or antifungal drugs to the water, in order to defeat the pathogens responsible for the corrosion of the fins. Cleaning the aquarium in combination with medications should help the animal get rid of the disease
Part 2 of 3: Using Medicines and Herbal Treatments
Step 1. Use an antibacterial treatment for fin corrosion
If you don't notice any improvement after a few days of cleaning and treating the aquarium, you can try an antibacterial remedy. You can buy it in pet stores without a prescription. Choose a product formulated for your type of fish, such as one specifically for bettas or goldfish. Respect the dosage and instructions indicated on the label.
- These medicines often contain antibiotics that can clear the infection, such as erythromycin, minocycline, trimethoprim and sulfadimidine. Make sure the drug does not contain organic dyes, as they can be toxic to some species.
- Common products to treat this condition are Mycowert and tetracyclines. You can also try FungiStop, Myxazin and Fungol.
Step 2. Try tea tree oil and salt
An alternative to commercial medicines is the combined use of these substances. However, tea tree oil is not considered a reliable treatment and should be used more for preventive than therapeutic purposes. It may be necessary to supplement this oil with antibiotic or antibacterial products.
- You can add a drop or two of oil to the aquarium to keep the water clean and sterile. Make sure the fish does not react negatively to the product before pouring more the next day.
- Pure sodium chloride is effective in preventing disease. Add 30 g for every 4 liters of aquarium water. Use this remedy only with salt-tolerant freshwater fish.
Step 3. Use an air pump or air stone when adding medications to the tub
When treating a sick fish with medication, you should always ensure a greater supply of oxygen to allow the animal to breathe. Pharmaceuticals tend to reduce oxygen availability, so you need to balance this to keep the aquarium population healthy. Install a pump, airstone, or other equivalent system to inject larger quantities of air into the water.
- If you have a betta fish, set the pump to minimum power so that the current in the aquarium is not too strong, otherwise you could stress the fish.
- You should use the medicines only for the time indicated on the package. These products can stress the fish and should be added to the water only when needed.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Corrosion of the Fins
Step 1. Keep the tub clean and change the water once a week
This way, you can be sure that the fish can recover completely from fin corrosion and prevent the disease from recurring in the future. Get in the habit of cleaning the aquarium regularly.
- If you have a four-liter tub, you should change the water every three days. A 10-liter aquarium requires a water change every four to five days, while you should have a weekly clean and change if you own a 20-liter aquarium.
- If the tank is not equipped with a water pump and filter, always change all the water by washing the accessories and gravel.
- Add salt after cleaning, to ensure good water hygiene; also check the pH, so that the environment is comfortable for the animals.
Step 2. Check that the aquarium is not too crowded
While it may be tempting to populate the tank with lots of fish, too many fish raise stress levels and the risk of disease. Check that the various species are compatible with each other and that each fish has enough space to swim and interact with each other in a healthy way.
- If you notice that some specimens are starting to bite or disturb each other, it could be a sign that the tank is overcrowded. In this case, you should remove several fish or isolate the one that is more aggressive.
- Some fish are notoriously aggressive and bite the fins of others, for example tiger barb, snake tetra, black tetra. Angelfish and catfish have the same attitude, as do puffers and terapons jarbua. If you have these species in your aquarium, you should monitor them or keep them separate from other more vulnerable specimens, such as guppies.
Step 3. Feed them high quality food
Make sure you are providing a varied and nutritious diet, following a specific meal plan. If you feed them too much or too little, you can impair their immune system capabilities, putting them at greater risk of disease.
