External symptoms of fin rot
- Fin edges look milky white.
- Fins fray.
- Fins get punctured.
- Fin base is inflamed (red).
Behavior in case of fin rot
- Fish scrub themselves.
- Fish become apathetic.
internal symptoms
photos
Clicking on a photo shows the whole picture, if available.
Photos: Jenni Daus
Red by Rio with fin rot and pop eyes. The fish were probably suffering from an internal bacterial infection. Fin rot and goggle eyes occurred as side effects.
Photo: Katrin Hubrich
Female Betta with fin rot on the hind fin. Treatment with the broad spectrum agent Tetra General Tonic brought no improvement.
Photos: Gerhard / Scherah
Guppies with severe fin rot. The edges of the fins are partially inflamed with red.
Photos: Jörg / Shaky
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid with severe bacterial infection. The fins are badly attacked by fin rot. The simultaneously protruding scales and the somewhat distended abdomen indicate infectious ascites.
Photo: Alex
Corydoras trilineatus with fin rot due to bacterial infection. The arrows in the large image show where the fins are destroyed.
Photos: Michaela
Red-Blue Colombian with severe fin rot
Photo: Christian Hippeli
Platy with severe fin rot, especially visible on the pectoral fin. The green threads in the picture are thread algae.
Photo: Nina Heit
Female guppy with fin rot
Photo: Nils Grothaus
Male betta with very severe fin rot
Photo: Puntius (Forum)
Dwarf Gourami male with badly eaten caudal fin.
Photo: Sabine Schenk
Swordtails with severe fin rot and pinched fins.
Photo: Dietrich Brettschneider
Calloused catfish with a hole in the tail fin, after initially there was only a white coating on the fin. The covering indicates columnaris. Treatments with salt and Baktopur were unsuccessful.
Photo: chemist
Female dwarf gourami with fin rot on the hind fin. With dwarf gourami there is always a suspicion of EUS.
Photo: Baerbel Illmeier
Goldfish with fin rot and pinched fins.
Brief information
Main Symptoms: Fins look frayed.
Causes: Bacteria that multiply rapidly, mostly due to poor water hygiene or stressed fish
Curability: Easily curable if diagnosed early
Treatment: Lots of water changes, remedies
Causes of fin rot
With a few exceptions, the occurrence of fin rot always indicates unfavorable housing conditions or special stress factors. Although fin rot is a bacterial disease, the pathogens occur in any water and do not pose any danger to fish that are kept in an appropriate manner. The pathogens of fin rot are bacteria of the genera Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Vibrio.
Fin rot is therefore also called bacterial fin rot. The pathogens can only cause damage to weakened fish. The disease usually begins at the edges of the fins and from there migrates further and further towards the body. Sometimes there are holes in the fins. Fish species with veil fins are particularly susceptible to fin rot. Fin rot becomes dangerous when it spreads to non-renewable fin parts (fin root) or the body.
Fin rot also occurs in conjunction with other diseases, often bacterial, that weaken the fish’s immune system.
Fungi often attack fins damaged by fin rot. The milky-white edge of the affected fins is caused by bacteria and fungi.
treatment suggestions
Fin rot can be detected early and treated successfully. In mild cases, improving the housing conditions is usually enough to heal. Experience has shown that fin rot often occurs in aquariums whose water is polluted by overstocking or too few water changes. If fin rot is suspected, the cause can usually be determined quickly by measuring the nitrite value.
Frequent water changes until the nitrite level is no longer detectable and feeding them vitamin-rich food will in most cases end the disease quickly and allow the fins to grow back quickly.
Salt baths and a temperature increase can be used against the simultaneous fungal infection.
In more difficult cases, one should resort to the remedies available in pet shops, which are offered specifically for the treatment of fin rot. With larger fins, the affected areas can be carefully cut off. Under no circumstances should the root of the fin be injured. Since the risk of further infection is associated with cutting it off, work must be as sterile as possible. According to the Animal Welfare Act, such interventions may only be carried out from vet be made.
Only in particularly severe cases, when the fin root or fish body is already infected, is it necessary to use an antibiotic prescribed by the veterinarian.
In any case, it is important to determine the cause of the occurrence of fin rot. If the circumstances leading to the disease are not changed, the disease will certainly break out again sooner or later.