Firstly I find it incredibly difficult to photograph this fish so apologies.
I’ve been away for a few days and had my husband feeding her. I think I’ve had this tank for just under one year now. Came back and noticed her front lower fins- pelvic fins?- were looking a little ragged and she seems to be swimming wjth them clamped to her body. Her anal/ventral fins also seem to be losing some of their spikes.
Ammonia -0, nitrite-0, nitrate 20 ppm ish.
Last week I increased the duration of the light to 6 hours from 4 and from 10% intensity to 20%, it’s a seaoura light.
Besides keeping her pelvic fins clamped she is swimming around normally.
Actually my husband just told me yesterday he noticed she was floating at the top and her tail would sink down a bit then she would right herself and would happen again. I’m not seeing that happen today. Last water change was 4 days ago
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1oidzac
Posted by notagradstudent13
3 Comments
I increased the light to help my floating plants which seem to be struggling lately.
Did your husband overfeed her? He could have thrown off the tank and caused a spike on accident.
My males is rough but he was sitting there letting the intake chew his fin.
Does she hang out by the filter intake at all?
I hope you get a more educated response. Good luck!
I would be concerned. It’s possible you have excess organic waste (not ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, those are inorganic) in the water, which is creating a breeding ground for not-so-beneficial bacteria of the type that cause fin rot.
This usually happens because of some combination of overfeeding and underfiltration.
The filter you have is a good type, but there are some common issues that might keep it from being able to do a good job of breaking down organic waste in your water.
What size is the sponge filter?
What is the air flow rate of the air pump you are using? (1 liter per minute is good, 0.5 is barely OK, less than that is definitely low)
Is the outlet of the sponge filter’s lift tube above the waterline, below it, or right on the waterline? Is there a visible difference in height between the tank water surface and the water coming out of the lift tube?
How often do you clean the sponge, and exactly how do you clean it?