Missing Pectorals!

[franmorr1966]

Third time I'm trying to post this message...Each time I click submit I get the login screen again and no post posted.

My silver dollar has missing pec fins. I noticed it before a feeding tonight when one of my clowns kept going after him. He has no other fins missing except the pecs, nor do any of the fish have any missing fins. I have a clean tank--no fin/rot. The clown going after a silver dollar is a rare occurrence!

What do you think caused it, but more important how do I regenerate it fast? Do people still use Melafix? I haven't used meds in my tank in years.

Thanks in advance.

Fran

[starsplitter7]

Do you have a quarantine tank? I would move the fish to quarantine to insure that it will be the cleanest possible environment and to rediuce the stress on the injured fish.

I don't know medicines. I would just get him to quarantine immediately.

[franmorr1966]

I know a quarantine tank makes sense, but no, that's not an option unless the thing is really struggling. If I try to get that skittish jumping thing out of there, I will have a heart attack.

I will do another water change tomorrow. I expect the fins to rejuvenate themselves fast, I just wonder why it happened to one and only one after several years in the tank. Strange.

[starsplitter7]

He may be showing weakness which prompted the other fish to attack. Can you put him in a hanging breeder or put in a divider to separate from the rest of the tank to protect the injured fish.

[franmorr1966]

I suppose he could've been showing some kind of weakness although that would be front page news. Three years with the silver dollars (6 of them), and I never saw any harassing behavior. And the clowns? They don't harass the big guys.

If he looks worse today then the divider would work; trying to net the fish and isolate him elsewhere would be too stressful for both of us.

Thank you for the divider idea; hadn't thought of it and I have a divider in the basement.

[starsplitter7]

I just mean that if he was feeling ill or got hurt, the others may have taken advantage when they normally wouldn't. I hope he is feeling better.

[franmorr1966]

Thank you.

He looks no worse, doesn't even look ill except for the stubs where the pec fins used to be. I've been keeping the light off too cause they're more comfortable in the subdued lighting. The group still mingles together; I have to look close to see who's who.

I plan on doing a water change this afternoon and throwing some aquarium salt in.

Again, thanks for your suggestions.

[starsplitter7]

Watch the salt with the loaches and if you have Cories. Neither tolerate it well and if you do add it, make usr eit is really slow, so you don't upset the balance in their bodies.

[franmorr1966]

Hi.

I don't own cories and the clowns have done well with salt for short periods.

I diluted the salt first in water and poured half/half over a period of a half hour. Also I used less than the recommended amount.

I think this missing pec issue is a freak thing, but was just very shocking to see.

Thanks.