Fin Rot or Old Age?

[Lepisosteus]

Do you clean the filter Media with chlorinated tap water?

 

[neutrino]

One issue I have with the API tests is that I'm colorblind so accuracy in test results is a best guess for me. I've brought the misses in most times to get a second pair of eyes on it.

And yes I shake the living tar out of the solution bottles.

Yes, they don't make it easy for the color challenged.

Like I said, I'd have paid more attention to it if multiple fish in the tank were showing increasing fin issues, breathing issues, odd behavior, etc. But (having bred them for over 15 years) with Malawi cichlids, aggression, chasing, and fin nipping is a frequent and obvious suspect when fins suddenly start looking ragged.

 

[Dalfrey86]

Do you clean the filter Media with chlorinated tap water?

I have a system where I vacuum the water out of tank to a 28L bucket. I'll rinse the sponge filter with dirty tank water to blow off any chunks. Than when I fill the tank I do the reverse. I'll put chlorinated water in a clean 5 gallon bucket and rinse the filters off that way. I'll than use that bucket to prime the filter boxes.

May sound complex but I use a lot of different hose for very specific jobs.

 

[Dalfrey86]

Yes, they don't make it easy for the color challenged.

Like I said, I'd have paid more attention to it if multiple fish in the tank were showing increasing fin issues, breathing issues, odd behavior, etc. But (having bred them for over 15 years) with Malawi cichlids, aggression, chasing, and fin nipping is a frequent and obvious suspect when fins suddenly start looking ragged.

And thankfully this was the only one so I am thinking it is some fighting when the lights are out.