Polypterus question...... again :)

[rayoddballfish]

Hey all i have another question about my poly. I've noticed since I bought my female lap from the LFS that whenever I do a large water change like 80-100 percent (I know I shouldnt but sometimes my tank is really dirty so i do it) my poly will exhibit some sort of fin rott or degrading. After a week with nothing however, she seems to grow it back and look normal. This has happened 3 times already and though I'm not worried I want to know why?

Possibly because of stress (the huge water change)
Also when I do large water changes like that, I have to take her out first and often times she struggles and loses a few scales or some slime coat.

could this mean when she is stressed her immune system is down and bacteria can enter?

Or she has an internal parasitic thing that she can fight off when she is healthy but when stressed it takes over and roots her fins?


thxs also if you guys have any experiences with this tell me what happened and what you believe is causing this!


thxs

Ray

 

[kno4te]

Could be stress from water changes and removing the fish. Would keep it at 50% wc once to twice a week based on ur feeding and water parameters. Don’t remove the poly and also use a water conditioner.

Stress can place at risk for infection so try to keep a routine that the fish won’t stress from.

 

[magpie]

In the future, there is a poly subforum that you'll get more hits on vs. general aquaria.

My question is why are you doing a WC so large that requires you to remove the fish? That's not good for stress or as you mentioned, you can cause damage to her.

Can you post pics? I don't really hear about fin rot and polys that much. I wonder if you're just damaging her tail when you move her.

If you do regular water changes, 50% once a week, you won't need to do the huge water changes unless you're overstocked. I'm not familiar with your tank - how big is it and what else is in it?

 

[SteelNSorcery]

If the tank is dirty more frequent smaller changes of water will suffice. What are you feeding? This could be a vitamin deficit that is rearing it's head when your polys are stressed. I recommend either hikari or NLS for their contents but a bit of Kent Zoe may help boost their systems back to a state of normalcy.

 

[Yoimbrian]

Please define what you mean by sometimes your tank is really dirty?

Skipping water changes for a while and then doing 100% is not ok, the fish suffer from being in dirty water and then they suffer from osmotic shock when you change the water. The only time 100% water changes are ok is those silly discus people, and only because they do it twice a week and there is no shock since the water wasn't dirty.

Also no reason to remove your fish during regular water changes. I feel this is doubly true for polys since they can breath air....

 

[rayoddballfish]

Could be stress from water changes and removing the fish. Would keep it at 50% wc once to twice a week based on ur feeding and water parameters. Don’t remove the poly and also use a water conditioner.

Stress can place at risk for infection so try to keep a routine that the fish won’t stress from.

okay will do 50 percent now and I do use conditioner so yeah.Also should I buy stress coat or is that not necessary.

also one more thing,

The reason I do frequent water changes is due to small white skinny worms in aquarium that won't go away. Is it because of over feeding or possible parasites cause I've been recently soaking my fish food in epsom salt.

 

[magpie]

Prime is great. I don't think you need stress coat per se, but maybe someone else will say yes.
Just keep up with clean water via weekly changes, good food, not moving the fish and she'll be OK.

 

[rayoddballfish]

In the future, there is a poly subforum that you'll get more hits on vs. general aquaria.

My question is why are you doing a WC so large that requires you to remove the fish? That's not good for stress or as you mentioned, you can cause damage to her.

Can you post pics? I don't really hear about fin rot and polys that much. I wonder if you're just damaging her tail when you move her.

If you do regular water changes, 50% once a week, you won't need to do the huge water changes unless you're overstocked. I'm not familiar with your tank - how big is it and what else is in it?

okay good to know i will post a pic shortly but the water change is because of particles and worms that are in the water and I don't like the looks of it lol

 

[rayoddballfish]

Prime is great. I don't think you need stress coat per se, but maybe someone else will say yes.
Just keep up with clean water via weekly changes, good food, not moving the fish and she'll be OK.

okay good to know

 

[magpie]

Good luck and please update us.