[DanInPA]

75 gallon (48x18x21)

1.5-2 inches each - intentionally overstocked to reduce aggression
6 - yellow labs
6 - maingano
6 - rusty
6 - yellow tail acei

Tank has been setup for just over 2 months during which time fishless cycle was performed. 3.0 ppm ammonia and Nitrites were clearing in less than 24 hours for 1 week prior to adding any fish. Kept dosing ammonia up until stocking. 90% water change was performed to reduce Nitrates before adding fish 1 week ago. Dose with Prime and Stability with each water change. Water PH is 8.2 out of the tap, hence why I went with the Cichlids.

Have had the fish for 1 week, during the week since getting the fish, 1 - 25% water change was performed.

Today's water parameters per API test kits:
Temp: 80.3
PH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: about 20
GH: 11
KH: 18

I'm trying to decide if some of my fish have fin rot. There are a few that have ragged tails. They are not sluggish in any way, actually anytime anyone comes close to the tank, they all come to the side of the tank. I am feeding them slowly sinking pellets twice a day and they are very active eaters. They eat everything in less than a minute each time. I am including a link for a photo. If this is fin rot, are there suggestions for treatment?

Rusty_fin_rot by Daniel Wentz, on Flickr

Thanks.

 

[DJRansome]

If you have only had the fish one week, not much time to have fin rot. Did they arrive with damaged fins? Are the edges mushy or do the edges look like a clean sever?

I am going to guess aggression. I would do a 50% PWC to get nitrates down to about 10ppm.

 

[DanInPA]

Thanks. It makes sense that they wouldn't have time to develop fin rot since I received them. Unfortunately I was just happy that I received them, and that they all seemed alive and happy, that I did not pay close attention to the condition of their tails and fins at that time. I guess it could be some aggression, but I haven't really noticed much since I have had them. There is the occasional chase, but pretty infrequent. I have been performing pretty frequent water changes, even after cycling and before adding the fish to try to get the nitrates down. I decided to perform another nitrate test on my tap water and discovered it is 5-10ppm out of the tap. Do you, or anyone else on this forum have any experience with Seachem Purigen or other options to reduce the Nitrates? I will probably introduce some live plants as well. I really don't want to go the RO route. Thanks again.

 

[DJRansome]

Well those fins are pretty damaged so I would observe the other rusties and try to see who is attacking that fish and any others with damages fins or scales. Or if a fish of another species is attacking them. Is it only the rusties that are getting damaged?