# Harlequin Rasbora have white fins! Help!!



## spreadtoothinly (Jul 5, 2013)

1. Size of tank? 29 gallon

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? 0 ppm
b. Nitrite? 0 ppm
c. Nitrate? somewhere around 2 ppm
d. pH, KH and GH? around 8, soft water
e. Test kit? API Master liquid test kit (freshwater)

3. Temperature? around 24 C

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? FW

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? a bit more than 2 months

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them? Cherry Barbs - 7 - biggest around 2 inches, others slightly smaller - around a month and a half; Harlequin Rasbora - 4 (used to be 7, but three have died) - around an inch - 2 and a half weeks

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)? no

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants? floating water sprite, pygmy chain sword, Brazilian pennywort 
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? sand
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors? two hollow plastic log decorations

9. a. Filtration? Penguin 200
b. Heater? 150 watt submersible

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? on at 11 AM, off at around 7 PM (not on a timer, latly it's been ore like 8 PM going off)
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? no 

11. a. Water change schedule? weekly
b. Volume of water changed? 33%
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? tap
d. Water conditioner used? Prime
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? something like once a month

12. Foods? Omega one shrimp pellets and flakes
How often are they fed? twice a day

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? one fish has a white fin, and it's always sticking out, another one has some white fuzzy looking things on is body near his gills
b. Appearance of poop? haven't seen any (though haven't been looking for it)
c. Appearance of gills? one is normal, one has white fuzzy stuff around it, as mentioned before

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? no
b. What meds were used?

15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.


It's impossible to get clear pictures, they move so fast! But I hope you can get an idea of what I mean.
Also, on died of what looked like big white Tumors, and two died of nothing, as far as I could see. One died, didn't know what of, then a week passed and I though I was in the clear, then another died of "nothing" and one had the big white tumors, it survived through the day, and had died during the night. 
I don't have a quarantine, not do I have the means to get one, if that makes any difference.
PLEASE help me try and cure my fish!


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
how awful for you,and the fish..did you buy these ras all together ?
i wonder if you bought an already damaged batch ?
i don't think there is anything you can do for a tumour,
water changes to keep the water as clean as possible,perhaps by a melafix
or prime ? as a general all round,
i hope someone else will pop along with some more helpful suggestions.


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## spreadtoothinly (Jul 5, 2013)

> did you buy these ras all together ?


yes


> i wonder if you bought an already damaged batch ?


it is possible, I got them from Pet smart so... but I got the C.B. from the same store, and they were fine so...
No more have died, and so far none of the Cherry Barbs are affected, I'm SO happy for that!


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hopefully all will be well now.
good luck :-D


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## spreadtoothinly (Jul 5, 2013)

Thanks!
Another H. R. died today...


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

:-( oh no


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## Chesh (Feb 17, 2012)

Oh, honey! I'm so sorry!!! *hugs*


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hi spreadtoothinly. I'm thinking the white stuff you're seeing is slime coat and dead tissue from a possible columnaris infection, or a possible external parasite infestation. Unfortunately the symptoms really mimic each other so it's hard to tell for sure which it is without lab tests. 

I would suggest treating with API Melafix, as willow suggested. This is a natural remedy so it won't harm your plants or your cycle. However, if the cause is truly bacterial in nature and truly columnaris, it won't help (but it won't have harmed either). It will be effective, I believe, against any external parasites and some mild bacterial infections.

If that doesn't work, let us know and we can work another treatment out.

Good luck!


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## spreadtoothinly (Jul 5, 2013)

I could get some Melafix but I don't know if it would get here in time, I only have two more right now and they both have the white stuff on their fins...
Should I get anyway, is it the kind of thing that is always good to have around?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yes, it certainly won't hurt to have it around. I like it as a non-medical remedy when we're not exactly sure what the cause of the symptoms is.


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