Disaster in my fish tank.

[Lolly8]

Originally Posted by caledonia

The tail should grow back. How has it happened though, what else is in there? To be cut off like that it must have been something very sharp in the tank, sharp edge on a rock or something?

It doesn't look like fin rot

Hi.I have no idea how this happened.They've got new setup 7 months ago.As I mentioned before he has had tail a bit ripped on the edges before but since they got new setup,his tail never been ripped anymore.I think artifical plants caused his tail rip so I changed them for very soft ones and there is only 3 now.It has improved well.So can't be plants this time as plants don't cut like this anyway.No rocks in tank just one stump and no sharp edges on this one.I was off from work today,staring at my tank most of the day and thinking...All I can think is filter.Can he got stuck somehow in there?It's Elite Stringray,put this also 7 months ago,no problems.It is a bit weird shape filter if you've seen one.But again then-how and where he got stuck in there?

Originally Posted by wilsonathome

just spoke to my dad, he said it should grow back but it will take some time

Thanks!That's great to know!

[Lolly8]

Originally Posted by purplelinda

its very strange, are there more fish in the tank?, is there something he could have traped his tail in, but as its very clean looking, it looks as if its been sliced off, it should not cause him too much trouble, just keep a eye on him, let us know if he starts to act strange, do you use watersafe?

Hi!There is one more comet only. It's a smaller and more shy,same age.The big one( the one who's tail is cut off) chasing smaller one sometimes when feeding time but other times they are always next to each other,doing their fishy stuff together and are big friends.
I will keep a eye on him.He's been acting normal at the moment.I wish he could talk to me....

[Alan1]

I've kept fish for over 20 years Lolly and never seen that. If the other fish had done it it would have eaten the part lying on the bottom too I would have thought. I'm not familiar with those filters as I use Eheim cannisters but I've never ever come across any filter that could do that.
The only thing I can think of is a touch of fin rot but that usually works its way from the outer edges unless perhaps there was a cut on the part that has came off and rot set in there. Very strange.

When a fish has fin rot others will try to nibble the fins. Are all the other fins apart from the tail perfectly formed?

[wilsonathome]

is this the filter your using?

this came with a second hand tank i bought, i haven't used it but i think there is a chance the tail could have got trapped in one of the gaps

[Alan1]

How would the tail get in though? The filter hasn't enough power to suck it in plus there is the filter media that would prevent anything getting in

I think it most likely is fin rot, if you look up "My goldfish has lost its tail" on Google it throws up fin rot every time. I've had fish with fin rot but not that type of fish that Lolly has.

Expert: David St - 4/29/2008
Question
My two year old fancy goldfish is having some trouble with her tail. She lives in a 15 gallon aqua with one other goldfish, one platy, and a few guppies. Two months ago she developed a clear blister at the base of her tail, which popped in a week leaving a hole. She still has the hole in her tail, and has lost over this period of two months three pieces from her tail. We find these long thin pieces from her tail on the floor of the aqua. She seems healthy other than these problems. Before she started having problems, we changed a third of her water once a week, and maintained her salt at one teaspoon per gallon. Since her blister, we have been changing a third of her water three times a week, and have slowly increased her salt to three teaspoons a gallon. Her pH is a constant 7.5, and the ammonia is 0ppm.
Her fellow goldfish had a problem with his tail shortly before she began her troubles. His tail was all ripped and he had some black edges, but he has improved on his own. The torn parts of his tail are healing, the black edge on his front fin has completely disappeared and the black edge on part of his tail has decreased.
thank you in advance for your help!
Answer
Aquarium salt should be used per its instructions which is usually one tablespoon per five us gallons. It sounds like your goldfish have fin/tail rot which can be treated with medication. I would also go back to a regular routine of tank maintenance. If it were my tank I would change 20% of the water twice a week. You can find fish medication at most aquarium stores. I hope this helps... dave

[welshlass22]

Awww poor lil fishy
Hope it's tail does grow back....

[Lolly8]

Originally Posted by caledonia

Are all the other fins apart from the tail perfectly formed?

Yes,all the other fins are perfect.Nothing on it or ripped or anything else.Just perfect.Also his tail was perfect just day before he lost part of it.I'm watching them every single day to be sure they are ok.His tail has been perfect condition since I changed everything in their setup.Never ripped even a little...All the fins were and are perfect.So is the other fish.Both swimming like nothing happend.....
I found these pices of tail next to the filter that's why I was thinking it might be the filter....

[Lolly8]

Originally Posted by wilsonathome

is this the filter your using?

this came with a second hand tank i bought, i haven't used it but i think there is a chance the tail could have got trapped in one of the gaps

Yes,that's the one.These gaps there made me think about it aswell...

what water treatment do you use?

[Lolly8]

Originally Posted by purplelinda

what water treatment do you use?

Tetra Aquasafe.
And water quality test has been done three days ago.Was ok.I used Tetra Test 6+1 but run out now of it so need new one.