Noticed this on my 'little guy' a couple weeks ago. Pic in left is today, pic on right was when I noticed it.
Details:
92 gallon Red Sea w/UV Sterilizer, estab x 3 years
8 discus, 1 siamese algae eater, 4 rummy nose tetra
Weekly (every 5-7 days) water change 35%
Aged water, ph adjusted to 6.8, temp 86, 90% municipal water, 10% RO.
Ph 6.8, neg ammonia, neg nitrites, < 5 nitrates, temp 86.
No new fish added
Diet is frozen blood worms, discus flakes 2x/daily. Occas froz mysis shrimp or froz beef heart
Thought fin/tail rot, even though my aquarium is pristine. Removed purigen, then treated w/Melafix/Pimafix x1 week, no change. Have been giving Paraguard for 6 days, no change.
Little fella has no other symptoms, no clamped fins, appetite is excellent, no excessive slime coat, is not being picked on by anyone, remains active and always greets me at the front of the tank when I come up. No other tank mates have any s/s of illness.
I am an ED/Trauma RN, so of course I have a QT/hospital tank...lol.. I've successfully treated bloat, HITH, Velvet (on hubby's saltwater aquarium), external fungus, and a full thickness skin avulsion (in my other non-discus aquarium).
I have many antibiotics on hand, but have been reluctant to use since 1) he doesn't act ill, 2) I didn't want to kill my nio-filter, and 3) I didn't want to stress him by throwing him in the hospital tank to administer antibiotics unless I was fairly confident it would work.
Has anyone seen this? Is this what fin and tail rot looks like? This is the only area affected.
Suggestions?
Thank you in advance for your time 🤒
Signed,
Little Fella (and my worried human mom)