Fins growing back

[cbbub]

Hello, this is my first post on this site...

I have 5 juvenile (about 1")  Lamp. Meleagris that I recently moved into a 10 gallon tank.  They were in a 55 with some other species, I bought them all juvenile from a breeder, but the shellies were the smallest and got beat up pretty bad.  I saved them all and gave them their own tank.  They seem to be happy now.  They have taken to their new shells and are eating just fine.  However, their back fins were pretty much all gone, and also their side fins as well.  They have been on their own for two weeks now and aren't fighting with eachother but I am wondering will their fins will grow back and how long should I expect it to take?  Is there anything special I should do or add to this tank to help.  I do a lot of stress coat when I do my weekly water changes and otherwise the water quality is great.

Thanks!

[Sean]

They do grow back, You can give them meds to help them grow it

[fish head]

as long as they are getting better each day, and not worse, I wouldn't do anything more than you are doing...

but if I were to notice some fungus or reddishness to the fins, I'd add a little uniodide salt to the water (starting w/ 1/2 tsp per gallon and working up to 1 tsp per gallon) and up the temp to 82 F

sometimes a little fish has his tail nipped beyond the place where they regenerate and, if they are permitted to heal, they have to learn a new way to swim... not unlike a 3 legged dog that can relearn to run

just my 2 cents

[cbbub]

I'm hoping that isn't the case.  Would I used medication if there is no infection? I don't see any redness...

[buddha]

Just my opinion, but I throw some meds in there just to CYA, espcially if three are multiple fish. I certainly can't hurt. I'd try just few days of Maracyn or Maracyn II.

[Alleycat]

Welcome to shell dwellers !! 

If they've been on their own in the 10g and there's no sign of infection or fungus I would not add anything more than what you're doing on your waterchanges. They've been stressed out enough after haggling with your other fish, they don't need to more stress in their lives.
As multies stated, their fins will grow back, and will take time to do so. Will they be as good looking as a fish that never lost their fins? Probably not...

[cbbub]

Thanks for the advice. It seems I may have lost two of the little guys.  I will know for sure today when I do a water change but I have only seen three the last few days. I've been feeding live baby brine shrimp which usually makes them come out of their shells but still I see only three.  I will check the shells for bad smell today when I do WC.  Hopefully its not the case 

[liamthecoder]

sorry to hear that hopefully not,

maybe you could use minerals etc? i used to have some but cant remember the name now.

[cbbub]

I actually counted four yesterday  maybe they are all still alive and hiding in different shifts    I didn't want to starting pulling out shells to check them all as to disturb them even more.  I checked the levels of ammonia and nitrites and both are zero.  Have two filters running, a cascade and a small canister so I'm just going to keep it super clean and see what happens.  Feed fresh hatched baby brine and cyclopseez.

Poor little guys...I wonder if they eventually would breed in their crippled condition and eventually have healthy fry with all of their fins!?

[liamthecoder]

well when my friebergi attacked my empress's (bit of a rogue in his younger Days ),

anyways none of them had any fins left but when i removed the friebergi they quickly recovered...

what im trying to say is i think that they will grow back their fins after a while, i used stress coat, and aquarium minerals while feeding them brine shrimp & BloodWorm, they all survived and are the strongest looking fish in my malawi tank at the moment.

[CichInDaMind]

Just wondering if these fish recovered or not? I hope so!