BN Pleco fin damaged

**zfarsh** · 08-03-2011, 01:30 PM

Hi, just wandering if Bristlenose Pleco grow back their fins, as one of them got riped/damaged. It is at baby stage currently.

**bignellm** · 08-03-2011, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by zfarsh

Hi, just wandering if Bristlenose Pleco grow back their fins, as one of them got riped/damaged. It is at baby stage currently.

Ripped off or just torn and still there?

**zfarsh** · 08-03-2011, 03:02 PM

ripped off

**bignellm** · 08-03-2011, 03:08 PM

OUCH! From what I've been reading, yes fin will grow back, but area will be scarred up from the damage. You'll need to keep up on basic care (feeding, tank cleaning, and water changes), as is a critical time for the fish.
It may be a good idea to add a pharmaceutic to tank or quarantine in separate tank and medicate fish with something like Melafix.
I defer to others to add to this or rebuke, as I've not had a fish lose a fin before.

**MCools** · 08-03-2011, 05:27 PM

As long as the base of the fin has not been damaged it should grow back. It may take a while, though so you will have to keep a close eye on it to make sure it isn't having a hard time.

Do you have it in a hospital tank? You might want to do that if you haven't already.

The biggest thing for your fish right now is super clean water. I would also add aquarium salt to help prevent any secondary infections from setting in. Follow the directions on the box.

Melafix also won't hurt, but the salt is cheaper and you don't need both.

If you have live plants in there they might not like the salt and a hospital tank will be your best bet.

Be patient, your fish will eventually recover. I currently have a goldfish slowly re-growing his tail so I know it's possible!

EDIT: Did you find out how it got hurt? You need to make sure it won't happen again....

**bignellm** · 08-03-2011, 06:57 PM

+1 MCools.

**zfarsh** · 08-03-2011, 11:03 PM

i have no idea how it got hurt, to be honnest.

**bignellm** · 08-04-2011, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by zfarsh

i have no idea how it got hurt, to be honnest.

Got any aggressives in the tank?
Who's the tankmates?
How about decor?
What items are in the tank? Any sharp rocks?

**ekfishlover2011** · 08-25-2011, 11:17 PM

Something bit one of my male baby mollies tail fin whole way to base, i think it was his brother, theyr almost breeding age and only one sister is left because i sold the rest, somehow he still swam with no tail, and it grew back within a week. Maybe its because hes young, u know, young and growing, so it grew faster. But yea, fins grow back, it will look wierd, because the new fin is clear, insted of whatever color it's supposed to be, but over time the pigments come back too. My mollies slowly turning it back to black...