Chronic ragged fins on pleco

A few months ago I noticed that my bristlenose's fins appeared to be a little ragged around the edges. I don't see her often and when I do she's usually in her cave or sitting on a rock with her fins down. I just saw her again and noticed that her fins are still ragged. No better but also no worse than they were a few months ago. There aren't any true tears in her fins, it's localized to just the very edges.

There are no fish in the tank that would be nipping her fins (currently the only other fish in the tank are two blood parrots), and no other fish in the tank has the same issue with their fins. The water quality has always been great. It's a very established 75 gallon tank that gets weekly 50-75% water changes.

I'm looking for opinions on if this may be a bacterial infection or anything else that may require treatment. I'm not sure if it's common with bacterial infections to stick around for months and not cause excessive issues other than some slightly ragged fins.

I can't get pictures of the issue, she never sticks around showing off her fins long enough for photos. Her fin edges just don't appear to be complete, there's obvious pieces missing but just from the very edges.

 

The problem is likely either a nutritional issue, gentic or both.
On rare occasions I've experienced similar fin problems with various species of fish.
All affected fish started off perfectly normal, but as things progressed incurable fin erosion began. The fish acted completely normal. The tankmates fins remained heathy. No aggression problems.
Most lived relatively long normal lives, but had slightly tattered fins.
Might try changing up the menu. Likely just a cosmetic problem.

 

The problem is likely either a nutritional issue, gentic or both.
On rare occasions I've experienced similar fin problems with various species of fish.
All affected fish started off perfectly normal, but as things progressed incurable fin erosion began. The fish acted completely normal. The tankmates fins remained heathy. No aggression problems.
Most lived relatively long normal lives, but had slightly tattered fins.
Might try changing up the menu. Likely just a cosmetic problem.

Thank you, your experience does definitely sound similar to what I'm seeing. I'll make more of an effort with her diet to see if that improves her fins. I feed her zucchini or spinach at least once a week. On the days she doesn't get the veggies she gets either an omega one veggie round, nls algemax wafer or bug bites pleco formula, but I'll work on upping her veggie intake.

 

Hi all,
I think there is a problem with the tank mates if you don’t see her feeding on the zucchini in the day time..? I believe I could get a photo at anytime day or night by adding zucchini to any tank . Why does she not stick around? That is my question.
Are the blood parrots male and female? Even two females may be laying eggs and the BN pleco is cleaning them up at the same time as getting attacked. Why are her fins down if she is not getting hit?

You have hinted that she is a long finned BN , is that the case A201 ?

 

Hi all,
I think there is a problem with the tank mates if you don’t see her feeding on the zucchini in the day time..? I believe I could get a photo at anytime day or night by adding zucchini to any tank . Why does she not stick around? That is my question.
Are the blood parrots male and female? Even two females may be laying eggs and the BN pleco is cleaning them up at the same time as getting attacked. Why are her fins down if she is not getting hit?

You have hinted that she is a long finned BN , is that the case A201 ?

I have her veggie clip where I put the veggies and drop her wafers behind a rock so that the blood parrots can't get to it but there's plenty of room for her to get to. I can see her when she's on that, but when she's relaxed she doesn't have her fins extended so I'm unable to see her fins. Other than that she's always been reclusive, has never appreciated me staring at her. Even when she's on the zucchini, if I make it too obvious that I'm watching her she'll swim away.

The parrots are a pair and they do spawn. But the pleco absolutely does not touch their nest, I wish she did. It's up to me to remove the eggs each time as no one in the tank does.

I specifically set up the tank with rockwork/caves that the pleco has free reign of and the blood parrots can't get to so they never really interact.

She is a standard finned brown bristlenose pleco.

 

Fair enough AngryRainbow , it was worth a thought?
Females are a bit more reclusive , which might just explain the behaviour?
Does she have a bit of rotting driftwood to chew on?

 

Fair enough AngryRainbow , it was worth a thought?
Females are a bit more reclusive , which might just explain the behaviour?
Does she have a bit of rotting driftwood to chew on?

I agree and appreciate the concern. There is driftwood in the tank as well.