Red fine veins on tail fin
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Red fine veins on tail fin
Hi,
Anyone's Mbu have long and very fine red veins running thru the tail fin? Can only be seen upclose. My only worry is that they are some kind of parasitic worm or something.. does not seems to change position or moves though..
Anyone's Mbu have long and very fine red veins running thru the tail fin? Can only be seen upclose. My only worry is that they are some kind of parasitic worm or something.. does not seems to change position or moves though..
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- Pufferpunk
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
Generally caused by bacterial infection. Clean water, very low nitrate & Melafix.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
- sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
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Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
Sounds like hemorrhagic septicemia. But I only say this because of the back of medications show a drawing indicating red streaking on body or fins for hemorrhagic septicemia. It may be something less severe.
Were there any changes done to the tank that may have introduced a bacterial infection, like any new fish or anything?
Were there any changes done to the tank that may have introduced a bacterial infection, like any new fish or anything?

- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
They have been there ever since i got him few mths ago.. Only now I start to wonder.. I try to get a pic when he flares.
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
I just looked this up on google and its HORRIFYING!! thank Goodness it doesnt look anything like that!sevenyearnight wrote:Sounds like hemorrhagic septicemia. But I only say this because of the back of medications show a drawing indicating red streaking on body or fins for hemorrhagic septicemia. It may be something less severe.
Were there any changes done to the tank that may have introduced a bacterial infection, like any new fish or anything?
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: T. nigroviridis
Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
Oh no.. This being moved to the hospital thread worries me....
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- xrayjeeper83
- Mbu Puffer
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- Location: Orange Park, FL
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
I wouldnt worry just cause it got moved there. Its possible a medical problem
RTR wrote:Fahakas do not have tank mates, they may have swimming food reserves.
- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
Ok.. I m still in denial.. Waiting for someone to say " ah.. That's normal! Mine had that too! " hopefully..
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
ok. I manage to snap some pics. The red veins are not very obvious. so probably u have to look hard...
Well, the slightly deformed caudal fin was already there when I he was in the LFS..
Well, the slightly deformed caudal fin was already there when I he was in the LFS..
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I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- Pufferpunk
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
I don't see the red. Doesn't look like an infection. Are you adding Melafix?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
- xrayjeeper83
- Mbu Puffer
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Abei named Huey
GSP named Bacon - Location (country): USA
- Location: Orange Park, FL
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
Looks normal. Wonder if the light hit the tail right and you just saw the normal veins running through the tail
RTR wrote:Fahakas do not have tank mates, they may have swimming food reserves.
- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
I have highlighted the area. Its very, very, very fine. click on the attachment to see the bigger pic, it helps. I have to literally put my nose on the tank glass to see it. They really looked like veins, or hopefully not some parasitic worm underneath the skin.. Nothing has been done to it yet, no med or anything..
I hope that these are normal veins.. so hopefully some Mbu owners could help me to cfm these.. This is my first big puffer so when it flares, the big yellow tail is BIG... maybe thats y the "veins" are more noticeable.
I hope that these are normal veins.. so hopefully some Mbu owners could help me to cfm these.. This is my first big puffer so when it flares, the big yellow tail is BIG... maybe thats y the "veins" are more noticeable.
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Last edited by scpion on Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- scpion
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:57 am
- My Puffers: 23in Mbu, donated to SEA Aquarium
4in Fahaka 150g - Location (country): singapore
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
Its really really really hard to snap these pics.. I snapped >100s... I am the ip poop guy...
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Red fine veins on tail fin
I really think you have nothing to worry about but Melafix won't hurt for a week or 2.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"