Potential Problem with Fin Rot

[TiggertheOscar]

I started having a problem with fin rot a month or so ago when a few of my gaurami's died as a result of what I think to be fin rot. 3 in a row one about every week.
Now I notice a couple of my long time buddies, a Neon Sword and a Red wag Platy are (or seem to be) coming down with the same thing. I also notice in a different tank that 2 of my Oscars' fins are white around the edges and one( who seems to be very healthy by the way) has a pretty big area on his fin where it has "split" or whithered to where it is very noticeable.
I am still a rookie to keeping fish, and I have rearranged the tanks, done some pretty drastic changes, as well as fallen into the category of " the water is clear so it must be ok" syndrom.
I have grown pretty attached to all of these fish, not to mention I have quite a bit of time and Money involved in bringing them into my home. I would really hate for "Silver Belly", "Mama Fish", "Tigger", and "Red" to suffer from either my neglegence or just plain stupidity.
It is obvious to me that I have stressed them to the point of getting ill, and well, now I want to correct the situation before it is too late.
My question is, should I purchase medicine, if so which is the best?
If medicine is overrated, what steps can I take to correct it and in the future prevent it?
My tanks test like this:
20 Gallon Hex-PH:7.5; Ammonia:0 PPM; Nitrite:0 PPM; Nitrate:5 to 10 PPM
75 Gallon-PH:7.5; Ammonia:0 PPM; Nitrite:.25 PPM; Nitrate:40 PPM (This may be because I recently switch substrates from gravel to sand...I hope)
Any and all help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thank You in advance.
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[img=http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/56/imag0136h.th.jpg]
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[littletankbigworld]

Wow...those are extremely high nitrates. Did you do a water change? If not, you definitely should change at least 50% of the water. Make sure you are using water conditioner/dechlorinator. Are your tanks fully cycled?

 

[OrangeCones]

Fin rot is brought on by poor water conditions in most cases.

The 75 gallon seems to be going through a mini-cycle with the nitrite spike. A lot of the beneficial bacteria live in the gravel, so if you've changed it recently, that could definately account for it.

I'd do a 50% water change (I am assuming this is where the oscars are) on the 75 gallon tank. They need large and frequent water changes to keep them healthy, as they are large waste producers. The 40 nitrate reading is not too high, but the high end of safe. Try to keep it under 20. Ammonia and nitrite should always be 0. If its not, do large water changes until it is.

The readings on the smaller tank shows good right now. Just be diligent on small frequent water changes (10-15% weekly) to keep the water in excellent condition, especially while medicating.

For both tanks: If you have any carbon in a filter, remove it for the medication period. Look into medication at your local fish store for fin rot. I've never dealt with it personally, but there are antibiotics that will help the fish heal. Perhaps someone here can recommend a specific brand or type.

Good luck!

 

[lynx336699]

i would use melafix for the finrot it always seems effective to me.