I have a ?

Question
QUESTION: I know this might not be your thing but i was wondering if you knew anything about catfish? I have a catfish with some long whiskers and one looks like its rotting off. Is it a type of fin rot? Its the only fish with it. Or maybe a bacterial problem.

ANSWER: Hi Brian,
  Is there any chance that another fish in the tank might have bitten it?  (That is more likely than it actually rotting off)

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: No there isn't any other fish.  The catfish is a redtail/tiger shovel nose hybrid about 6 inches.  The only time there is any fish other than him in the tank is when i feed him.  PH and water conditions are fine also.

Answer
Hi Brian,
 Hmm... that's pretty hard to say then.  It could be some kind of fin rot but I find that almost all cases of fin rot are not fin rot at all, but rather the result of attacks by other fish.  I have in all my years of keeping fish, seen VERY few cases of actual fin rot.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>