Broken Gill Plate

[bardies]

Everyone is here now, and the new batch seem to be very happy in their little pond. Although it looks like Soba 17 inch sanke has broken her gill plate. No open wound - or other evidence of trauma, just some hinging going on in the middle and it was initially noticeable because the flap of skin extending from the plate isnt covering the gill hole flat. Wonder if she was just near a shelf - spooked and knocked the bottom of her head.

Main questions - with the opening (smallish) compromise her breathing performance?

And - with no wound to treat - do I just try to keep conditions as good as possible and let it heal on its own?

Or - could there be further damage that would warrent more intrusive investigation?

She is acting great.

I will be attending a club meeting tonight and will ask about it - but I suspect that watching and keeping things pristine is the way to go....plus, finish the big pond soon - so she wont have ANY shelves to knock into.

Oh, pH is steady at 7.8. Ammonia is currently zero - but we've on fed the tiniest bit so far - this group hasnt eaten for about 10 days. Salt is about .9 percent o or wait - .09...anyway - not near the 2 or 3 treatment level. Temps are between 69 and 74. And I dont want to put her into the show tank - as that is where the old batch of fish - two pretty bad off are healing (hopefully) from those fin rot type wounds. Suspect that the culprits are ammonia burn from shipping then way high pH - with some swing, then anchorworms.

Looked the fish over pretty close when I doing pH acclimation, and didnt notice this - dont think it was there.

Thanks, Kim

[ChrisC]

Kim, I know that Duncan Griffith's covers gil plate injuries in his book but I have mine elsewhere and can't check for you. Anyone have theirs handy???

[cindy]

Kim, is it opening and closing at all? I have one completly missing a gill plate.

I'm more concerned with the salt at .9. why is it that high?

[bardies]

Sorry about that - salt is .09. Yes, .9 would be wayyy too much. The gill closes - but there is a small section that stays open a little - perhaps 1/2 to 3/4 of a cm long. Good to know that fish can survive without a plate.
Kim

[bardies]

Oh, sorry - gill opens just fine, too.

[cindy]

the salt, did you do 9 lbs for 1000 gallons? That would be .9? .09 is just about .1 which would be 1 lb for 1000 gallons (I'm math challenged)

.1% salt in 100 US gallons is .8333 pounds.
.1% salt in 1000 US gallons is 8.333 pounds.

.3% salt in 100 US gallons is 2.5 pounds.
.3% salt in 1000 US gallons is 25 pounds.

.6% salt in 100 US gallons is 5.0 pounds.
.6% salt in 1000 US gallons is 50 pounds.

.15% salt in one US ton(264 gallons) is 3.313 pounds