Fin development problem with fry

[davej]

Has anyone experienced problems with fin development in their fry?
Some of the fry are having issues with fin development.
Many are perfect so I can rule out water conditions I think.
Although water here is very very soft.During water changes I buffer with Seachem equilibrium and alkalinity booster, to top up GH and KH. Could it be a calcium deficiency? I am perplexed.
I wonder if there is something missing in their diet even though I feed a wide variety of foods.
Could it just be damage from fighting and growing back funny?

[2wheelsx2]

As we talked about, could it be population pressure and this is the result of fighting when still small and subsequent healing with deformities?

[krazyGeoff]

Hi,
I have experienced this also, only with Peckoltia species though.
My current theory is that it is related to pressure / damage on the eggs whilst the embryo is still developing. Perhaps being 'squashed' by the father if the cave is slightly small etc, similar to 2wheelsx2 suggestion, but actually before hatching.
Rather than water parameters, or genetics.

I think I made a post a year or so ago about it.

Cheers

[Erlend D Bertelsen]

I have seen fins like this in two of over 300 juveniles of HZ. But I don’t know why. The fins are deformed on both sides.

E

[Barbie]

I have always attributed fins like this to injuries to each other when they are young. I had some Sturisoma that chewed hell out of each other in a fry condo in a 1 week period that grew fins just like these. IMO, it is caused by not enough room/cover and not enough food while they are still young enough that the fins themselves are soft enough to be damaged when they chew on each other. More driftwood rubble and spreading the group out totally stopped the problem for me.

Barbie

[davej]

I am going to try and give them more cover as suggested.
Thanks for the input!