What Is the Clamp Fin on a Fish?

Not all fish have a "clamp fin," as it isn't a specific part of their anatomies. Clamped fins are actually often a sign of something being amiss with an aquarium fish. If you ever notice clamping of your pet's fins, it could indicate numerous health-related ailments, so pay attention.

  1. Identifying Clamped Fins

    • If you gaze into your aquarium only to notice one of your fish holding his fins conspicuously tautly over his physique, then he probably is clamping his fins. The fins simply don't seem as loose and broad as they typically are. You might also notice that your fish looks strained and tense, on the whole. In some cases, it might even seem that the fish has lost the ability to swim properly.

    Clamped Fins and the Shimmies

    • Clamped fins commonly indicate the shimmies in pet fish. This isn't an exact medical condition, but rather a behavior frequently associated with extreme discomfort in fish. Shimmying often signifies that a fish simply doesn't have adequate command over his body, specifically the muscles and nerves.

    Indications of the Shimmies

    • Apart from exhibiting clamped fins, fish experiencing the shimmies frequently move their bodies back and forth in swaying motions. They also appear to exhibit problems with breathing. Incessant trembling of the head often signifies a bout of the shimmies as well.

    Water Quality

    • Shimmying and clamped fins are prevalent in fish that are frustrated because of their surroundings. A major source of this type of frustration stems from water quality issues. Whether the temperature of the tank is inappropriate, the water is excessively acidic or anything else, it is important to always gradually adjust the water to the right, healthy state. Never be abrupt in switching out water, however, as the last thing you want to do is shock your poor fish.

    Diseases

    • Apart from water troubles, clamped fins can also point to disease in fish. Two prominent examples are tetrahymena, or guppy disease, and a parasitic illness known as gold dust disease. In spite of the naming, guppy disease is not exclusive to guppies. Fish experiencing the former disease often display signs such as exhausting and difficulty breathing, along with clamped fins. One telling symptom of tetrahymena is the emergence of white blots all over the fish's fins and sides. Fish experiencing the latter disease, on the other hand, frequently give off excessive gooey discharge via their skin, press their bodies onto surfaces a lot, seem unusually tired and have no interest in eating their meals.