Black neons

[Storm]

I purchase 6 black neons on Thursday and two are already dead. I have them in my cycled 10G QT. I noticed one swimming eratically on Friday, I removed him and in a matter of minutes he was dead. Immediately after that, I tested the levels and did a 40% water change. Today, I found another one dead with blood red coloring all along the top of his body. I tested the levels again and did another water change.

Levels are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:10
PH: 7.6

Any ideas?

 

[fufanu360]

hmmff, ur levels are perfect... i have no idea wat could have been wrong, what was the temp?

 

[Storm]

The temp is 77.

 

[Rodders]

Dont neons die a lot cause they are so inbred or something?

 

[Storm]

Dont neons die a lot cause they are so inbred or something?

Oh great...thanks!

I was wondering if they are more delicate towards water conditions? Or maybe they were sick when I bought them....

 

[sylvia]

Black neons though?

Could be septicemia due to the red coloring but that doesn't explain the erratic behaviour and sudden deaths. I'm sorry to say you'll likely lose all the fish and you've got a bad batch. Good thing you QUARANTINED. Don't worry - go get some more in a couple of weeks from somewhere else and you'll probably find they are fine.

 

[Rodders]

They like mature water so i've been told, but yours sounds fine.

 

[sylvia]

Yep true - did some research though...

Septicemia CAN cause erratic swimming but that's usualy when the cause is ammonia poisoning which it obviously isn't.

Unfrotunately, it actualy looks like you have encountered 'neon tetra disease'. It can effect all fish so is not specific to neons. It is also considered incurable, causes loss of color and erratic swimming. I'm almost 100% certain this was the cause.

 

[Storm]

Thanks for the research and input, Sylvia. And thank you others...

I am always cautious when I buy fish I haven't kept before but I hope you're right and it's just a "bad" batch.

Thanks again.

 

[BobK]

It could also be some other type of bacterial infection. I'd bring them back to the lfs for a refund and to find out if they've had similar problems with the same batch of fish. Black Neons are sensitive but they are hardier than regular Neons.

 

[Storm]

I lost another one this morning. It's really hard seeing these guys go one by one.

I do plan to take them back but the lfs is in another town so I want to wait and see if the others make it.

Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[WILDER]

I find my black neons to be hardy and have had them one year and 4 months, but they don't like it if the water quality isn't good, sounds like septicemia, what was the ph of the lfs to your tank, maybe you just got a bad batch from your lfs.