Exremely Swollen Neon Tetra

[scooterchick]

Noticed it looked a bit fat a couple of days ago, tonight it looks like it's about to explode. Haven't tested the water for about a week, water changed last night and again tonight, currently treating a couple of guppies with finrot. There's a diamond tetra looking a bit pale and lethargic, it really is turning into a sick tank. Got the tank and fish about 6 weeks ago, have been doing regular water changes since but before I got it it hadn't been cleaned for at least a couple of months. The water looked ok but when we started vaccing the gravel it was dark brown. However that was then and this now.

Anyway, what do you think about the tetra? Could it be neon tetra disease? I hope not cos I've read the only thing you do is euthanise the diseased fish to try and prevent further infection. Grateful for any replies.

 

[WILDER]

Need water stats.
Ntd.
Lose there colour in the red stripe, can look bleached out, creamy white to brown.
Can have a black linning around the red.
Cysts on the belly that go to a point.
Will stay away from the shoal.
What do you feed the fish.
Is it swollen the tummy or a lump

 

[scooterchick]

Back in 5. Will test the water. The belly's def swollen, both sides, not a lump. Doesn't seem to have lost colour except on the swollen bit. He/she is hiding inbetween the filters, away from the shoal. Eek. Back soon.

 

[WILDER]

Ok they can lose colour when they swell in that area, but I would still keep an eye on the neons for fading white in the red stripe.
Not much to be done really only a epson salt bath and shelled peas.
Is he struggling to maintain his balance.
http/www.fishjunkies.com/Treatments/salt.php

 

[scooterchick]

Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 10/20ppm (not very good at comparing the colour)
PH - 7.5 (consistent)
Temp 28

Not looking good.

 

[WILDER]

Water stats are very good so need to worry there.

 

[scooterchick]

Ok they can lose colour when they swell in that area, but I would still keep an eye on the neons for fading white in the red stripe.
Not much to be done really only a epson salt bath and shelled peas.
Is he struggling to maintain his balance.
http/www.fishjunkies.com/Treatments/salt.php

Emm, he looks a bit unhappy but I wouldn't say he was struggling to keep his balance. A bit twitchy perhaps. Oh, I feed them flake food, a small amount every couple of days, the tank is very overcrowded which I trying to address, so I deliberately underfeed them.

I've noticed that none of the neons' red stripe runs the whole length of the body, the red bit starts half way and ends in the tail. is this normal?

 

[WILDER]

Ok ovrstocking can lead to stress and ill health.
Bad diet need frozen foods and veg.
Frozen daphnia very good for digesting a fish food, brimestrrimps, bloodworms, but don't feed them more tha twice a week as they are high in protein.
Look under feeding.
http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/viruses.shtml
Cook some frozen peas for a few minutes let cook down, pop out of shell, mush betwen fingers into small bits, then add to the tank.


No the red stripe should run across the whole body of the fish.
Can you get a pic up.
So some of the red has gone and looks bleached out.

 

[scooterchick]

You think maybe he's constipated or something? I'll go and boil some peas just now. What I do for these fish!!! Thanks for all your help, back soon xxx

 

[WILDER]

http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/disease/p/neondisease.htm

Look under ntd could being dealing with it.
http/www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html#NTD

 

[scooterchick]

Hi, here's a pic of a supposedly healthy tetra. The red stripe is def more prominent in his rear end. I'm just waiting for the peas to cool.

 

[WILDER]

They look fine to me.
To be honest that long since I've kept neons can't remember where the red stripe starts.
Fingers crossed, but to be honest he might not make it.

 

[scooterchick]

Thnaks Wilder, they all have different amounts of red stipe but none of them have a strong red stripe running the whole length of their body. The one in the pic probably has teh shortest and to be honest, he's looking a bit twitchy too. Don't know what I'll do if it's neon tetra disease, the prognosis isn't good. The whole tank will have to be quarantined. No fish in or out, I was planning on getting rid of some of them (to good homes) and then moving the rest into my big tank with my other fish. What a nightmare. The peas will have cooled now, I'll see if they feed.

 

[WILDER]

Been there with ntd lost a full tank of fish, so know how you feel.
Won't keep them any longer, best to keep them on there own, just a tank of neon tetra's.
The cardinal tetra is better, hardier and not prone to ntd.

 

[scooterchick]

Well, they loved the peas except wee fatty, he made no attempt to feed, just hiding in teh corner. Getting very disheartened with this.