Funky tetra

[enchanted]

I have a Black Phantom Tetra and I really shouldn't be cracking up over this, but it is hillarious to watch.

I have had her (it is a female) since the 15th of this month (12 days now). When I first got them the backup trip didn't seem to do this one well. I got her into the main tank and she righted herself and seemed fine.

What is bothering me is I have noticed a funky loopedy loop that actually looks like a spasm now that I have seen it closer.

It is intermittent and occasional and is very definitely not death throws since this has been going on for more than week.

She gets swimming along, like today coming up for food, then just suddenly starts doing circles like a loopedy loop in a plane? You know where they go up to upside down then down and back.

This happens about 4 times then she rights herself and is okay again. They are very rapid.

It isn't a current issue as it is not affecting other fish and it happens in spots where there is little current?

Any advice help is appreciated. I have taken to calling her funky because of it, but I don't think this is normal at all.

 

[WILDER]

Does she look abit bloated as I'm thinking swim bladder, try a shelled pea and some daphnia, can she maintain her balance in the water.

 

[enchanted]

The rest of the time she seems fine. She doesn't appear bloated at all. I have been checking for all the "common" symptoms of anything I can think of.

I will see if I can get the daphnia down to her, since it likes to float and neither of them come to the top of the tank much, they stay about middle.

 

[WILDER]

Take a look at this link i'm not sure yet.http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/disease/p/whirling.htm

 

[enchanted]

That is the last thing I needed to read. An incurable, spreadable, disease.

I'm cleaning the ten gallon now and getting her out of the main tank.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry I justed seen it the other day didn't mean to distress you, I thought you no your fish better and I just thought maybe you should need to look, hope it isn't that.

 

[enchanted]

So do I because it means a minimum of 4 to 6 months before I can add new fish and the possibility of losing every fish in my tank.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry I no it's awful, i have had neon tetra desease so I no how you feel, just quarantine her to see how she goes, good luck.

 

[enchanted]

I was just thinking a quarantine might have helped, but here is the worst part of this disease:

Because the disease is so slow in presenting itself, quarantines do not catch it. The use of a UV filter will kill spores present in the water.

 

[WILDER]

Should do if you have one, do you have other tanks, as i would take all the sponges out and throw them away, and take some from the other tank, clean all the gravel and sterilise it, them take some gravel from another tank and replace some of the clean gravel on top.

 

[enchanted]

You do realize we are talking about a 125 Gallon tank that is planted with a sand bottom, rocks, and driftwood, right?

http/members.tripod.com/discus_unlimited...e/whirling.html

 

[WILDER]

wow, sorry a big tank, yes I see what you mean.

 

[enchanted]

I'm filling the quarantine tank now and moving both tetras to it. From what I read it didn't say anything about Guppys, loaches, or catfish having been found infected yet so all I can do is pray for the moment.

I'm going to Home Depot tomorrow to buy some lumber and Silicon 1 to get my spare 55 Gallon backup. If I have to decontaminate everything I'm going to need it. I don't know how I'm going to come up with another filter yet.

The worst part is the possibility of having to replace all my plants.
Most recent picture of my tank.
http/enchantedaquariums.com/125/11-14.jpg

 

[WILDER]

It look lovely.

 

[enchanted]

Well, I just tore the hell out of my rock formations, didn't get them back the way I had them. Scared the hell out of the corys, almost squashed 6 different cory fry, but the tetras are now in quarantine.