Green Tetra Has Cancer?

[Francesca]

Hi everyone,

I'm so scared for my poor little green neon tetra. Three weeks ago, I purchased five green neon tetras for my 80cmx40cmx40cm tank, where I have 5x Cardinal Tetras, 5x Glowlight Tetras, 6x Black Neon Tetras, 5x Ember Etras and 1 Clown Loach.

Since then, two of the green neons suspiciously disappeared overnight. Not long after the third developed big clear lumps over its body. Nobody at the fish shop could solve it and I euthanized. I have two left - one is great, but the other developed a bit clear lump under its left side fin two weeks ago. I felt so bad for euthanizing the other one that I left this one, to see if the lump would go away. It has slowly changed from a clear lump to a red lump. The lump goes from his fin, down beneath his mouth. He can't use his fin much at all. Otherwise he seems happy - eats, swims, no problem at all. I worried the two would be lonely by themselves, but they seem to shoal with the cardinals. (I don't want to introduce any new kin for them until I'm happy the tank is disease free.)

I change 25% of the water weekly, although I did a complete change about 2 weeks ago when I noticed the clear lump, and since then I've been doing two-weekly 25% water changes. Each change I add Stress Coat and Stress Zyme. I also feed the live plants with Leaf Zone. I have lots of plant coverage, six healthy varieties, which the fish love. I keep the temperature at 27 degrees celsius (68 fahrenheit).

Here is a photo of him. Sorry its poor quality. You can kind of see the big red lump. Does anyone have any hints as to what it could be? I'm waiting on the local fish shop to give me results of water quality test.

Thanks
Frances

 

[*Fishkies*]

Hello and to the forum!!

Well the temperature should be higher if your tank is tropical. It could be raised in the range of 75F to 80F degrees.

I would suggest isolating the sick fish as of now if you can.

Does the red/clear lump look like an ulcer possibly?
Does the lump look like it could open up at all or burst?

 

[Francesca]

Thanks Fishkies

So yes, I got the fahrenheit wrong - 27C is actually 80F (not 68 like I said). So they should be happy with the water temperature.

So today the bubble is twice the size! It looks like it could burst. Most of it is clear, still with the same amount of red. I have looked at photos of ulcers, and it doesn't look similar. This is more of a protuding clear bubble. Pretty big too.

He is not happy today, gulping fast for air. But swimming with the others, and eating okay.

Any more ideas ...?

 

[Ilya]

If the fish are from the same mother, then I'm afraid it must be hereditary. Meaning if the mother had spawned with a curtain male, then it could have created some kind of freak gene mutation could have caused it. Those fish's offspring's will have a great chance of developing cancer also .

Take the fish back to the store, and ask for new ones. Maybe from a different tank.