Help! Silver Tetra Bouncing Straight Up And Down

[krusade51]

Hey, I've been searching the forum to try to figure out what's wrong with my wife's fish without much luck. So I thought I would post about it and see if anyone has any ideas. Our silver tetra has been having trouble swimming for a couple months now, and getting worse. He started out with just a little list when he was floating, and has progressed to the point he now is just kind of bouncing up and down pointed straight at the top of the tank. It seems if he stops he sinks to the bottom of the tank. I uploaded a video of him tonight - below.  The water tests fine, although we just use the test strips. There are 3 tetras, 1 sword tail, 2 Chinese algae eaters and a Pleco in a 30 gallon tank.  I asked someone at Petco about it and showed them a video but they said they didn't know what it was and the fish was probably just dying and not to worry about it. Any help would be appreciated.
 
https/youtu.be/BbViLQ4SXjk

 

[Munroco]

Swim bladder disease.

 

[fluttermoth]

I have an X ray tetra that was given to me like this. Both the previous owner and myself have tried to treat the fish, but with no success I've had it about a year, and it still eats well and shoals with the others.
 
You could try an anti internal bacteria medication, but I wouldn't hold our much hope of a cure, tbh.
 
On another note, your tetras are skirt/widow tetras, and they can be very nippy, if not in a large enough shoal, so you should think about upping their numbers. It would be best not to buy more of the coloured ones, as they're injected with a dye, which is a rather cruel practice. The plain white or the natural black/silver ones, will shoal with the coloured ones quite happily (well, as happily as a widow tetra ever is, which isn't a very much ).
 
Also keep an eye on the CAE; they can grow up to a foot long and get very aggressive (and stop eating algae) as they mature. They have a very bad habit of fixing themselves to other fish and eating their slime coats, leaving the victim open to infections.

 

[krusade51]

Thanks for the information, it definitely helped.  I moved him to another tank by himself and started a treatment of Erythromycin (found it at Walmart). I also raised the temp to 80 degrees and haven't fed him in 2 days. We are going to try to feed him some peas tonight - steamed and de-skinned. He actually seems to be doing a little better already, he still bounces but not as frequently and isn't pointed straight up anymore. 
 
The chinese algae eaters were recommended by someone at Petco, and one of them has grown quickly and is starting to get aggressive with the other fish. He told me they don't get very big. I wanted to get something to replace the Pleco because he's already outgrowing the tank - he's about 7" long right now. Do you have any suggestions for algae eaters for the tank? We're very new to having fish, just started about 1 yr ago after giving in to the kids.
 
Thanks again for all the info, I appreciate it!

 

[Munroco]

Bristlenose grow to about 4", or a group of ottocinclus affinus.

 

[CherylGower]

I had a red minor Serpae who was near-vertical and bouncing around the 29-gal. tank as if on a pogo-stick. He seemed to tire before reaching surface food. Glad to know what its malady was. I chose to humanely relieve its suffering, because it was slowly starving to death.
My personal preference for tank maintenance is the otocinclus. I started with a 2" plecostomus a year ago and he hasn't grown a bit. In fact, I think he's shrunk. He doesn't earn his keep in algae cleaning!

 

[NickAu]

Bn Plecos are omnivores but they also need to be fed lots of veg and have some bog wood to rasp on.
 

 
I started with a 2" plecostomus a year ago and he hasn't grown a bit.

If they are not being fed right they are malnourished.
 
 
 
I feed mine
Omega One Veggie Rounds
Hikari Algae Wafers
Kens veggie sticks.
Blood worm
Brine shrimp
Every now and again a tiny bit of OX heart
New Life Spectrum Thera Plus pellets.

And they need fresh veggies.
This is a list of vegetables and fruit that are popular with most plecs.

    Zucchini/Courgette
    Cucumber
    Peas (deshelled)
    Sweet Potato
    Green Beans
    Melon/Melon rind

    Aubergine/Egg plant
    Avocado
    Broad Beans
    Broccoli/Stalk
    Butternut Squash+ other squash
    Capsicum/Bell pepper(not the hot ones)
    Cauliflower/Stalk
    Carrot
    Coconut
    Grapes
    Kale/Collard Greens
    Kiwi Fruit
    Lettuce
    Lima Beans
    Mango
    Mushroom (common plecs and goldspots love mushroom)let it float,they will reach it.
    Papaya
    Potato
    Pumpkin
    Spinach
    Sprouts
    Swede
    Tomato
    Yam