Hole In My Neon Tetra

[ParadiseGuerrero]

I'm worried about one of my neons, he's acting normally but he seems to have a hole in his side. Any ideas what it could be and what I should do?

Tank size: 90L
pH: 6.3
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 40-80 (some where between, it comes out the tap at 50)

tank temp:22.5

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): acting normally and shoaling, it's hard to tell if a specific neon is or isn't eating but non stand out. There's what looks like a hole in his side, it's a pinky/cream spot just back from the gills about 1mm across and sits on the blue line

Volume and Frequency of water changes: roughly 50% a week

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: normal media with some fertalisers for the plants. Also bogwood and mopani wood

Tank inhabitants: 13x neon tetras, 9x white cloud mountain minnows, 1x albino paradise fish

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): none

Exposure to chemicals: only the fertalisers, no meds

Digital photo (include if possible): trying to get one but it's tricky they don't exactly pose

thankyou for any help and sorry if I'm being paranoid, I'll keep trying to get a photo I know my discription isn't much to go off

 

[fluttermoth]

Of course I can't be 100% certain it's the same, but I had a couple of false neons with something similar last year. I never did pin down exactly what was wrong, but I assumed it was bacterial and treated them with Myxazin and it did clear up.

 

[ParadiseGuerrero]

Thanks okay I'll give that a shot.
did it seem to spread at all? I'm just wondering how infectious this could potentially be

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm not sure, tbh; I isolated mine as soon as I saw it; none of the ever others showed any sign of it. It may be worthwhile you treating the whole tank anyway, just in case.

It's always difficult to decide whether to isolate shoaling fish for treatment; the stress of being on it's own won't help it heal well. Maybe take that one and a couple of the others out and treat them separately, as well as the main tank, if you have a spare tank to do that.

 

[ParadiseGuerrero]

I'll get some of the treatment at the weekend and seperate a few with him provided my spare filter works. the only spare tank I have is 20L would this be big enough?

 

[ParadiseGuerrero]

I managed to get a better look now they're all gettign sleepy and It's not a hole but a lump... should I still do the same?

again thankyou for the help so far- I wish I had realised it was a lump earlier, they're so small and quick it's hard to see

 

[fluttermoth]

I guessed it probably was a lump; that sounds very similar to whatever it was mine had; I too thought it was a hole at first

20l is on the borderline of what I'd recommend for a hospital tank, but if you only put three in and get some cycled media in there, you might be alright. You might feel happier treating them in the main tank with the others; it's a tough call and I think only you can decide what would be best; you're the one there watching them.

Hope they pull through; is there no chance you can get to your LFS before the weekend?

 

[ParadiseGuerrero]

Ah well atleast it's something you recognise still thanks It's so hard to tell and they don't really help themselves

I think I'll treat them in the tank as a whole- I just tried catching them and it's almost impossible with the plants and the wood right in the middle it just stresses them all out and then they all hunker in a corner... plus when ever my paradise sees a net he swims into it so I just ended up catching him; he's not very bright poor thing

I'm going to the Lfs tomorrow as thats the earliest I can get there (get back from school at 4:30 and would take atleast another hour to walk there and they would be closed) so I'll buy the
Myxazin. If they don't have it what would you recomend? they seem to have most things I've ever needed but I don't really want to wait for them to order some in.

Again thankyou for all the help

 

[fluttermoth]

If you can't get Myxazin, something for internal bacterial infections is what you want to look for.