Lumpy Tetra

[sharkbutter]

My neon tetra has a lumpy belly. He is swimming fine, no discoloration, Just a really large lumpy stomach. I have had him on algae based food but he never eats when offered. He has been in isolation for about 4 weeks and goes between getting better, to the point where I think I may be able to put him back in a couple of days, to lumpy again. He has no popping scales so it is not Dropsy, I don't think. Neon Tetra Disease (but again, no discoloration.) Tumors?!? I am thinking it's bloat but I don't want to medicate unless I have to as I was led terribly medicinally astray by someone at a large store who said "worked for my fish when it looked like that". I really hate it. Why do I keep listening to them? I digress.

Oh, and if he is eating, I am not aware of it. Usually they are pretty quick to take offered food, but he is not. he has to be eating, he is still alive after all. I switched to a spirulina food when he came down with it. No luck.

He came down with it about 2 days after a cross town move. Probably bad water quality. Sorry Fish

10gal (now in a 5 gallon hospital for the last month)
Ph is 7.2, no ammonia, .5ppm nitrite, 100ppm nitrate (this is the 10 gallon, but the 5 gallon is similar)
All other fish fine, but they miss the other guy. He completed them.

Thanks!

 

[WILDER]

Your tank has bad water quality.
How many fish and which type do you have in the 10 gal.
How often do you maintain the tank.
What your tap nitrate reading.

Lumpy bellies can be assoicated with ntd but usually the first sign of ntd is bleaching of the red stripe area.
Some neons do look lumpy in the tummy region, but led to believe its quite normal.