Neon Tetra - Red Band Broken

[fishedout]

Hi,

Quick question about one of my Neons. About 3 weeks ago I noticed that the red strip was broken, it starts about half way a long the body then stops for about 2mm (looks kind of cloudy) then continues along to the tail.

It seems Okay, it's swimming well and feeding fine, one or two of the other neons seem to be taking a dig at him now and again, but the same ones chase each other also, but this one has started to spend a bit of time away from the group (8 in total). I've been reading around and I don't think it is the feared Neon Tetra disease and it is only one fish effected.

Any ideas would be great, I've no idea how old he is and wondered whether he was just getting on a bit. currently seperated from the other fish in a hatchery net, if he is ok I would like to let him back in to the main tank for a bit more room to express himself but don't want to risk my other fish.

Thanks.
Owen

 

[Spishkey]

is it possible that the scales are missing and the white bit is the 'skin' underneath? if the others have been having a go at it, maybe its just a scrape?

 

[fishedout]

Good Shout. Hadn't thought of that. I'll take a close look at him tonight.

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons or litries is the tank.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Signs of neon tetra desease are.
Red stripe area looks bleached out or has a milky apppearance.
Blue area on fish can turn a yellowish colour like a golden varnish. Can look like velvet.
Fish leave the shoal and look irratable and restless.
Black linning around the red area.
Lumps on belly that go to a point.
Bent spines sometimes.
Later stages dropsy and popeye.
Think the fish swims oddly.
Fish look skinny.
Get you some info.

Go to neon tetra desease.
<a href="http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm" target="_blank">http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm</a>


There also false ntd which is columnaris
I had neons with a broken band that look bleached out or milky they had ntd lost the whole tank to it.
Make sure its not columnaris that can look fluffy in appearance or bleaching beneath the skin.
If they have black linning around the red area that is a sign of ntd.

 

[fishedout]

How many gallons or litries is the tank.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Signs of neon tetra desease are.
Red stripe area looks bleached out or has a milky apppearance.
Blue area on fish can turn a yellowish colour like a golden varnish. Can look like velvet.
Fish leave the shoal and look irratable and restless.
Black linning around the red area.
Lumps on belly that go to a point.
Bent spines sometimes.
Later stages dropsy and popeye.
Think the fish swims oddly.
Fish look skinny.
Get you some info.

Go to neon tetra desease.
<a href="http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm" target="_blank">http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm</a>


There also false ntd which is columnaris
I had neons with a broken band that look bleached out or milky they had ntd lost the whole tank to it.
Make sure its not columnaris that can look fluffy in appearance or bleaching beneath the skin.
If they have black linning around the red area that is a sign of ntd.

Thanks for that.

The tank is a 16g (2ft x 1ft x 1.5ft ish) it is currently home to 8 neons, 4 tiger barbs, 4 cory cats, and 1 very active clown lown. All fish are getting on well, with the odd exception of the neons mention above (but thats not that bad).

I'm out of water test kits at the moment but at last check about a week and a hlaf ago all looked fine.

I took the little guy out of the water in a net last night and had a real close look and to be honest it does look as though some of the scals are missing, the blue stripe is fine with small amount of scuff marks on also but no real discolouration. I think it is the scales missing.

I added him back to the tank last night and he seems to be doing ok and being left alone, when he does seperate from the group he just chills out in the plants, no sign of eratic swimming or anything else.

At the moment I'm pretty happy that all is well, is there anything I can do to help regrow the scales? or once they are gone do they not regrow??

Thanks for your info. Greatly appreciated.

 

[WILDER]

Missing scales can mean fighting, knocked them off on ornaments, parasites, bacterial.
Make sure there are no signs of flicking and rubbing.

Take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them if they wouldn't mind writing the readings down for you.
Also I would strongly suggest investing in some liquid test kits.

Also clown loaches need 90 gallon tanks as they grow bigger.
He shouldn't be kept on there own as there shoaling fish and will be unhappy.
You shouldn't really keep clown loaches in a less than a group of three.
With the tank being to small to add some more I would strongly suggest rehoming him, or phone lfs to see if they would swap him for some other fish.

Keep an eye on him as some fish will pick on sick fish.
If he's being pecked at might be good to issolate him for now.