Neons With Dark Spots

[smmetz]

Tank size: 20 US gallons
pH: 8.2
ammonia: 0 edit: oh no, its 0.5!!!! DUH there is the problem
nitrite: 0 edit - will test tomorrow, have not tested in a couple weeks
nitrate: 10
kH: 5
gH: 4
tank temp: 76-77

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 20-25% every 2 weeks (since nitrates are staying low, I don't bother every week)

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: a bit of carbon in the filter (whisper 60 filter, turned down so it doesnt make rediculous current in the tank)

Tank inhabitants: 7 neon tetras, 6 platy that are still only 1" long

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

Exposure to chemicals: Never medicated, use "stress coat" on new water.


Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

I noticed a dark spot on one of my neons. It is at that narrowest part of the fish, just before the tail. It is raised. Now that I am closely examining my other fish, I notice some of the other neons have small dark spots on them also, here and there. I am just guessing, but maybe it is a fungus of some sort? I will try to get a picture, but the tank is at work, and I don't have a camera with me now. (lights are on a timer, as is feeder - since I am not at word every day)

Any suggestions, or is more info and a pic needed?

 

[WILDER]

Are they spots or patches there black spot, and patches are ammonia burns that are healing.

 

[smmetz]

Are they spots or patches there black spot, and patches are ammonia burns that are healing.

uh oh - I just found the problem. I tested again for amonia (had not actually tested in a while) and boy do I have it. It looks like it's a bit over 0.50

I never had even close to 0.25 before. I am pretty sure the problem is that, a couple weeks ago I came to work on Monday and the impaler was jammed. (remember, this tank is at work, in my office) My filter had stopped, implaler jammed. After restarting it, I replace the whole filter the next day, and brough in some media from home. I should have checked amonia after that, but assumed with a bit of media from another tank, and a filter that is for tanks 3x this size, I would be OK.

Anyway - I am about to do a 50% water change. I will bring in more mature filter media tomorrow. Someone suggested I add aquarium salt, and I think I'll do that tomorrow, unless the majority of the ppl here think that is a bad idea. From there, I'll monitor the amonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and do 25% water changes daily until everything is under control.

Ouch, I feel like such a noob - NO WONDER WHY MY NITRATES WERE SO LOW!!!!!

 

[WILDER]

Right don't add much salt as neon tetras cant tolerate to much salt, good luck.
Find you a link look under black patches.
http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

 

[smmetz]

Well, I did a 40-45% water change before leaving work yesterday. I got in today, and put in my other piece of filter media from a home tank. I then added a half dose of that aquarium salt, based on Wilder's warning about salt and neons.

I brought in a nitrite test kit, since I didnt have one at work yesterday. It is 0. I retested amonia - and got another surprise - it is almost 0. I expected it to be over .25, since it was definitly reading over .5 yesterday. I re-tested 2 times today. Either my tank is now getting re-cycled, my amonia test yesterday was off for some reason, or a little of both?

Anyway, I'll be sure to keep an eye on things. The fish don't look any better or worse, but hopefully they will get better in the next few days.

 

[WILDER]

Mini cycles don't take long, good luck.