Serpae Tetra

[Mickfender]

Hi all just looking for any advice, 1 of my serpae tetra is looking and acting very odd, ive got a shoal of 10 originally was 8, but the smallest seemed to be hiding all the time, thought he might be getting bullied so upped to 10 the 2 new additions where closer to his size that seemed to sort it out.But now the smallest keeps well away from the rest seems to get chased sometimes but no more than any other, ive watched them to be sure of this, also his colour is very odd is so dark looking that he doesn't even look like a serpae now,it is also swimming very odd like its looking up all the time and now ive noticed a white spot on its side it sticks out and can only be described as looking like a little white lump, i first noticed this last night. Ive spent hours today checking all my other fish and every one seems ok no spots and all acting normal.My tank is 125 ltr, tetratec ex700 filter, quite a lot of plants,ive got 10 serpae tetra, 7 endlers, 6 sterbai cory, 6 albino cory, 6 amano shrimp and about 15 red cherry shrimp. My tank has been cycled without fish took about 3 months and has been running for about 10 months now with no problems. My stats are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate about 60, this comes out of tap at about 40.Any thoughts or advice on this fish much appreciated, thanks Mick.

 

[Biulu]

Any way you can isolate this fish and treat it? Is the lump fuzzy, like cotton?

 

[Mickfender]

Hi no the lump is not fuzzy, it looks like the head of a spot really,and i think the fish is getting worse just swimming looking up all the time now and not eating.If i could get it into another tank i still dont know what to treat it for but the little fella is looking worse now.Thanks mick

 

[Biulu]

If it is a lump, it might be a tumor and there is not much to do about that I am afraid. I asked for the fuzzy, cotton like since this is treatable, it is a fungus.

 

[Mickfender]

Hi biulu thanks for the quick reply, would it be better to put the little fella out of his misery as he looks in pain if that makes sense, because he cant settle at all constantly on move just looks out of sorts, also he looks like hes gasping all the time like breathing heavy but not at top of tank so not gasping for air.He looks really unhappy and unwell just dont want to see him suffer. Thanks mick

 

[Biulu]

Hi Mick, yes that wouldn't be a bad idea. A quick and rather painless method is to put a jar of water in your freezer, wait until there is a small layer of ice on top, break the ice and drop your litle fellow in there. I have used this method recommended by other aquarists and mostly they do not even move anymore. Guaranteed dead within a few seconds.