Sick cardinal tetra?

[Missklw]

Hey!

I’ve just come to my fish tank to see one of my smaller cardinals are looking a little pale! It’s also swimming ever so slightly funny to the rest, more jerky and like it’s struggling to stay level (not floating or sinking like swim ladder) It’s active and has eaten some food this morning

All my levels are good nitrites-0 nitrates-10ppm( planted tank) ammonia-0 temps been the same as always about 27c/81. I am due to do a gravel clean today so about to start.

Currently got 6 female bettas, 4 amino shrimp, 4cherry shrimp 10 cardinals and 2 yo-yo loaches.

I’m a bit stumped as to what’s caused it to look a little sickly. I’ve had them around 2 months with no problem and they are well settled in, in there 135lt tank!

Attached photos for reference

 

[itiwhetu]

Thats not a great looking Cardinal, I think it is just fading away.

 

[Missklw]

Thats not a great looking Cardinal, I think it is just fading away.

All my other cardinals are healthy and bright. Just this one however seems sick. Not added any fish recently or anything. Everyone else is happy! I thought they where suppose to live for a couple or years. I’ve only have them 2 months!

 

[itiwhetu]

All my other cardinals are healthy and bright. Just this one however seems sick. Not added any fish recently or anything. Everyone else is happy! I thought they where suppose to live for a couple or years. I’ve only have them 2 months!

This particular fish looks like it is deformed for some reason

 

[JuiceBox526]

looks like excess mucous or a bacterial infection. fish also looks like it has a growth on it of some kind, if its deformed you cant help that. but for mucous or infection do a daily 50% water change until it clears up

 

[Colin_T]

Does the fish have a bent back or kink in the spine?
If yes, how long has it had that?

The blue line looks a bit faded and that could be the start of a bacterial infection.

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added t the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media/ materials in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the lawn.

Add some salt and see how it looks in a day or two.

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SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt) or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.

 

[Missklw]

Does the fish have a bent back or kink in the spine?
If yes, how long has it had that?

The blue line looks a bit faded and that could be the start of a bacterial infection.

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added t the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media/ materials in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the lawn.

Add some salt and see how it looks in a day or two.

----------------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt) or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.

It does have a slight drop in its spine after it’s fin. I’ve never noticed this before and I watch my tank quite closely everyday at feeding time. I only spotted it today as it’s colour is also dull too so I think it’s only been in the last 24 hours or so.

Iv Done a water change, gravel clean and filter clean and treated my tap water today so fingers crossed it perks up.

The only thing I can think/ I’ve done different is I fed some thawed out frozen bloodworms last night as a treat and a few tetras did eat them but I can’t see that making a difference surly?

Thank you for the advice!