Sick Neon?

[goosehunter75]

Tank size: 26 gallon
pH: 7.5
ammonia: 0 ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: 20 ppm
kH: 140
gH: 75
tank temp: 78

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): It is a neon tetra that start behaving oddly this last week. He does not always school with the other neons and will sometimes stay off by himself for hours. Usually, just sitting in one spot Early in the morning when I get up for work 5:00 am. I turn the tank light on and he has no color at all and the others look fine. Usually, when I get home from work he has his color back. He doesn't appear to have difficulty swimming, but not sure how to say this...The others swim more "level" while his head is more pointed towards the aquairum floor. He eats some, but not nearly as much as the others. I have noticed no lessions or spots on the fish.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 10% weekly and 25% monthly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: The only think I add is Aquasafe tap water conditioner when I do water changes and ph down every couple of days. The city tap water has a rather high ph.

Tank inhabitants: 5 neons, 1 red tail catfish, 1 algea eater, 2 swordtail, 1 golden barb, 1 black skirted tetra, 1 flaming gourami

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Not in the last 4 weeks. Added some new artificial plants about 1 month ago

Exposure to chemicals: Have treated the fish with nothing.

 

[WILDER]

They can look bleached out when you first put the tank lights on that normal.
Just check to see if his red stripe is bleached out, i would issolate him even if its in a ice cream or tubberware container at the top of the tank.
What do you feed the fish.

http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/disease/p/neondisease.htm

 

[goosehunter75]

They can look bleached out when you first put the tank lights on that normal.
Just check to see if his red stripe is bleached out, i would issolate him even if its in a ice cream or tubberware container at the top of the tank.
What do you feed the fish.

http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/disease/p/neondisease.htm

Yeh, I know they can look bleached out when you first turn the lights on, but he has no color, I mean none and 30 or 45 minutes after the other fish have their colors back this neon still looks pale. It takes hours for him to get color back.

I feed them wardley total tropical gourmet flake blend. I have read your link about neon disease before and I was hoping someone would tell me it was something else! Sounds like it can be devistating to a tank.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[WILDER]

My neons had ntd and wiped the whole tank out, if the fish is bleached out you could try a bacterial med as it can also be false nitd which is saddleback columnaris, does the fish have a lump on the belly that goes to a point.

 

[goosehunter75]

My neons had ntd and wiped the whole tank out, if the fish is bleached out you could try a bacterial med as it can also be false nitd which is saddleback columnaris, does the fish have a lump on the belly that goes to a point.

I haven't noticed a lump on the belly, but will double check when I get home. Any certain antibacterial med that you would recommend? Are any fish more resistant to ntd than others or if a fish is infected in the tank, is it just a matter a time before the rest die?

Thanks again!

 

[WILDER]

Is it possilbe to issolate him as if it is ntd it will wipe alot of fish out in the tank.
Myxazin and pimafix you can mix them meds.

 

[goosehunter75]

Is it possilbe to issolate him as if it is ntd it will wipe alot of fish out in the tank.
Myxazin and pimafix you can mix them meds.

I only have the one tank and I am very new to keeping fish as I have only had this tank running for about 5 months. This is the first problem I have encountered! The only way I know to isolate the fish is to use tupperware. My fear is the fish will run out of Oxygen in a tupperware. Of course, I guess that is better than losing the whole tank.

 

[WILDER]

Sometimes you have to cut your losses to save the others, know it dosn't sound nice rather lose one then the lot.
If he's laboured breathing i would put him out of his misery.
Does he look in bad shape.

 

[goosehunter75]

I guess that is why it is tough for me to get rid of him. Sometimes he looks fine (mainly when the other neons swim over too him) and I think maybe he is coming out of it. Ninety percent of the time he looks sick though. I guess when I get off work this afternoon I'll seperate him from the rest. I guess I can always get another neon for about $2.00!

 

[WILDER]

When one stays away from the group is not a very good sign.
I wouldn't add any new fish for a while just to make sure things are ok first, as you would just be wasting your money and a fish life.
Good luck, lets us all know how you get on bless him.