Tetra Swiming Upwards

[ianfarn]

Hello All,

We had a death of one of our head and tail light tetras last week after it was swimming up side down and upwards. Now we have another one doing the same thing. It did try o eat last night but the swimming is getting more erratic. Could this be neon tetra disease? The tank is 65g and contains 12 neons, 6 Red Eye Tetra and now 5 head and tail light tetra. The stats are Ammonia 0ppm and nitrite 0ppm and the tank has been running for 8 months without problem. None of the fish are new.

Thanks

Ian.

 

[bricko]

Hello All,

We had a death of one of our head and tail light tetras last week after it was swimming up side down and upwards. Now we have another one doing the same thing. It did try o eat last night but the swimming is getting more erratic. Could this be neon tetra disease? The tank is 65g and contains 12 neons, 6 Red Eye Tetra and now 5 head and tail light tetra. The stats are Ammonia 0ppm and nitrite 0ppm and the tank has been running for 8 months without problem. None of the fish are new.

Thanks

Ian.

Big tank for 20 tetras. Sounds like it is a problem with the swim bladder to me though I have no experience with neon tetra disease,

 

[WILDER]

Do any of the fish look bloated or thin.
What do you feed the fish.
How old are the tetra's.
What does it look like when the fish go to the toilet.
Are the fish acting listless and lethagic.
Do any fish look pale or darker in colour.

The first sign of ntd is bleaching of the red stripe area, or a milky substance on the red stripe area.

Is the tank a 60 gallon, or 60 litre.

 

[ianfarn]

Do any of the fish look bloated or thin. They look normal in size and shape.
What do you feed the fish. Flake, dried bloodworm and sometimes blended peas
How old are the tetra's. I've had them for about 6 months not sure how old they were when purchased
What does it look like when the fish go to the toilet. Not sure I will look.
Are the fish acting listless and lethagic. No just the swimming is erratic
Do any fish look pale or darker in colour. They look orml to my eyes.

The tank is 65 gallon and these are head and tail light tetras that are having the problem. The neons and the red eyed seem fine for now.

Thanks

Ian.

 

[WILDER]

What test kit are you using?

Fish can swim erratic and turn upside down when there dying.

Freeze dried foods can lead to constipation and swim bladder.
So I wouldn't over feed freeze dried foods.

I think I would add a bacterial med to the tank with losing quite a few fish.

Any signs of flicking and rubbing, or laboured breathing.

Feed more frozen foods like brime shrimp, and daphnia.

 

[ianfarn]

The test kit is a aquarium pharmaceuticals kit that you add water to a test tube and add so many drops etc it is not the test strips type. I gravel vac once a week and do 20% water changes once per week.

It could be the freeze dried food then as I have increased the amount of that I feed.

No signs of flicking or rubbing.

The fish that died was swimming upside down at the end. Do you think it could just be old age? How long are they expected to live for?

Thanks for you advice.

 

[WILDER]

Cut down on the freeze dried foods.
Don't feed them for a least a week. When you introduce the food back, feed sparingly.

The test kits fine.
The tetra should be living more than 6 months. I think they can live up to 3 to 5 years.

If you lose anymore fish add a bacterial med to the tank.

If anymore problems get back to the board.
Good Luck.