Cardinal Tetra Help!

[caseynewton]

Hi each and every member. I'm new!

Water:
PH- 6.6
Nitrates- 5
Nitrites & ammonia- 0
TDS- 50

I use RO water and Kent RO right and Discus Essentials. I'm building stages of a Discus community tank.

I have 90 gallon tank with 12 gallon sump below.

I was looking at the details of my cardinal tetras. One has a white bump, like pimple on face. And towards back a white circler shape on body. I'm doing weekly water changes - nitrates never go above 10. Tank is cycled and zero ammonia and nitrite spikes. I add a little peat too each water change. - any recommendation on what to do, if anything to help this little guy out or is there nothing to worry about.

Other notes: it's a planted tank with sand bottom, little bubbles too. Everything seems stable. All fish including fish I'm inquiring about are happy and swimming and eating.

 

[alLexX]

not suer aboutr the stff you asked,but that nitrate is really high,immediat large pwcs will help

 

[rich311k]

Hard to say what it is. I would just watch him, throwing meds at it would probably do more harm than good.

 

[caseynewton]

not suer aboutr the stff you asked,but that nitrate is really high,immediat large pwcs will help

I though 5 was on the low end for nitrates. Maybe this is my problem, been trying to keep in below ten, most of what I read say that fish are stressed if it gets above 50, and discus like it under 25, so I figured if I do weekly water changes and keep it under 10 at all times then it should be alright? First tank. So I'm just learning as I go.

 

[roydooms]

Your nitrate is fine.

Does the white on the lip looks like a fungus or a white sand-like spot?

 

[rich311k]

That nitrate number is as perfect as it gets. Do not worry about it you are doing great.

 

[caseynewton]

Hard to say what it is. I would just watch him, throwing meds at it would probably do more harm than good.

Thanks. I don't want to medicate my tank. I would be able to put him into a hospital tank.

If anyone comes by this post, please tell me if this is something you have come across before. Thanks.

 

[caseynewton]

Your nitrate is fine.

Does the white on the lip looks like a fungus or a white sand-like spot?

It doesn't look like fungus, this looks like a tiny white stick. Doesn't move, it's solid - I think, I never touched it. It's not a mini pimple, it sticks out pretty far. So doesn't look like sand either. Maybe like a build up of ten fifteen grains of sand.

 

[Flossie]

It kind of looks like Mouth fungus

 

[caseynewton]

Your nitrate is fine.

Does the white on the lip looks like a fungus or a white sand-like spot?

By the way, nice Discus pictures. From off of online or you have a Discus tank?

 

[roydooms]

It kinda look like mouth fungus. If you don't want to use meds just keep your water fresh and clean. Try doing a PWC once a day an see if it will go away. If it doesn't go away and it gets worse, I'll consider using meds.

 

[roydooms]

By the way, nice Discus pictures. From off of online or you have a Discus tank?

Thanks. That's my 125g discus tank. I'll have another one by the end of this month. 55g. Bare-bottom this time.

 

[Flossie]

It kind of looks like Mouth fungus

It don't sound like it though ... Maybe a tumor ??

 

[caseynewton]

Thanks. That's my 125g discus tank. I'll have another one by the end of this month. 55g. Bare-bottom this time.

Sweet, that is what I'm getting into the hobby for. Just trying to get everything situated. Thanks for your advise. I think I'm going to put fungus guy into a hospital tank. The other 40 tetras look great. No need for them to pass stuff to one another.

 

[caseynewton]

I've read a lot of forums online. Some people say it spear spread, and it goes away and comes back, sometimes in a different location. But nobody has had great pictures. Hopefully someone crosses my picture and know exactly what it is. So I can fix what caused it. So it doesn't happen to other fish.

 

[caseynewton]

I've read a lot of forums online. Some people say it spear spread, and it goes away and comes back, sometimes in a different location. But nobody has had great pictures. Hopefully someone crosses my picture and know exactly what it is. So I can fix what caused it. So it doesn't happen to other fish.

...it won't spread..

 

[roydooms]

Sweet, that is what I'm getting into the hobby for. Just trying to get everything situated. Thanks for your advise. I think I'm going to put fungus guy into a hospital tank. The other 40 tetras look great. No need for them to pass stuff to one another.

That's a good idea. Good luck catching the fish though. They are pretty quick

I have 25 cardinals in a QT. A few more weeks without any signs of parasites or sickness and they'll go in the discus tank. It's a good idea to quarantine your new fish before putting them in your DT.

 

[alLexX]

That nitrate number is as perfect as it gets. Do not worry about it you are doing great.

isnt nitrate supposed to be under .25?

 

[caseynewton]

isnt nitrate supposed to be under .25?

I think that is nitrites, and mine are zero.

 

[roydooms]

isnt nitrate supposed to be under .25?

I think you are talking about nitrite. You would want to keep it below .25ppm(when cycling with fish) but it should be zero if your tank is cycled. As for nitrates, any level below 40 is ideal.