Dead Ed

[peaceablegarden]

See Tank 2 in sig line. Ed was one of my Neon Tetras. I had one who was losing color. Is faded and has been for several weeks. No other symptoms to suggest Neon Tetra Disease. When I looked in the tank this evening, I thought he had died, but it was one of the other tetras. Everyone was looking healthy this morning, all ate, and were swimming happily around. There do not seem to be any other symptoms in any of the other two remaining. Parameters are as follows: 0 Ammonia, 0 NitrItes, 5 NitrAtes, 6.8 pH, last pwc 3 days ago of about 20%. The fish did look slightly bloated when found. Again, all looked fine this morning. I've been paying close attention b/c of the one who has faded. These fish are about 3 months in the tank. I read somewhere that most of these guys are wild caught and age could be a factor. Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[peaceablegarden]

So far, so good. No other Neon has died. Sometimes I guess they just die. Old age, whatever. Happily I don't think it was anything I did that caused it - for once.

 

[An t-iasg]

I'm sorry for your loss. Neon tetras are not really considered a hardy fish. Some deaths when they are new to the tank are not that uncomon, unfortunately.

Something that I thought of - your sig line says three tetras (now two). Tetras like to be in larger groups of about 6 or 7. Otherwise, they may be a bit stressed. That may be why the one tetra lost color. I think your tank can handle 4 more tetras. Since it is a smaller tank, I would add 2 tetras and then 2 more the next week, if all parameters are stable.

I think you could add the new tetras now if you wanted. There doesn't seem to be any signs of disease. It's normal that dead fish are a bit bloated.

 

[peaceablegarden]

Thanks for the input. I found out about the hardiness of Neon's the hard way some time back. I figured since these guys have hung in for over three months now they were doing okay and I'd wait them out. Will they school with another kind of Tetra? I am worried about the bio-load.

 

[An t-iasg]

I don't know about the neons schooling with another kind of tetra. Hopefully someone else can chime in on that. About the bioload, you would probably be near your limit with 6 or even 7 neons and 2 platies but I think it would be doable. I can see why you don't want to mix your male and female platies. What you could consider is moving the oto from tank 2 to tank 1. Otos like to be in small groups and two of them would be happy together.

 

[timwag2001]

i'm not sure about other different types of tetras but my black phantom and golden pristella like to hang out together. i also have a red eye tetra that kinda tags along

 

[peaceablegarden]

I did do a little reading and found that they will shoal with other small tetras. Here's what I'm thinking...move the Glow Lights in with Neons, and the Otto from Tank 2 into Tank 1. I was hoping to use the Ottos to help keep the tanks clean. I found out recently that they also like to hang together. I also found what may explain the color loss in the one Neon. It may have to do with the fact that I've decreased the amount of light they are getting. I had some algae issues not too long ago (a month or so) and did a three day blackout and have been keeping the light off most of the time since then. Algae is gone. But that could explain the Neon's lack-luster appearance.

 

[An t-iasg]

I think it's worth a try to put the neons and glolights together. Are their activity levels roughly the same? I have not had either so I haven't observed them to know what their behaviors are like. If one group is more active than the other, and the other group is slower, so to speak,they may not want to shoal. If they are not all the same tetra, I don't think it can be a true "school" but they may shoal, which is more of a loose association than a tight-knit group.

I thought that you were trying to control algae by putting in one oto per tank. But they'll like being together.

The neon that became pale could very well be reacting to your lights. Good observation. Some fish are pale in the morning before the tank lights come on. They lose color overnight so as not to attract predators while they are sleeping and not as watchful. Maybe the one tetra thinks it's always nighttime! He may color back up with more fish in the tank to keep him company also. Keep us updated!

 

[beglely]

My neons and my gold tetras would school together before fyi

 

[peaceablegarden]

Neons and Glow Lights are happily shoaling. I found out though that the Neon who has color loss is a bully. Maybe this explains the unexplained death?

 

[An t-iasg]

It certainly could. Maybe with the addition of the glolights, there will be a new pecking order.