Every fish died but the one with neon tetra disease

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

virgowithanego

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
1
I did SO MUCH research before getting these babies. So heartbroken to have lost 12/13 fish. This is my second time keeping fish-- the first was a goldfish who lived very happy and healthy.

-13 fish in a 15-gallon tank: 6 neon tetras, 5 endler livebearers, and 2 sparkling gouramis.
-aquarium is heavily planted with floating plants
-temp set to 78 F, which is acceptable for all 3 species (NT: 70-81, SP: 75-85, EL: 71.5-80.5)
-slow-moving sponge filter

I cycled the tank on its own for several weeks, added 3 endler livebearers, cycled it a few more weeks, and got the rest of my fish. They began to die off one by one. I tested for ammonia and pH and saw that the pH was a little above 7 at 7.3. My goldfish was able to withstand this level, but I wonder if these little fish are more sensitive.

then I realized one tetra had an extremely bloated belly after eating (tumor like bulge in the belly) and was swimming so fast that it prevented the other fish from eating. I began putting my fish in my traveling tank just for feeding. After some research, I worried the super-fast fish had neon tetra disease. I isolated it in the traveling tank for over a week and it seemed to heal-- its behavior returned back to normal (no more fast swimming, bloated belly, erratic movements) so I put him back in the tank with the others.

Weeks later, all of the fish have died except the fast-swimming one that i now believe might still have neon tetra disease. I am beginning to think the problem may not have been pH levels but this disease. Are other species capable of catching it ? and why would the original sick tetra remain the only one living ? I am afraid to get more fish in case he is still sick but I don't know how to determine if he is. I didn't think the disease was curable yet he seems fine once again.

Very confused. Seeking advice. thanks for reading!
 
Welcome to the community.

So very sad to hear that you have lost your fish.

One article - link in my signature can help with the beginnings of fish keeping. Having a good colony of beneficial bacteria in the tank to start off is important. Fluctuations in water quality can stress the fish and make them more apt to get sick.

A tank cycle can take 4-6 weeks. And not rinsing the filter pad in chlorinated water, or replacing it, is also really important.

It seems like the one fish that is still alive might have had either a bloat constipation thing. Crazy swimming can also be a response to toxic water quality.

The pH is fine for the Neons at 7-7.5.

As for the fish dying, did you ever use a test kit to see what the water parameters were during that time?

It is more likely that the fish had a disease which killed them. Maybe the one you isolated was able to have better water conditions and was able to recover.

Adding a big group of fish would be an increase in Ammonia, leading to probable unsafe water quality for the fish.
 
Back
Top Bottom