The Tetra Curse?:((

[ram_g0p]

Our 25 gallon tank, moderately planted, has rasboras (7) and tetras (neons and cardinals). The tank is over 21/2 months since set up and is cycled. The rasboras were added about a month ago (3 initially and 4 about 2 wks later) and doing great. It's the tetras that are causing me anguish. Earlier about a year ago, we had a 10 gal tank (no plants) and I didn't have luck with tetras (neons). This time I got the, rather hesitatingly. Last weekend, I got 4 cardinals and 3 neons. I acclimatize all my new fish using drip method. One cardinal died overnight the day I got. In next 2 days, I noticed one of the neons losing color and had white path in the midsection. It died that evening. Next day another neon had similar symptoms and having heard of NTD, I moved him to a 5 gal (hospital) tank and he died the next day. Today, while feeding, I saw one of the cardinals with some white patch. I know he is sick - not eating and keeps aloof. I didn't have time to remove him to the hospital tank, since I needed to get to work. He may not make it by this evening and I want to save other fish. Hopefully, the disease won't spread to others before I get home. I really don't know what's happening!! My water params:
ammonia 0 PPM
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate ~10 ppm (I do dose nitrate, low dose every other day; dosage: as per PPS method)
pH 6.5-7.0
hardness ~100 GH
Temp: ~78 oF

I run two filters; Fluval 206 (24/7) and Aqueon 30 HOB (came with the kit) 8am - 6 pm (when my lights are on).

I may never go for tetras again, but I want to save the one I have. One my kids wanted to keep a school of cardinals. So I went for them this time. They are beautiful fish, but it's distressing to watch them die. I mean, I am sacred sometimes to look at our tank, because I fear there will a dead (or sick) tetra in there! Please help! Thanks so much in advance.

Technically, I am not a newbie to fish keeping. I had a 15 gal back in my grad school days (~5 yrs). Gosh, I was not even that careful then. Still my fish did fine. Even now, it's the tetras mostly that die on me and cause others to die. Only thing(s) I am new to: plants and the canisiter filter....

 

[RussellC]

Cycled tank... good water parameters... drip acclimated... good temperature...

I've never kept tetras, but it sounds like you've done everything right to me. Only thing I can think of, do you have plenty of hiding spaces for them?

If so, you have me completely stumped.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

 

[Bbush]

Were they tiny when u bought them? Just curious. I saw some @ petsmart that were minute. Then I saw some more at aquatic critter that were about twice as big. I think I would go w just cardinal or neons and get 6 big ones.

 

[ram_g0p]

Yes the cardinals were especially tiny. I did buy them at Petsmart. Even my six year old commented, " they call this jumbo?"!! Anyhow, I guess they were young ones. To update, in another forum, folks were wondering about my running the HOB part time and that stagnant water could kill beneficial bacteria etc... In any case, I started running both filters - Fluval 205 cannister & Aqueon 30 HOB 24/7 for about week now. May be a coincidence (or not!) no more casualty for about week now! We were even on vacation for 3 days. I had an automatic feeder set up and it worked great. Plan to buy some more cardinals. That's what one of my kids wanted to keep a school of. Since the store had only 4 cardinals, I added 4 neons (that were in the same tank at the store), orginally. Now there are 3 cardinals and 2 neons left. As a funny aside, they (local Petsmart) had 2 tanks one labelled cardinal tetra and the other neon tetra. However, the tank labelled cardinal had only 4 cardinal tetras and rest are all neons, but the guy at the store didn't even know about this!!

Thanks for suggestions, folks

 

[tamtam]

It could very well be NTD. I really hope not because it very well could wipe your whole tank out. If you have a hospital tank can I ask why you didn't QT(quarantine) them before adding them to your tank?

I picked up 5 neons a while back and had a similar experience. I lost 1 the morning after and another struggled for a few days before I took sympathy on it. They started out the same way, white looking spot, lost color. They were small to begin with but turned skeleton like. I didn't have a QT tank either. I thought for sure I was going to loose all my rasboras and had basically readied myself for the impending death of my whole tank. A few days later everything was good. I decided to go back to the petstore I bought them at and check out the tank they came from. I figured if they had NTD the tank would show some signs of death/sickness but everyone was totally fine. I explained what happened to the keeper and they gave me replacement fish. It's been 2 months and my tank is A-OK and the neons are still happy little campers. These ones were a lot bigger than the other 2 as well.

 

[ram_g0p]

The hospital tank is small 2.5-3 gal tank. I wasn't sure if that's OK to QT 6-7 tetras that were bought. In any case, it's laziness than anything else! Also I never QTed any fish before, and they they did OK (except tetras). May I should start using this tank for QT as well on regular basis. As I had mentioned in earlier post, the fish are all doing well. Hopefully, they'll continue to keep well

Also, I plan to add a male betta later. Any other suggestions? I know with 25 gal tank with schools of rasboras and tetras I may not have lot options, but I am planning to increase planting and I have 2 good filters going strong. With some regular PWC I think I could manage to add some more than usually advised. Thanks.