Is my neon tetra sick?
- Thread starter ramtsi
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
need a picture that is in focus but the blue and red lines should not be white.
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
Fish with neon disease don't normally eat and die within 24-48 hours of showing the white patch
How long has the fish had the white patch?
Have you added anything to the tank in the 2 weeks before this started?
How long have you had the fish for?
How long has the tank been set up for?
How long has the fish had the white patch?
Have you added anything to the tank in the 2 weeks before this started?
How long have you had the fish for?
How long has the tank been set up for?
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
how long have you had the neon tetras?
how long has it had the white patch?
how long has it had the white patch?
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
If the fish has had the white patch for 2 weeks then it's more likely to be fungus or excess mucous, rather than neon disease, which would have killed it by now. A decent picture might offer more clues but at this stage you could try salt.
Use 1 heaped tablespoon of rock salt (aquarium salt), swimming pool salt, or any non iodised salt for every 20 litres (5 gallons) of water. If there's no improvement after 48 hours, double the dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt for every 20 litres of water.
Keep the salt in there for 2 weeks. However, if there's no improvement after a week, stop using the salt and water change it out.
The salt won't affect the filter bacteria, fish, plants, snails or shrimp.
After you have finished using salt, do a 10% water change each day for a week. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then do a 30% water change each day for a week. Then go back to normal water changes.
When you add salt, mix it into a container (a couple of litres is fine) of aquarium water and then pour it in slowly over 5-10 minutes.
Use 1 heaped tablespoon of rock salt (aquarium salt), swimming pool salt, or any non iodised salt for every 20 litres (5 gallons) of water. If there's no improvement after 48 hours, double the dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt for every 20 litres of water.
Keep the salt in there for 2 weeks. However, if there's no improvement after a week, stop using the salt and water change it out.
The salt won't affect the filter bacteria, fish, plants, snails or shrimp.
After you have finished using salt, do a 10% water change each day for a week. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then do a 30% water change each day for a week. Then go back to normal water changes.
When you add salt, mix it into a container (a couple of litres is fine) of aquarium water and then pour it in slowly over 5-10 minutes.
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry, still not helpful. Some fish are a pain in the butt to photograph 
Add salt and see if it helps.
Add salt and see if it helps.
Euthanizing vs letting him be
So, after many observations and research, in my opinion this is a result of trauma during shipping or while in my tank.
The patch doesn't look like its neon tetra disease nore a fungal/bacterial infection: The fish is vital and hungry.
Only thing that bothers me is that its tail is deformed and does not have full range of motion.
So the question is whether he's in pain or not.
I really don't want him to suffer but on the other hand he does look ok behavior wise, and I won't feel ok euthanizing a fish that can live for a few more years potentially.
So, after many observations and research, in my opinion this is a result of trauma during shipping or while in my tank.
The patch doesn't look like its neon tetra disease nore a fungal/bacterial infection: The fish is vital and hungry.
Only thing that bothers me is that its tail is deformed and does not have full range of motion.
So the question is whether he's in pain or not.
I really don't want him to suffer but on the other hand he does look ok behavior wise, and I won't feel ok euthanizing a fish that can live for a few more years potentially.
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
Without a decent picture or video to clearly show the issue, I can't offer much more besides adding salt.
You can try posting a 1 minute video of the fish and the camera might have more luck filming that. Upload the video to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.
If you use a mobile phone to film the fish, hold the phone horizontally so the footage fills the entire screen and you don't get the big black bar on either side.
You can try posting a 1 minute video of the fish and the camera might have more luck filming that. Upload the video to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.
If you use a mobile phone to film the fish, hold the phone horizontally so the footage fills the entire screen and you don't get the big black bar on either side.
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
add salt and see what happens
Update after almost a week after adding salt
https://youtu.be/SvaR_WU_EeM
Notice how its tail seem broken.
https://youtu.be/SvaR_WU_EeM
Notice how its tail seem broken.
Colin_T
Aquarium Advice Addict
Euthanise it. The back half of the body appears bent and might be broken. The fish is having trouble swimming. Catch the fish, wrap it in a paper towel and hit it on the head with a hammer or something solid.
