strange “growth” on tetra

[jessipanda]

So earlier this week I moved my 5 neon tetras from my 10g into my lightly planted 55g with 10 cardinal tetras and a farlowella. All of the fish look great except one neon tetra. I've had these 5 neons since spring with no problems at all. Last night, I noticed that one of the neons has some sort of strange growth on the base of it's body, just before his tail starts at the narrow area. It is on both sides and looks like a round bump inside his body. He still acts completely normal. He swims around just like nothing is wrong, schools with the other fish and is still eating. Aside from this growth, nothing is wrong and none of the other 15 fish in the tank has this problem or any other problems. The water tests have been consistently 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 10-20ppm nitrate. Ph is 6.8 and temp is 78-80°F.

Should I be worried about some sort of bacteria/fungus/parasite? Or could this be an injury from another fish? I've been trying to get a pic but he's scared of my phone!

 

[Matt68005]

Should I be worried about some sort of bacteria/fungus/parasite? Or could this be an injury from another fish? I've been trying to get a pic but he's scared of my phone!

Possibly yes and likely no.
Seriously tho, without a pic or video its pretty hard to tell you whats wrong with your fish.

 

[jessipanda]

I know I need to post a pic or video to get help with this, but I have been trying for days and it's just not working. We're going on day 3 though since this was first observed and there's still no change. The neon is still acting completely normal and no other fish have caught it. As of now, I'm starting to think that the neon may have been injured somehow during netting when I transferred them from my 10g to my 55g. But again, he's acting completely normal with no signs of injury...

Guess only time will tell...

 

[jessipanda]

Anyone know if NTD is contagious for twig catfish? I've read about it, and don't believe that is what my one neon has, but it's possible I guess....seems like it's been too long for him to not have spread it or started showing other symptoms.

I've also read that cardinals are immune to it. Is this actually true?

And does anyone know how long a tank with NTD remains contagious after all infected fish are removed?

 

[Delapool]

Anyone know if NTD is contagious for twig catfish? I've read about it, and don't believe that is what my one neon has, but it's possible I guess....seems like it's been too long for him to not have spread it or started showing other symptoms.

I've also read that cardinals are immune to it. Is this actually true?

And does anyone know how long a tank with NTD remains contagious after all infected fish are removed?

I would guess either injury or I have seen something like that with columnaris infections. If another neon showed signs of infection I'd bet columnaris but hopefully you just have a one off.

Cardinals are I believe more resistant to NTD but from your description so far it doesn't sound like it I think. Not sure on the catfish.

Lympho or parasites could be possible. I just see those more rarely here.

 

[Matt68005]

If you are sure your fish have NTD you need to euthanize them all, stearlize everything with bleach, and start over. It will wipe out your tank, and there is no cure.
Google Tetrahyemea. It is a brown under the skin lesion, while Columnaris is white fuzz and tail rot/fungus stuff.
Especially the substrate needs to be tossed.
http://i40.tinypic.com/rtf9s6.jpg
I have had NTD with my guppies before, and it is fatal and highly contagious, wipes out whole tanks.
Columnaris is white, NTD is brown lesion toward the back of the fish and top. Its a parastie that lives in the substrate and numbers in the thousands, and cannot be killed with normal ick meds.
Not saying thats what your fish has because i have seen no video or pic, but if it is, then its a serious deadly disease.

 

[jessipanda]

Well, it's been nearly a week and still no other fish are falling ill. The one neon is still acting completely normal too. My only thought is that it must have been injured during netting. It looks exactly the same though...

All I can think of is the injury since it has been 6 days with no additional symptoms and no other fish showing symptoms. If this were columnaris, NTD, or some other parasite/fungus, it most certainly would have spread by now. But nothing...not even any tail or fin rot...

Thanks for the responses though. Hopefully nothing continues to happen! XD

 

[Delapool]

Nothing could have attacked it?

 

[jessipanda]

Nothing could have attacked it?

I don't believe so...only fish in the tank are 5 neons, 10 cardinals, and a farlowella. Plus, this showed up the day after i moved the 5 neons from the 10g into the 55g. Either way, it must be an injury, right? Lol I can't think of anything else that wouldn't affect the additional fish in the tank...

 

[Delapool]

Fingers crossed for a silver lining in the cloud

 

[jessipanda]

Just an update: the neon with the lump is still alive, as are all my other fish. Haven't lost anyone, and the little neon still acts as though nothing's wrong. My best guess is that it was injured during netting...

Def. can't be NTD or all my fish would be dead by now, I assume. And anything else would be showing other symptoms or spreading. Sooo...guess all is well! XD

 

[jessipanda]

So, this little neon had been fine this whole time, but never fully recovered. That strange “growth” never went away and then last week his tail started to look...raggedy? I moved him to the hospital tank and started treating him for fin rot, but then I noticed yesterday morning that half his tail was missing and he was having a hard time getting around. I decided I would euthanize him tonight if he didn't improve or got worse. Unfortunately, he didn't make it through the night. Still not sure exactly what was wrong with him, but none of my other fish have any any similar issues. I lost two pregnant female guppies a couple weeks ago to unknown causes, and a few weeks before that our 1yo guppy male appeared to get dropsy and died. But all the remaining fish appear healthy, active, and normal. Hoping there's nothing going on in the tank that I just don't know about... :\

 

[jessipanda]

Maybe it was some sort of cancerous tumor?

Btw, this tank now houses the same 10 cardinals, 4 of the 5 neons, the farlowella, as well as 15 rummynose, my bn pleco, an EBR, and 3 guppies. All these fish seem perfectly fine. The pH was 6.8 when I cycled the tank, but slowly went up to 7.6 and has held there for at least a month.