Tetra body white/opaque

[trennamw]

Fish:
-Glowlight neon tetra (the orange stripe one not blue "neon")
-Owned about 14 months, from Petsmart. Rest of that batch is well. They were teeny so I presume it's a young fish.
-has always been bigger, now looking a bit bloated
-body from dorsal fin to gills has an opaque white color under the skin it seems, where it should be silvery/clear/orange. Can tell its under the skin because I can see scale outlines and - well I can just tell.
-swimming ok in midwater, eats, navigates, might be gulping might just be still looking for food.
-could have started a few a days ago I was out of town.
-eye shiny, gills normal.

Tank
-community is about 14 months old, in a 56 gallon column for 4 months. Understocked, planted, canister filters
-yes water changes
-tank has had no illness, algae outbreaks, etc
-did lose a harlequin recently, it just started swimming alone most of the time and then died during a water change. I removed it within 20 minutes. 3 weeks ago.
-another neon tetra from the same batch has a bent spine and has for forever
-excel and (worn out) osmocote root tabs
-last new fish and plants 3 months ago
-water supplemented with small dose of cichlid buffer and seachem equilibrium to get GH and KH up to 3-4
-ammo/trite zero, nitrates 20

Definitely not gravid. They are shiny when they are.

Food is new life spectrum Thera A.

I'm really really bad at catching fish, and all the tiny fish in this tank means I have to essentially drain it to get them. Im also not going to start dumping medicines in the tank indiscriminately. I'm mostly interested in finding out if this is potentially contagious. If it'll wipe out the tank I'll start tearing it down to get everyone out.

Sorry no photo. If someone will give me the link to where I pay to be a member (I've tried to find it and can't) I will post one.


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[Delapool]

All I can suggest there is a water change. It all sounds good on water chemistry but sometimes a water change can help anyways.

If you're dosing anything in the tank, try skipping that for a few days and see if there is an improvement.

 

[trennamw]

It seems a lot like neon tetra disease but I can't fathom how it got in and is just now causing problems.


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[Delapool]

Weeeell, I think that answers your question? If it's NTD or bacterial, it is contagious. Fungal ime isn't (but can be if left unchecked). Just one off fish that doesn't like the tank water chemistry may be a 'canary in a coal mine' or is just a one off. Not sure how we can help further here? My feeling is this is all well known to you as an experienced fish keeper?

 

[trennamw]

I'm not experienced with sick fish ... This is my first community tank and nobody has been sick before. Before that I was experienced with losing bettas to what I eventually learned were ph swings from water with no KH.

The fish in question seems to be getting better.

And honestly if it is NTD I don't know what to do. It sounds like removing the one sick fish doesn't tend to help.


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[Delapool]

I'm always a bit skeptical on NTD I will confess. Bacterial infections will explain all signs (except the muscle twitching) and it's always present in the tank, just waiting for stressed fish.

I'll see if I can post some links tonight on the two. Getting better sounds good news and not NTD is my impression.

Removing a sick fish is the way to go but I know what you mean on catching them. I've just managed to catch one that has been hiding, unfortunately a very sick little fish now.

Sometimes I find a few days and the fish recovers so bit of a judgement call on if to leave in the tank or not. Still eating and schooling is I think a good sign.

 

[Delapool]

This is the best link I have:

Neon Tetra & FNT Disease; Sporozoan Fish Infection

 

[trennamw]

It's still alive and is less opaque. One with a crooked spine is struggling a little more. Seems there's a low grade something in my tank but everyone is still alive so ... ?


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.