Unwell Neon Tetra - NTD?

[JasFish]

Hello

I am seeking some guidance on unwell neon tetras please.
I have a 90L planted tank (about 6 month setup), that had 5 neon and 5 rummynose tetra, and a bunch of assorted snails that hitchhiked on plants.
About a month ago one of my neon ‘dissapeared’. One day I had 5. Then I had 4. There was no ill health prior and no sign of it.
3 weeks ago I noticed one of the neons looking “washed out” of colour, and 2 weeks ago, 2 of them developed snout chondroma, and have lost weight.
The “washed out” neon has continued to loose colour and now has raggy fins (I think it has been picked on by the others, doesn’t appear to be fin rot?). I have treated the tank twice with multi cure and have isolated the two neons with snout chondromas away from the others in a breeder box. I don’t have the capacity to segregate them entirely and set up another tank (hence my treating the whole tank with multi cure). The sick neons have no change since the multicure went in. If anything, the washed out neon is looking paler then ever.

The other 2 neons and 5 runny nose appear healthy.

The water parameters are unchanged (All ok). All fish have been in the tank at least 3 months. (The neon went in 3 months ago, and the rummynose couple of weeks later). There have been no changes to conditions that I can think of to suddenly cause them stress.

I have people assist me with water changes and (physical) aquarium care (due to disability. They usually come every 4 weeks - hence the understock - but have come more now) and fish guy has said that he thinks it is neon tetra Disease. Does this seem likely and if so, is there any other option other then euthanasia? What does this mean for my two (currently healthy) neons? Will they get it too?

Picture attached of the sick neons in case someone recognised what it is (hoping something easily treatable)

Many thanks

Jas

Edited to Add:
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
Neon Tetra, snout chondroma, fin reduction, colour blanching
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
I use dipstick (states nil ammonia), and have someone help service professionally (they said it’s all normal chemical parameters)
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
90L. 6months (years for the plants - was an unused tank with plants for a long time).
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
550.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
4 neon tetra
5 rummynose tetra
All adult
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
4 days ago. 50%. Suctioned any loose debris off substrate / plants but Did NOT vaccume gravel (planted tank)
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
3-4 months
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
No
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Tropical flakes
Tropical pellets

 

[Aiken Drum]

The symptoms do seem consistent with neon tetra disease, but there are other conditions that can cause the same symptoms. The fact that it isnt responding to treatment is also a sign.

I presume your fish guy knows what he is talking about? If so i would go with his diagnosis.

You are from Australia, so you have similar access to anti-biotic medication as we do in UK. ie vets prescription only. The medication you have used has malachite green as the active ingredient. 2 things i would say about malachite green.

1. Its probably the most effective medication available where you cant access true anti-biotics.
2. I wouldnt put that stuff anywhere near a display tank. It can easily kill off your cycle and is a dye and will stain everything in the tank and take years to get out.

Im not aware of any effective treatment for NTD, and it can easily be passed to other fish in the tank, especially if predated upon (either while alive or after death). I wouldnt want to keep effected fish with otherwise healthy fish.

 

[JasFish]

Thank you Aiken

I hadn't even thought about knocking off my cycle with the multi-cure, which just goes to show that I'm blundering through this. Yes, stuff does look greener, but I only have plants in there (about 10 types) so it isn't that noticeable. I imagine it would be worse if it was staining artificial stuff.

If I was to try to set the sick fish up in a mini-tank on their own (and got my hands on antibiotics as a last try to cure them), how would I maintain a cycle in the face of antibiotics? or is it not possible and it would just be down to water changes? (in which case, would every second day be enough, as this is when I have a support worker around and can ask them to help with it).

Yes, the fish guy does know his stuff. He said it could be a couple of things, but looks like NTD, but that if they respond to treatment will be a sign (just like what you said really)

Honestly, I really like these little neons, but if it is the NTD I don't think I will get them again (which is a bit of a lonely life for the two survivors). I feel very sorry for them and so awful in the face of being able to do nothing.

Jas

 

[Aiken Drum]

The malachite green will be staining the glass.

Im not sure what the cost of getting a vets prescription is in Australia, but here in the the UK it is prohibitive for treating a couple tetras. You would have to find a vet that treats exotics, bag up the fish and transport it to wherever the vets office is, pay for their consultation and the medication, transport everything back home. I know a consultation with a regular vet here is about £50, + treatment cost. I can easily see it being £100 to get antibiotic medication here "legally". Its just not worth it for a £1.50 fish and if its NTD there is no treatment. From my experience of Australia, everything is more expensive there than here.

You generally dont worry about cycling hospital tanks. Yes, you rely on water changes. How often will depend on how much water volume you have compared to the size + number of fish. 2 tetras in a 20 litre hospital tank would be ok with a big water change every 2 days. What you can do though is take a little filter media from the established filter and put in the filter for your hospital tank. If you are able to move enough over without crashing the cycle of your display tank, instant cycle.

Take account that fish come with all sorts of diseases and issues. Neon tetras may get NTD, dwarf gouramis DGD, fish carry ich, NTD can affect other fish than neons, all sorts of things can be transported in when you buy new fish. Not every fish you buy will live a full healthy life. Dont be put off because you lose a couple and dont be put off neons just because of this. A different kind of fish could just as easily get effected with something else.

 

[JasFish]

Update

Hello

Just thought I would post an update (in case someone down the track does a search and wonders what happened).

The sick neons got sicker in the days after the post conversation (above), and were euthanised (using clove oil - thanks to the post on euthanasia on here). When I was able to look at them properly after i could see how sick they were, and to be honest, wish I hadn’t waited as long to make the call. It looked just like neon tetra Disease disease photos so I think that is probably what it was.

The remaining tetras (rummynose and neon) are all fine, with no sign off Ill health. The two neons are lost (one hides all day only coming out for food, and the other chases the runnynose around, having an identity crisis). I’m going to wait until a couple of months have come by before I get any more fish in case they all suddenly get NTD, though I can’t really find a basis for this.

Thank you Aiken for your help

Jas