grey neon tetra

[fishy_friend]

I have 4 neons and 3 cardinals who school together, anyway one of the neons is grey and the red is barely, her blue stripe is very light. she is also not swimming around as happily as normal, she is floating about. she is still eating though.


Also the other neons go a dark blue and float around if the light is left off for more than 2 days, although they are near a bright window. they soon recover when I put the aquarium light back on. is this normal behaviour as I know when they breed they are meant to be kept in darkness. I think I have a mixture of males and females

 

[Fishfur]

It is normal for neons to change colour if lighting changes. Many go pale in the dark, but colour up again shortly after the lights come on again.

The grey one sounds ill. I would isolate it if at all possible. There is a common illness of neons, Neon tetra disease, and it is contagious, and not very treatable. Removing this fish may save the others. If it gets better, it can return but I'd sure take it out for now.

 

[fishy_friend]

ok, what are other signs of neon tetra disease. it is eating and appears healthy

 

[DavidAl]

Google Pleistophora. I think what you're seeing is the start of muscle necrosis, which usually occurs below the lateral line in neons with neon tetra disease. If this is it, you'll eventually see a hollow belly and perhaps spinal deformity. As fishfur mentioned, there's not much that can be done for this disease, unfortunately.

David

 

[fishy_friend]

is it contagious