Sick neon- white spot

[stasia_fw]

Neon tetra has white spot around mouth and loss of color while others have white streaks in fins

Water parameters are
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 7.4

The tank is 20g and been set up for about 5 months maybe more.

filtration is a penguin bio wheel 200 and a corner filter I bought on Amazon don't know the exact name sorry

I have 6 tiger barbs 4 neon Tetra

Last water change yesterday did about 50% and vacuum gravel
Do once every 4 days and about 25-50
Haven't added anything new

I feed Freeze dried blood worms once a week and tetramin tropical flakes twice daily

My question is how to determine whether it's cottonmouth or neon tetra disease?

I would upload pictures but I can't seem to do so here... and how would I go about treatment due to me not having a quarantined tank..

 

[V227]

If the problem is neon tetra disease, there is usually no happy endings. By the time you see the exterior signs of the disease, unrepairable damage has been done on the inside. You can try anti bacterial meds but it's probably best to euthanize the sick fish in order to save the rest. Barbs can contract NTD too. It's been years since I've kept neon tetras and I didn't have much luck with them either.

 

[stasia_fw]

If the problem is neon tetra disease, there is usually no happy endings. By the time you see the exterior signs of the disease, unrepairable damage has been done on the inside. You can try anti bacterial meds but it's probably best to euthanize the sick fish in order to save the rest. Barbs can contract NTD too. It's been years since I've kept neon tetras and I didn't have much luck with them either.

I know which is what I'm afraid of... but I'm not 100% sure. Do you know how to determine which it is?

 

[V227]

The white stuff on the outside of the neons is probably a fungus. The fungus is often the secondary infection to the primary bacterial infection. Judging by your post, you are familiar with water parameters and are doing a good job keeping your tank clean. Unfortunately fish stores often times have less than perfect water and sell fish that are weakened or already infected with diseases. Might be what happened to you. Neons are fragile fish even in the best situations. After this problem passes, research the neons bigger, better looking cousin, the cardinal tetra. They are not rare, but not sold in stores as often. I believe cardinals are a more durable fish.

 

[stasia_fw]

How should I treat? As I have never had a sick fish before and and do not have a quarantine tank..

 

[stasia_fw]

And thanks I'm constantly worried about my water being clean and the gravel being clean lol and I know neon Tetris are fragile fish but I was keeping hopes that they would last and wanted to see how my tiger barbs would do with other fish

 

[V227]

There really is no reliable cure for Neon Tetra Disease. Most fish meds will screw up your beneficial bacteria so I wouldn't medicate your display tank. If you want to provide your tiger barbs with new tankmates, research faster stronger tetras like Columbian, or Buenos Aires tetras. There are so many possibilities.

 

[stasia_fw]

Are you saying euthanized too?

 

[V227]

Thats your call. There comes a point sometimes when you have to try and save the other fish in the tank. Every fish keeper has to make that decision at one time or another. Given your circumstances, I would remove the neons.

 

[Matt68005]

You need to do some reasearch and learn about NTDs and also Tetrahyemena as they are both incurable parasites.