momo9700

i have 5 neon tetras and usually one is off on his/her own and is sometimes accompanied by another but i just noticed one of them is hiding in the thing that floats at the top for fry to hide in. i dont think its the one thats usually on its own, it might be the one that sometimes hangs out with the loner. is this normal or may it be getting sick? or is it just getting some shade.

Lucy

He could just need a break, is he getting picked on?
How is his color? Other than hiding is he acting/eating normally?

If everything seems ok, I wouldn't worry about it (easy for me to say now, I worried too when I first got mine) Just keep your eye on him.

momo9700

part of the neon stripe in the middle is a bit faded on one side. and it looks like this from all angles. another looked like that i thought, but it was only a bad angle. but it didnt look like that earlier. it looks somewhat ok... i just got the neons yesterday too so it could be stress or something. i popped a little freeze dried bloodworm in there and it came out and attempted to get past the other 12 fish going at it, got a nibble, then went back under the floaty thing. i just looked at the tank and its coming out a little bit but, still up there. and its weird that he/she is up at the top of the tank, its 18 inches high and i tought neons liked middle to bottom region of the tank

Lucy

Yeah, it is odd that he is at the top, mine never hang there.

I think I know what your talking about and I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you.
2 of mine had that sort of loss of color, I treated them for fungus as advised by my LFS. Unfortunately, they didn't make it. Of course, please understand, I'm not saying it's the same thing mine had.

Neon tetra disease starts out with discoloration. It's very contagious so you might want to quarantine the little guy.

momo9700

well i'll watch him and see if it gets worse, he came back out and is hiding elsewhere i believe. if he's the same tomorrow, i'll get him checked out.

momo9700

they dont even come to the top to eat(usually). i have to hold the flakes, then stick my arm in halfway then let go so they catch it before it hits the bottom.

Lucy

How's he looking today?
I switched from the flakes to the slow slinking pellets.

momo9700

he looks alot better. he even pushed his way past my platies to get the big flake at the top!! b/c usually i put big flakes in for the platies, then crush some up and drop them under water so they float down for the tetras. otherwise they would not get any(platies would eat it all). he still hides a bit so i'll keep an eye out. his color is coming back too.