Is This Neon Tetra Disease ? Photos Included

Hey all,

My neon tetra has a large white mark on its body, which it didn’t have yesterday. is this neon tetra disease? My water is pristine, the tank is cycled. All equipment in the tank is sterilised with boiling water before entering the tank. I seem to be doing everything correctly. This fish seems quite fine for the time being (except the white mark) and the other fish appear to be extremely active and healthy. What to do next..

 

I’d assume the worst, it looks like it is, I’d remove that one ASAP.

 

I’d assume the worst, it looks like it is, I’d remove that one ASAP.

Thank you so much for your response. I’ll do that now

 

Neon tetra are prone to every illness in the book due to horrible inbreeding. You may need to cut your losses and put it down, or let it live out and see if comes right with medication.

I lost half my school of tetras to a similar disease recently - I drowned so much money in various medications for them and nothing worked. I'm avoiding getting tetras in future.

 

You’re welcome! Good luck!

For future reference, Cardinal Tetra look almost exactly the same and are immune to this disease.

Super jealous of your Betta btw, holy cow.

 

You’re welcome! Good luck!

For future reference, Cardinal Tetra look almost exactly the same and are immune to this disease.

Super jealous of your Betta btw, holy cow.

Thank you very much for that! I shall look into that species very soon. So my neon tetras are in the same tank as my betta. I am quite worried that the disease will spread to ALL of the tetras and my betta. Should I remove the tetras from my betta tank ? And do a large water change ?

 

I had 3 tetras with NTD. Some argued but I have no doubt what it was. I moved them to a QT tank where they lived several more months before I euthanized them. None of my other tetras got the disease. They have to eat a dead corpse with the disease to be infected.

 

Yup, what Goldiemom said. That’s how it spreads. Just remove the one and then do a water change if you want.

 

I had 3 tetras with NTD. Some argued but I have no doubt what it was. I moved them to a QT tank where they lived several more months before I euthanized them. None of my other tetras got the disease. They have to eat a dead corpse with the disease to be infected.

Thank you kindly for both of your feedback. I just removed the little guy and did a 30 percent water change. Is there any way possible that disease could still be in the tank ? Like on the sand etc... ?!

 

Thank you kindly for both of your feedback. I just removed the little guy and did a 30 percent water change. Is there any way possible that disease could still be in the tank ? Like on the sand etc... ?!

No. As stated, they have to feed 0ff the dead carcus to get it.

 

Neon tetra are prone to every illness in the book due to horrible inbreeding. You may need to cut your losses and put it down, or let it live out and see if comes right with medication.

I lost half my school of tetras to a similar disease recently - I drowned so much money in various medications for them and nothing worked. I'm avoiding getting tetras in future.

That is absolutely horrible! Thank you for the insight of your experience, I shall be avoiding them also and perhaps opting for Molly’s or some dimly coloured guppies? Either way I am discovering that neons might not be the best option for a disease free tank.

No. As stated, they have to feed 0ff the dead carcus to get it.

Thank you for your response! This is relieving

 

yes it is there is no cure for it best to remove that fish I hate to say this but it is likely other fish that are in the same tank as that fish will have it and its called calamanaris all so knowen as fales neon tetra disiease

 

One simle question first : Would the question and the answers have been the same as the fish in question would have been another tetra, rasbora, or another species ? I seriously doubt it.

NTD is so rare, shows other and more symptoms than this (the neon in question even doesn't look in bad conditions), would be lethal for the entire stock, the lfs would have an issue, etc etc......

I think it isn't NTD and it wasn't NTD what other members encountered (otherwise they wouldn't have any stock left in their tank after this investation).

Neons are so overbred all kind of genetical issues, viral diseases, etc make them vunerable for almost every disease found in fish. But as said NTD is soooooo rare and is only called NTD cause it was first diagnosed in a neon tetra.

They'd better named it after a rare fish !

 

That is absolutely horrible! Thank you for the insight of your experience, I shall be avoiding them also and perhaps opting for Molly’s or some dimly coloured guppies? Either way I am discovering that neons might not be the best option for a disease free tank.

I can't speak to guppies but the other fish in my tank at the time (lyretail mollies and BN pleco) never developed anything. The remaining neon tetra seem to be good for now, but I'm looking out for any developments.

There is a risk with any fish you get, just neon tetra's seem to be more prone than others

 

I think neon tetras right now just have such weak immune systems they are extremely prone to several diseases, including columnaris, and yes even neon tetra disease. And ich. It was a neon tetra that brought ich into my tank and killed half my corydoras. All 3 of these afflictions (ich, columnaris, and neon tetra disease) case whitening of the skin.

 

I wouldn't call it NTD without any evidence because studies have shown NTD is rare and the disease in Neon Tetras is nearly always Columnaris and they cannot be told apart with the naked eye, a microscope is required and even then it is difficult for several reasons.

Also, it does not matter which of the two diseases it is because for several reasons medications are ineffective and the best course of action is to improve their environmental conditions and give the fish the best chance of fighting it off themselves.

Ich can readily be diagnosed and cured of course.

 

Id bleach the tank and start over. Use other Tetras. There are lots of varieties and many are pretty (and a lot hardier)

 

One simle question first : Would the question and the answers have been the same as the fish in question would have been another tetra, rasbora, or another species ? I seriously doubt it.

NTD is so rare, shows other and more symptoms than this (the neon in question even doesn't look in bad conditions), would be lethal for the entire stock, the lfs would have an issue, etc etc......

I think it isn't NTD and it wasn't NTD what other members encountered (otherwise they wouldn't have any stock left in their tank after this investation).

Neons are so overbred all kind of genetical issues, viral diseases, etc make them vunerable for almost every disease found in fish. But as said NTD is soooooo rare and is only called NTD cause it was first diagnosed in a neon tetra.

They'd better named it after a rare fish !

So since the last time I posted, everything seems to be fine although the little guy still seems to have the white mark on him. We quarantined the fish, used betta fix for 7 days. Could it be possible that it was an injury which made him lose the pigment on scales ?! I have added a photo for you. Thank you kindly for this optimistic response!

 

I personally think it is the species specific strain of Columnaris (false NTD) looking at the spot and the whittish finends.


Think you'll need a strong antibacterial to cure this.

 

I personally think it is the species specific strain of Columnaris (false NTD) looking at the spot and the whittish finends.


Think you'll need a strong antibacterial to cure this.

Thank you kindly for the response! I asked my very experienced LFS guy what he thought and he personally believed it is a bacterial infection. He thinks that NTD happens so fast and suddenly all the fish are dead within a few hours. So he ruled that out. What kind of antibacterial do you recommend ?

 

That is exactly what I meamd to say hahaha. Living in Europe and assuming you're not, other members can give you better advise about meds Kristina.

Thank you kindly for the response! I asked my very experienced LFS guy what he thought and he personally believed it is a bacterial infection. He thinks that NTD happens so fast and suddenly all the fish are dead within a few hours. So he ruled that out. What kind of antibacterial do you recommend ?

 

Kanamycin or Maracyn 2 but once it starts your chance of sucess are not great

 

yes it is calamanaris looks like a bad form of it best way to treat is to use matchete green or mathane blue