My bad fish luck continues…

Well, just as the ich in my quarantine tank has disappeared, another concerning matter appears.
My neon tetras, specifically my largest one, presenting very pale compared to the others and looks quite bloated. At first I thought he just eats more of the food, but then I found out about a fun little illness called neon tetra disease.

I’m aware these symptoms may fall under many conditions but here is a quote from my ich thread I posted a couple days ago that makes me believe this is neon tetra disease:

“this morning i found my smallest neon dead in the cave i have set up. I found this extremely bizarre, he had no ich spots at all.
Also, the carcass hadn’t deteriorated much other than the fact that its stomach was completely gone. it looked like something took a big bite out of it, which is also very strange since all these fish are community and i haven’t seen any quarrel other than slightly between the same species.
Are stomachs usually the first to decompose? I’m thinking the neon died sometime yesterday since I was busy with a lot of things and wasn’t really around the tank much other than briefly for feeding. Didn’t really have time to look around.”
((**To note an error in the quote: I noticed after posting that one of my danios was bullying (and perhaps nipping) the neons and still feel lost regarding what to do. The neons are supposed to stay permanently in the quarantine to keep bacteria thriving, and the danios eventually will go into the big tank. The neons fins look frayed like they’ve been nipped.))

I only have one quarantine tank and i’m still treating with ich meds for a short period to ensure ich is gone for good. I read that neon tetra disease is caused by a parasite which eats the fish from the inside out, starting at the stomach.
If this is neon disease, the other inhabitants of concern are my zebra danios. Others are mollies and platies and nerite snails but research has told me they don’t seem to be as much at risk.

I was hoping to hear advice from others because i’m starting to feel hopeless. I’m doing water changes bi-weekly for the sake of the ich cure instructions so water quality is fine. Taking care of these guys as best as I can and this is all becoming quite frustrating. Please help

 

These parastates come in with the fish from the breeders. You have to break the life cycle.

To break the life cycle remove any fish that show symptoms, do a 100% water change and keep your tank well aerated, warm, and feed live foods to give the fish energy to fight the parasites. You may not be able to save the infected fish once it has visible symptoms and removed. You can try though by setting up a quarantine tank. Don't allow fish to die in the tank as this is how the parasites spread.

By keeping any infected fish from dying in your tank, you can break the life cycle. Keep a close eye on symptoms and remove suspect fish.

If you use a parasite treatment follow its directions. They are intended to break the parasite life cycle so timing and other things are important.

This is herd management. You have to sacrifice the individuals for the good of the school.

And find a different source of new fish. Your current source is suspect.

 

These parastates come in with the fish from the breeders. You have to break the life cycle.

To break the life cycle remove any fish that show symptoms, do a 100% water change and keep your tank well aerated, warm, and feed live foods to give the fish energy to fight the parasites. You may not be able to save the infected fish once it has visible symptoms and removed. You can try though by setting up a quarantine tank. Don't allow fish to die in the tank as this is how the parasites spread.

By keeping any infected fish from dying in your tank, you can break the life cycle. Keep a close eye on symptoms and remove suspect fish.

If you use a parasite treatment follow its directions. They are intended to break the parasite life cycle so timing and other things are important.

This is herd management. You have to sacrifice the individuals for the good of the school.

And find a different source of new fish. Your current source is suspect.

All these fish are already in a quarantine tank and I don’t have the budget for yet another tank. I also don’t have access to live foods.
I can follow your advice otherwise by vacuuming and doing a 100% change. would ich treatment also help kill this off since it’s a parasite treatment? i could up the dosage

All these fish are already in a quarantine tank and I don’t have the budget for yet another tank. I also don’t have access to live foods.
I can follow your advice otherwise by vacuuming and doing a 100% change. would ich treatment also help kill this off since it’s a parasite treatment? i could up the dosage

i’ve also had these fish for almost a month, not sure if that helps anything. Will post a picture of the suspect fish, it just turned pale yesterday but i also had a dead fish with no stomach the day before.
first one is suspect compared to second pic with ones that don’t seem to show any symptoms.
No bent spine but paleness is there and the stomach is very red

 

Don't give up. For whatever reason it seems that many fishkeepers have trouble with Neon Tetras.
Disease and premature death are very common complaints on the forums.
The blue and red colors associated with Neon Tetras make them very desirable, especially to new fishkeepers.
There's another Tetra whose primary colors are also blue and red, the Columbian Tetra. It's a much more active, durable & bigger Tetra as compared to the Neon Tetra. I've kept Columbians for years. They are usually readily available at LFS's & usually inexpensive.
Once you have the disease situation under control, you might consider stocking a group of Columbian Tetras.

 

Don't give up. For whatever reason it seems that many fishkeepers have trouble with Neon Tetras.
Disease and premature death are very common complaints on the forums.
The blue and red colors associated with Neon Tetras make them very desirable, especially to new fishkeepers.
There's another Tetra whose primary colors are also blue and red, the Columbian Tetra. It's a much more active, durable & bigger Tetra as compared to the Neon Tetra. I've kept Columbians for years. They are usually readily available at LFS's & usually inexpensive.
Once you have the disease situation under control, you might consider stocking a group of Columbian Tetras.

those look really cool, thanks for the suggestion.
Thinking i’m going to have to euthanize this suspect fish but I don’t have any clove oil. Are there any other humane options?

 

Ice water works very well & quick.
Hope things get better soon.

 

This is the first time i’ve ever had to euthanize. It’s much harder than i’ve imagined because the thought of me ending a life feels like a punch in the stomach. I’m quite sad.
Really hoping it’s the only one that got infected.
I know some may not agree with my decision.
The fish was already acting rather sickly and i needed it out of the tank before it passed to prevent further spread of the potential parasite. As heartbreaking as it is, i believe it needed to be done unfortunately.

 

It IS a punch in the stomach Feel
that. Life hurts.

 

The Tetra is suffering & the longer it remains in the tank the greater the chances the tankmates will get infected.

 

The Tetra is suffering & the longer it remains in the tank the greater the chances the tankmates will get infected.

Yeah, i’m confident that euthanasia was the only solution in this circumstance.

 

I have a missing neon tetra. no idea where it is and i can’t find it anywhere in the tank. this is stressful. I’m thinking i’ll have to euthanize the rest of my neons. other fish seem fine.

Update: found it under my fake clam shell. dead. Stomach was still there but was a vibrant yellow colour.
This is one of the most disturbing things i’ve witnessed regarding fishkeeping

I must ask for a second opinion on what to do and whether euthanasia of the last two neons is the best option for the tank. One is already showing symptoms (i think)

Both show signs of nipped fins and/or fin rot, as well as bizarre (almost twitchy) movements and behaviour making my decision of euthanasia clearer.

P.S. I’m aware this illness occurs outside of just neons and am watching the danios closely. Doing another big water change tomorrow and crossing my fingers.

Another update: been digging through the forum and now i’m second guessing whether this really is neon tetra disease or if it’s severe sensitivity to the salt and medication i’m using to treat the ich.
They don’t have cysts or bent spines, the only symptom the one had was paleness,
What they do have is heavy breathing, frayed fins and very twitchy, often staying in one spot and not really schooling at all.
could someone clarify what this could truly be if anyone has any ideas?
I also feel like if this is tetra disease then many more of my fish would be showing symptoms