Neon tetra is in bad shape

These guys had been doing so well, but now this guy seems to have come down with something. He is bloated, and some of his scales seem to be sticking out. I don't know if it's dropsy, NTD or something else. I tried to get some photos, but you know how much they like to move around.

 

Any thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

 

its hard to see but from your description it seems like dropsy, what are your water parameters currently? size of tank # of fish??????

 

Dropsy if caught early can be recovered from but its a slI'm chance. You could use epsom salt bath but it needs to be pure epsom salt not a foot soak with epsom in it! Dropsy is usually a reaction to something else going on, it is an excess of water kept in the body from the organs shutting down, bit like kidney failure in humans!

Is there only one fish showing symptoms ?

 

It was in a 10 gallon planted tank with 5 other neons and a betta, plus some ghost shrimp. The neons were added recently.

ph: 7.4
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: <5ppm

This fish is the only one that looks or acts abnormal.

 

all I can suggest is that you give him an epsom salt bath, there is a recipe for this on this site somewhere................. you can do the bath as often as you like, I put mine in a gal jug to do it.

 

Add 1 Tbsp per gallon of Epsom Salt to some aged, temperature-adjusted (same temperature as the water the fish is already in) water.

Pour Epsom Salt solution into a containter.

Place the fish in the Epsom Salt bath for 15-20 minutes. While the fish is having a bath, change the water in his tank so that he has nice, clean water to go back to afterwards. Make SURE that the water in all of these containers is the same temperature, we don't need the fish getting another disease right now.

Hopefully the Epsom Salt bath will help. The Epsom Salt bath can be repeated up to two times a day - just be aware that it is stressful to the fish.

 

Well this guy seems to be doing much better. He looks normal, eats a lot, and despite being by himself doesn't act at all shy. He just might be alright. I was sure I was going to lose him earlier. Glad I was most likely wrong.