One X-Ray Tetra with Red Gills

Please, help me solve this!
I have an x-ray tetra with red gills (both are red).
Parameters:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nirites: 0ppm
Nirates: 5-10ppm
ph - 8 (It has been this for months)

-The fish is acting normal.
-All other fish look healthy.
- I did a water change one week ago, and I added Prime when I did it.
-I have had the lights off for 3 days to kill algae. (Would this have stressed them?)

I really don't want to dose with medicine unless absolutely necessary. If I have to, it's probably good to know what I have in my tank. I have x-ray tetras, cherry barbs, and a bristlenose pleco.

 

Looks like the Tetra is either missing gill plates. Or has shortened gill plates.
No need for meds.

 

I think it looks short as well. It’s a little blurry, but it does look like the gill Insides are pushing it out which could cause it to look shorter.
In the past, I’ve noticed one fish with red gills, and I just did a tank parameters check and noticed a small spike.
but at the time I was having trouble cycling my tank, and that rainbow shark ended up being my alert system because he ended up being more sensitive than all the other fish in the tank. But anytime I saw his gills were red. I did a check and noticed nitrates or ammonia or something.

if my nitrates were 5ppm to 1 though, I would probably do a water change. if your tap has high nitrates try using a water conditioner, that helps with nitrates, like prime, it will neutralize it before putting it into the tank. When you do a test, it will still show up but you’ll know that you neutralize 5PPMs from the tap before exposing it into the tank.

Please, help me solve this!
I have an x-ray tetra with red gills (both are red).
Parameters:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nirites: 0ppm
Nirates: 5-10ppm
ph - 8 (It has been this for months)

-The fish is acting normal.
-All other fish look healthy.
- I did a water change one week ago, and I added Prime when I did it.
-I have had the lights off for 3 days to kill algae. (Would this have stressed them?)

I really don't want to dose with medicine unless absolutely necessary. If I have to, it's probably good to know what I have in my tank. I have x-ray tetras, cherry barbs, and a bristlenose pleco.

I did a little extra research on the x-ray tetra and the water parameters they require and quite surprisingly they breed in brackish water and can handle a ph of 5.8 to 8. So the eight on the pH isn’t a problem for him. I would want to lower that for probably some of the other species in the tank. I didn’t do any research and I’ve never owned any of those others but a nice piece of driftwood should help lower the pH even with frequent water changes. Maybe get you to a 7.5 depending on driftwood size and tank size.

 

So

Looks like the Tetra is either missing gill plates. Or has shortened gill plates.
No need for meds.

Thank you! Will this cause him/her problems?

I think it looks short as well. It’s a little blurry, but it does look like the gill Insides are pushing it out which could cause it to look shorter.
In the past, I’ve noticed one fish with red gills, and I just did a tank parameters check and noticed a small spike.
but at the time I was having trouble cycling my tank, and that rainbow shark ended up being my alert system because he ended up being more sensitive than all the other fish in the tank. But anytime I saw his gills were red. I did a check and noticed nitrates or ammonia or something.

if my nitrates were 5ppm to 1 though, I would probably do a water change. if your tap has high nitrates try using a water conditioner, that helps with nitrates, like prime, it will neutralize it before putting it into the tank. When you do a test, it will still show up but you’ll know that you neutralize 5PPMs from the tap before exposing it into the tank.

I did a little extra research on the x-ray tetra and the water parameters they require and quite surprisingly they breed in brackish water and can handle a ph of 5.8 to 8. So the eight on the pH isn’t a problem for him. I would want to lower that for probably some of the other species in the tank. I didn’t do any research and I’ve never owned any of those others but a nice piece of driftwood should help lower the pH even with frequent water changes. Maybe get you to a 7.5 depending on driftwood size and tank size.

Thanks! Yes, I research a lot before I buy fish. That's the main reason I have xrays, is because my ph is high. The cherry barbs can also handle 8. It's probably a little high for the bristlenose, but my water was originally 7.8, which was in range. Will the wood cause a sudden change? I don't want to stress them? Also, do you think the lights being out for three days stressed them?

So

Thank you! Will this cause him/her problems?

Thanks! Yes, I research a lot before I buy fish. That's the main reason I have xrays, is because my ph is high. The cherry barbs can also handle 8. It's probably a little high for the bristlenose, but my water was originally 7.8, which was in range. Will the wood cause a sudden change? I don't want to stress them? Also, do you think the lights being out for three days stressed them?

Also, I will definitely be doing a water change today, but I'm confused why I would need one with 5-10ppm of nitrates. That seems very low to me. Isn't the max 40 for most fish? I thought I was really doing good, dang, lol

 

So

Thank you! Will this cause him/her problems?

Thanks! Yes, I research a lot before I buy fish. That's the main reason I have xrays, is because my ph is high. The cherry barbs can also handle 8. It's probably a little high for the bristlenose, but my water was originally 7.8, which was in range. Will the wood cause a sudden change? I don't want to stress them? Also, do you think the lights being out for three days stressed them?

Also, I will definitely be doing a water change today, but I'm confused why I would need one with 5-10ppm of nitrates. That seems very low to me. It's the max 40 for most fish? I thought I was really doing good, dang, lol

Depending on your preparation’s before putting it in. Some people don’t mind putting it straight into the tank causing a Tea like coloration of the water. This method will release the most amount of tannins, aka ph fighters depending on the size of your tank and driftwood.
some choose to boil the piece of wood if it’s small enough. This is a pretty accepted method of preparing the Driftwood.
I personally put the driftwood in a bucket of water for a total of 14 days and any time that I go and check on the bucket and the water has turned to a brown coloration. I just exchange the water I do this continuously until the water no longer turns brown.
All the methods I listed will help lower the pH and help lower the pH over the long haul. Typically a good piece of wood will last 2 to 5 years also is a great place in the grooves of the wood for beneficial bacteria to grow.
As for your question regarding the lights being off for three days. When I had a lack of tank options and I’ve introduced a new member to my African tank I’ve left the lights off for 2 to 3 days. I did notice some stress that caused so I no longer do that method even though I did successively introduce a new peacock to it an already established peacock Tank by himself.
The reasons for that was because it seemed to cause stress and disorientation due to the lights been out and messed with their sleep schedule. But all labored breathing due to the Jolt of the lights being turned on ended within minutes or moments, depending on the fish after it happened.
So I don’t think it is a major contributing factor to what’s going on with that fish

 

Depending on your preparation’s before putting it in. Some people don’t mind putting it straight into the tank causing a Tea like coloration of the water. This method will release the most amount of tannins, aka ph fighters depending on the size of your tank and driftwood.
some choose to boil the piece of wood if it’s small enough. This is a pretty accepted method of preparing the Driftwood.
I personally put the driftwood in a bucket of water for a total of 14 days and any time that I go and check on the bucket and the water has turned to a brown coloration. I just exchange the water I do this continuously until the water no longer turns brown.
All the methods I listed will help lower the pH and help lower the pH over the long haul. Typically a good piece of wood will last 2 to 5 years also is a great place in the grooves of the wood for beneficial bacteria to grow.
As for your question regarding the lights being off for three days. When I had a lack of tank options and I’ve introduced a new member to my African tank I’ve left the lights off for 2 to 3 days. I did notice some stress that caused so I no longer do that method even though I did successively introduce a new peacock to it an already established peacock Tank by himself.
The reasons for that was because it seemed to cause stress and disorientation due to the lights been out and messed with their sleep schedule. But all labored breathing due to the Jolt of the lights being turned on ended within minutes or moments, depending on the fish after it happened.
So I don’t think it is a major contributing factor to what’s going on with that fish

Thanks for all the info. I normally boil my driftwood. I'm assuming that would cause the ph to be affected slower....I have wood in the tank, but they are just branches. I need some bigger wood. Interesting about the lights! Thanks for all the help!

 

One last thing I’ll add. If the fish didn’t have that on both the gills when you purchased it. Then I would absolutely take a closer look at parameters. Those nitrates in particular. You also can’t rule out that it possibly got a piece of substrain caught and its gills temporarily, but unless the piece was really large, I’ve never seen both gills have a reaction. Typically it shoots out the one side causing redness.

 

One last thing I’ll add. If the fish didn’t have that on both the gills when you purchased it. Then I would absolutely take a closer look at parameters. Those nitrates in particular. You also can’t rule out that it possibly got a piece of substrain caught and its gills temporarily, but unless the piece was really large, I’ve never seen both gills have a reaction. Typically it shoots out the one side causing redness.

Thank you! I'm just a little confused about the nitrates. Today is my weekly cleaning day, so I will be doing a water change today. But is 5-10ppm really that high? I thought that for most fish the max was 40ppm? I thought I was doing good woth 5-10ppm. Xray tetras aren't known to be super sensitive. I'm NOT saying you're wrong. I'm just trying to learn and think through this.

Also, as I think about it, one of the fish I bought was always a little more red than the rest; however, it's worse than it was.

 

Thank you! I'm just a little confused about the nitrates. Today is my weekly cleaning day, so I will be doing a water change today. But is 5-10ppm really that high? I thought that for most fish the max was 40ppm? I thought I was doing good woth 5-10ppm. Xray tetras aren't known to be super sensitive. I'm NOT saying you're wrong. I'm just trying to learn and think through this.

Also, as I think about it, one of the fish I bought was always a little more red than the rest; however, it's worse than it was.

Thank you! I'm just a little confused about the nitrates. Today is my weekly cleaning day, so I will be doing a water change today. But is 5-10ppm really that high? I thought that for most fish the max was 40ppm? I thought I was doing good woth 5-10ppm. Xray tetras aren't known to be super sensitive. I'm NOT saying you're wrong. I'm just trying to learn and think through this.

Also, as I think about it, one of the fish I bought was always a little more red than the rest; however, it's worse than it was.

OK so I miss read that reading I thought you were suggesting 50 to 100 not 5 to 10. Yeah, those are pretty ideal and may no longer be a contributing factor in my opinion.

 

OK so I miss read that reading I thought you were suggesting 50 to 100 not 5 to 10. Yeah, those are pretty ideal and may no longer be a contributing factor in my opinion.

Oh, ok! I know some people try to keep 0ppm (or close), but I thought 5-10 was good. Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it!

 

Oh, ok! I know some people try to keep 0ppm (or close), but I thought 5-10 was good. Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it!

Yeah, that was my bad. I have my 1 year old on my lap lol.
of course, striving for zero to little is the goal.
The fish I have are from lake Malawi or atleast all but the petricola. The lake ranges in nitrates from 0 to 20 ppm.
So that’s my standard.