Red Gills On Neon Tetras And Corys?

Neon tetras have a little bit of red on their gills (which I just noticed a day or two ago) the Cory’s don’t look too bad but it looks a little pink. The neons started being aggressive towards each other for some reason and eating off the bottom... which I haven’t seen them do. I did a water change 3 days ago, tested the water and everything was normal did a water change yesterday (20%) and then tested the water today. Ph: 7.5 (hard to tell on test strips) Kh: 300 Gh: 25 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 20 Ammonia: .25

Tank temp is at 78.

 

Do a 50% and dose with prime. How long has the tank been set up?

 

Do a 50% and dose with prime. How long has the tank been set up?

Tank has been set up since February 19th

 

Red gills mean ammonia burns

 

Red gills mean ammonia burns

I’m not sure when my ammonia would have gotten high enough to cause harm, but I guess it did. What can I do to help them heal?

 

maybe try some melafix but make sure your ammonia is down before you remove the filter

 

maybe try some melafix but make sure your ammonia is down before you remove the filter

Don't remove the filter!!! If it is a cartridge cut a slit in it and dump out the carbon and put the cartridge back in there.

Red gills do often indicate ammonia burn. How often and how much water were you changing before you noticed a problem with their gills?

 

Have you used seachem prime since u setup the tank?

 

Don't remove the filter!!! If it is a cartridge cut a slit in it and dump out the carbon and put the cartridge back in there.

Red gills do often indicate ammonia burn. How often and how much water were you changing before you noticed a problem with their gills?

I have been changing water 1-2 times a week, doing about 20% and the ammonia never got above .25 that I’ve seen and I test weekly.

Have you used seachem prime since u setup the tank?

I used a tetra quick start when I first set up the tank, and use a water conditioner every water change.

 

I have been changing water 1-2 times a week, doing about 20% and the ammonia never got above .25 that I’ve seen and I test weekly.

That should have prevented ammonia burns. I think I would be doing larger water changes though. As long as your use your water conditioner and temp match the water you are replacing 50 or even 60% water changes are not a problem. I think a 50% a week would do more good than a 20% twice a week. Are you vacuuming your substrate while doing your water changes?

BTW: My neons occasionally go to the bottom to grab a tasty tidbit so I don't think you seeing yours do that being a problem. How many neons and corys do you have in there?

 

That should have prevented ammonia burns. I think I would be doing larger water changes though. As long as your use your water conditioner and temp match the water you are replacing 50 or even 60% water changes are not a problem. I think a 50% a week would do more good than a 20% twice a week. Are you vacuuming your substrate while doing your water changes?

BTW: My neons occasionally go to the bottom to grab a tasty tidbit so I don't think you seeing yours do that being a problem. How many neons and corys do you have in there?

I have 11 neons and 2 Cory’s, I’m in the process of getting one or two more. I do vacuum substrate lightly, since I have plants.

 

I have 11 neons and 2 Cory’s, I’m in the process of getting one or two more. I do vacuum substrate lightly, since I have plants.

Since corys spend all their time foraging for food in the substrate it needs to be kept a bit cleaner
than a tank without them so it is good that you vacuum it

 

I ran into a similar issue with my neon tetras! Very strange, they seemed to have gotten ammonia burns within the hour. I am so strict with my water changes - but am almost certain it wasn't an ammonia spike.

 

I ran into a similar issue with my neon tetras! Very strange, they seemed to have gotten ammonia burns within the hour. I am so strict with my water changes - but am almost certain it wasn't an ammonia spike.

Mine are still acting completely normal, are yours doing the same?

 

Mine are still acting completely normal, are yours doing the same?

In general, i'd say yeah they're acting normal for sure but to be fair, I think I am also getting a little paranoid about them now so I feel like they are acting weird, even when they're not. Only thing standing out to me is they're not sticking as a group as much now. Don't know if that means anything.

 

If you don't already have an air pump get one. Aeration will help while their gills are inflamed. Even with fish that don't normally need an air pump do better with one especially if ammonia or nitrite poisoning is involved.

 

In general, i'd say yeah they're acting normal for sure but to be fair, I think I am also getting a little paranoid about them now so I feel like they are acting weird, even when they're not. Only thing standing out to me is they're not sticking as a group as much now. Don't know if that means anything.

I don't think that is anything to be concerned about. Right now I have 5 of them. They are at least 2 years old. Occasionally I will see them scattered all over my tank and at other times all grouped together. Occasionally they seem to get in a squabble with each other but I just assume it is mating behavior because before long they are all best of friends again.

It pays to be vigilant but most of the time what we are seeing is just normal fish behavior. To be perfectly honest I have lost more neon tetras than any other fish over the years. I would love to have a huge school of them but it seems any time I add more I lose some of them and some of my original group so have decided not to add any more as long as I have these 5 healthy ones. I have never seen any kind of outward signs on them. They just die for whatever reason.

 

If you don't already have an air pump get one. Aeration will help while their gills are inflamed. Even with fish that don't normally need an air pump do better with one especially if ammonia or nitrite poisoning is involved.

I’m running one, it’s just not going very fast. But you can see that there’s pleny of air in the water

 

In general, i'd say yeah they're acting normal for sure but to be fair, I think I am also getting a little paranoid about them now so I feel like they are acting weird, even when they're not. Only thing standing out to me is they're not sticking as a group as much now. Don't know if that means anything.

When they're spread out like that it means they are comfortable. When they school in a tight group, they are doing it to feel more secure because they feel nervous about something. Mine only school tightly when I approach the tank or make a sudden movement.

 

Don't be confused by ammonia sickness and the normal coloration of their gills. Fish naturally have red gills. Some fish you can easily see that red, some fish you can't.

If you're seeing red inside their gill plate, that's just their gills' natural red color. If you're seeing a slight red tint through their gill plate, you may just be seeing their gills through their gill plate which is normally slightly transparent.

If their gills are clearly red, inflamed, and look generally unhealthy, that's when you have a problem. Either way, dose your tank with Prime evey 24 hours until your bacteria catches up and you have 0 ppm ammonia.

Look at the pic below, it shows that you can see red on healthy neon tetras. Also google "pearl danios", their gills always appear reddish purple due to their relatively transparent gill plates and white coloration.

 

Don't be confused by ammonia sickness and the normal coloration of their gills. Fish naturally have red gills. Some fish you can easily see that red, some fish you can't.

If you're seeing red inside their gill plate, that's just their gills' natural red color. If you're seeing a slight red tint through their gill plate, you may just be seeing their gills through their gill plate which is normally slightly transparent.

If their gills are clearly red, inflamed, and look generally unhealthy, that's when you have a problem. Either way, dose your tank with Prime evey 24 hours until your bacteria catches up and you have 0 ppm ammonia.

Look at the pic below, it shows that you can see red on healthy neon tetras. Also google "pearl danios", their gills always appear reddish purple due to their relatively transparent gill plates and white coloration.

That’s what the red gills on mine look like! Thank you.

 

Don't be confused by ammonia sickness and the normal coloration of their gills. Fish naturally have red gills. Some fish you can easily see that red, some fish you can't.

If you're seeing red inside their gill plate, that's just their gills' natural red color. If you're seeing a slight red tint through their gill plate, you may just be seeing their gills through their gill plate which is normally slightly transparent.

If their gills are clearly red, inflamed, and look generally unhealthy, that's when you have a problem. Either way, dose your tank with Prime evey 24 hours until your bacteria catches up and you have 0 ppm ammonia.

Look at the pic below, it shows that you can see red on healthy neon tetras. Also google "pearl danios", their gills always appear reddish purple due to their relatively transparent gill plates and white coloration.

Sorry for the low quality s, but in my instance mine weren't red before. I am almost certain. This is what they're like now, it doesn't look like a pleasant red to the eye, it almost look like they're bleeding - its more red in person then these s are willing to show.

 

Sorry for the low quality s, but in my instance mine weren't red before. I am almost certain. This is what they're like now, it doesn't look like a pleasant red to the eye, it almost look like they're bleeding - its more red in person then these s are willing to show.

That’s strange... maybe stress?

 

Sorry for the low quality s, but in my instance mine weren't red before. I am almost certain. This is what they're like now, it doesn't look like a pleasant red to the eye, it almost look like they're bleeding - its more red in person then these s are willing to show.

IMO their gills look fine. I can see the red on those pics. Notice how it's right behind the gill plate? That's just because of the natural coloration of that part of their body.

It looks like they aren't showing much of their red stripe which is a sign of stress. Is that just the quality of the picture? Or do they look like that in real life? If their red and blue colors are nice and bright, you wouldn't worry.

Are your water parameters good?

 

IMO their gills look fine. I can see the red on those pics. Notice how it's right behind the gill plate? That's just because of the natural coloration of that part of their body.

It looks like they aren't showing much of their red stripe which is a sign of stress. Is that just the quality of the picture? Or do they look like that in real life? If their red and blue colors are nice and bright, you wouldn't worry.

Are your water parameters good?

They don't seem stressed at all. They didn't have the stark red strip to begin with, when I first bought them. They're Green Neon Tetras.

 

They don't seem stressed at all. They didn't have the stark red strip to begin with, when I first bought them. They're Green Neon Tetras.

Yeah P.simulans.

Coukd be the pics but the color of the belly doesn't seem totally right to me.

Could you place some other pics?

 

Yeah P.simulans.

Coukd be the pics but the color of the belly doesn't seem totally right to me.

Could you place some other pics?

I've totally unintentionally hijacked this post. Sorry to OP!

It's hard to get another pic of them that's any better then the ones I have showed. They're not as red today, I am not too sure. Some people have said it's normal, others have said its stress related.

 

I've totally unintentionally hijacked this post. Sorry to OP!

It's hard to get another pic of them that's any better then the ones I have showed. They're not as red today, I am not too sure. Some people have said it's normal, others have said its stress related.

Oops didn't notice it weren't the OP's

 

They don't seem stressed at all. They didn't have the stark red strip to begin with, when I first bought them. They're Green Neon Tetras.

I don't know much about green neons. Do they normally not have as much red on their bellies?

If that's the case, I wouldn't worry about them at all. Their blue is very vibrant, their gills look perfectly healthy, and you say they aren't stressed. So you're good!

 

I don't know much about green neons. Do they normally not have as much red on their bellies?

If that's the case, I wouldn't worry about them at all. Their blue is very vibrant, their gills look perfectly healthy, and you say they aren't stressed. So you're good!

I don't remember seeing them with red on their bellies, even in store but in my tank as of recent they have got the red bellies. Aside from that, they appear quite healthy to me too.