Washed-out Cardinal Tetra ?

HI everyone,

I have bought a few cardinal tetras a few days ago to enlarge my group. There was one cardinal that was faded. I mean the blue stripe is still there but the red is kind of light pink which kind of looks like the internet picture below.

I have acclimated them for almost 2 hours. There are 7 of them in a small 6 gallon quarantine tank with water parameters 0/0/20. Apart from this one the rest has colored up pretty well.

Could this be Neon Tetra Disease or something else? Should I just return it to ensure my other cardinals will be ok?

(BTW: Those Cardinals are wild caught and arrived at the LFS at the beginning of this month).




Any suggestions are welcome.

 

HI everyone,

I have bought a few cardinal tetras a few days ago to enlarge my group. There was one cardinal that was faded. I mean the blue stripe is still there but the red is kind of light pink which kind of looks like the internet picture below.

I have acclimated them for almost 2 hours. There are 7 of them in a small 6 gallon quarantine tank with water parameters 0/0/20. Apart from this one the rest has colored up pretty well.

Could this be Neon Tetra Disease or something else? Should I just return it to ensure my other cardinals will be ok?

(BTW: Those Cardinals are wild caught and arrived at the LFS at the beginning of this month).


(picture from internet)


Any suggestions are welcome.

I think I might loose all my color if I was caught in Brasil and now temporarily ended up in a 9 G. I think it is stress. One more than others.

NTD is rate, affects all fish and has quiye more symptoms than only colorlos.
Bit of patience might be the thing.

 

I think I might loose all my color if I was caught in Brasil and now temporarily ended up in a 9 G. I think it is stress. One more than others.

NTD is rate, affects all fish and has quiye more symptoms than only colorlos.
Bit of patience might be the thing.

I was thinking of stress as well. But my concern is that one was pale when it was netted at the LFS. So it has been 3 weeks since it was arrived at the LFS. I asked the LFS to get another one and he simply added another cardinal and won't be bothered to take this one out. The other cardinals of the same batch was showing good colors when I bought them and their colors are now even better. It is only this one that was pale from the beginning and still is.

I am afraid it could be some kind of parasite or bacteria infection and it may get spread out for my other cardinals ? I don't see any visible sign apart form the color loss.

 

Hard to say.
It isn't by coincidence another species (green neon) ?

 

Hard to say.
It isn't by coincidence another species (green neon) ?

That thought came to my mind as well. But I don't think so though. The cardinals are bought from a reputable LFS and there is noticeable difference between the faded cardinal I have versus the green neon or gold neon.

 

That thought came to my mind as well. But I don't think so though. The cardinals are bought from a reputable LFS and there is noticeable difference between the faded cardinal I have versus the green neon or gold neon.

Google Paracheirodon Simulans.
This is a neon look alike but differently colored. Does resamble more to the cardinal than the neon.

 

The photo above is a Cardinal. Green Neons are easy to identify from the other two species because the blue line goes all the way to the tail. The other two end way before that. However, the first time I ever saw simulans, they were being sold as Cardinals. I recognized them for what they were, and bought a group.

 

The photo above is a Cardinal. Green Neons are easy to identify from the other two species because the blue line goes all the way to the tail. The other two end way before that. However, the first time I ever saw simulans, they were being sold as Cardinals. I recognized them for what they were, and bought a group.

I know CD but that is not the actual fish of the OP. I still have the suspicion there is one simulans in with te axelrodi.

 

I know CD but that is not the actual fish of the OP. I still have the suspicion there is one simulans in with te axelrodi.

I will probably get a picture after I come back from work.

 

 

All seem to be cardinals to me.
It doesn't look ill to me. So maybe Mother Nature forgot a bit of paint ????

 

Apologize for the quality of the photos, you might identify there is one cardinal that is not as red as the others

 

I was thinking of stress as well. But my concern is that one was pale when it was netted at the LFS. So it has been 3 weeks since it was arrived at the LFS. I asked the LFS to get another one and he simply added another cardinal and won't be bothered to take this one out. The other cardinals of the same batch was showing good colors when I bought them and their colors are now even better. It is only this one that was pale from the beginning and still is.

I am afraid it could be some kind of parasite or bacteria infection and it may get spread out for my other cardinals ? I don't see any visible sign apart form the color loss.

Sometimes our "underdogs" become our favorite fish. I would keep him and see if he colors up. He is a living creature and taking him back to the store will just add more stress and possibly kill him.

I bought a large school of neons. One of them was also faded. He is coloring up now after three weeks.

Get your nitrates down.

 

I was reading your post because I recently had an issue with my neons becoming cloudy / faded, which appears to have been due to stress, and are now back to looking bright now after a few tank changes.

The problem I have with some newer additions is that the bottom is getting over crowded.... Do your cardinals tend to school in the middle area always ? Do they always stay off of the bottom?

 

When they have coverage from above and are in a planted tank they will feel mor secure and even more vibtant. This one might need some extra coloring up.

 

Sometimes our "underdogs" become our favorite fish. I would keep him and see if he colors up. He is a living creature and taking him back to the store will just add more stress and possibly kill him.

I bought a large school of neons. One of them was also faded. He is coloring up now after three weeks.

Get your nitrates down.

Planning to do a water change tonight

I was reading your post because I recently had an issue with my neons becoming cloudy / faded, which appears to have been due to stress, and are now back to looking bright now after a few tank changes.

The problem I have with some newer additions is that the bottom is getting over crowded.... Do your cardinals tend to school in the middle area always ? Do they always stay off of the bottom?

They are currently in a quarantine tank with no other fish. I don't see them staying out of bottom in particular

When they have coverage from above and are in a planted tank they will feel mor secure and even more vibtant. This one might need some extra coloring up.

Yeah, once I finish quarantine I will put them in my 20 long that has plants and decorations

 

Ide return it and get one with more color incase a month from now the brighter ones start to shun the dull colored one...just my .02..go get what u paid for

 

Ide return it and get one with more color incase a month from now the brighter ones start to shun the dull colored one...just my .02..go get what u paid for

knowing the tale of the ugly duckling?

 

Ide return it and get one with more color incase a month from now the brighter ones start to shun the dull colored one...just my .02..go get what u paid for

Actually the LFS gave me an extra one after I pointed out that I would like another one. So technically he is free.

 

Actually the LFS gave me an extra one after I pointed out that I would like another one. So technically he is free.

Good deal

 

How is the ugly duckling doing ?

 

How is the ugly duckling doing ?

Healthy and eating, but still far from a swan at the moment, I will probably quarantine the batch for another week and put them in the main tank.

 

How is the ugly duckling doing ?

I am happy to report that the ugly duckling has finally become a swan. When I look at my tank I cannot find one cardinal tetra with pale color.

 

Cardinal tetras loose coloration from stress or keeping the lights off for too long.