Is this Neon Tetra Disease?

For almost 3 weeks, pretty much all my neons have developed a pale spot on their bodies. When I first noticed I thought it may be related to the copper I used for treating ich, but 3 days later when it was time for the weekly 20% water change, I saw that I had an .25 ppm of ammonia, so I thought it could also be ammonia burn. Either way I did a 50% water change. The next week, I saw I was still reading about .5 ppm for copper, so I did about a 30% WC and replaced the filter media (new carbon) to help get rid of the copper.

Currently my copper is reading 0, and my water parameters as of Sunday (Water Change Day) are:

Ammonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 10
Temp: 80

No other fish are showing any sympthoms, and the Neons are behaving perfectly normal. The spots don't seem to be expanding, but I could be wrong. The eat like normal, and swim normally. The only evidence of sickness is the pale spots.

Pics:









They seem healthy in the group shot, but that's because their spots are smaller and on the other side of the bodies. The solo pics of the neon are all the same fish. He has the biggest spot.

Any idea what this might be? I'm hoping it just some sort of side effect to copper and it nothing but an aesthetic defect.

jpappy789 said:

I'm horrible at disease ID, but maybe it's columnaris instead?

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I'm not really seeing anything like in the description. Their behavior is normal, and no one has trouble breathing.

SubRosa said:

Plistophora (Neon Tetra Disease) produces a spot similar to the one on your fish, but the location is wrong. The spot is directly under the dorsal fin. More likely you're looking at Aeromonas or Pseudomonas infection. These are both gram - organisms so choice of antibiotic should be either Furan or Minocycline (Maracyn 2). Naladixic Acid is the drug of choice for Plistophora.

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Good news. Well, in the sense that it is not Neon Tetra Disease which is fatal. Will research your suggestions, thanks.

Lupin said:

Not a true NTD infection. That is a classic case of columnaris often mistaken for fungus or NTD. It is a gram negative bacteria. You could try the combination of Maracyn and Maracyn 2 to cover both of the probable gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections.

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Thanks for the info. Will be buying these two today at the LFS. Is the meds safe for the other tank inhabitants? I have no more tanks to QT in.

The closest I can some to QT would be moving the Neons to the 10g with the Betta and Harlies and moving the Harlies to the 20g tank. Should I do this?

jpappy789 said:

OMG...I was right? :thud:

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Looks like it. Lupin is the all knowing pro, what he says goes. :y220d: