SLOWLY deteriorating Neon tetra

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Cowgrl4life

Cowgrl4life

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Almost a year ago, I set up a neon tetra tank. 10gal planted, I've lost no fish so far but I have this one that has never done well and seems to be getting progressively worse. When I first got them they all looked like normal, young, neon's. First, I noticed it looked a little thinner than the others, Then awhile later ( a month or two?) It looked like it couldn't close its mouth. .. its bottom jaw hangs open like its been pried open and is now stuck gaping open. Now its body has a 'hitch' (for lack of better terms) it looks kinda like he got bent funny (or stuck in a door to help with the visualization). So now, all the others are completely healthy and growing, he's not even half their size, with a gaping mouth and bent body. He tries to eat, but seems to have trouble since the only way he can eat with a mouth that wont close is food that just floats its way into his mouth. I feel pretty bad for him and I'm not sure what the best route is for him at this point.
 
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dbosman

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For the fishes sake, so it won't starve to death, it's probably time to put it down.
A small container if water and ice cubes will do. Some people like to put the container in the freezer to make sure, but death is fast in just ice water.
 
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Squint

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http://www.vri.cz/docs/vetmed/48-3-71.pdf

Numerous mycobacteria were detected in smears from the kidneys, liver, mesentery and spleen of the fish and from fresh faecal material from clinical ill fish with listlessness, emaciation, spinal curvature, sunken eyes and loss of colour (Conroy and Conroy, 1999).
Click to expand...
This is seen quite often in clown loaches. Probably the #2 problem after ich for clowns.

I use kanamycin to treat this and treat for a lot longer than other bacterial infections since mycobacteria are tenacious.
 
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XanAvaloni

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definitely sounds like the fish needs to be isolated, put in qt, regardless. Bacteria are contagious and although the tankmates appear to have resisted so far, it will be an additional source of stress on them. I have had neons live through all sorts of abuse and others just wilt away for no reason at all.

personally, being a heartless sort I guess, I would put the fish down, both for its own sake and that of tankmates. If it does have this mycobacteria as squint suggests it might even contaminate any qt tank it was put in, making that space hazardous for future occupants. just a thought. :(
 
Cowgrl4life

Cowgrl4life

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Thing is, he's not listless, his eyes are fine, and he actually has most of his color still.
Someone in chat suggested that it has a mouth deformity which created some sort of scoliosis, resulting in the current situation. This especially being true since he still try's to eat, school, and otherwise acts completely fine. I was watching him tonight, he'd swim up to food, try to eat it, but couldn't because his jaw wont close :(
 
Kaosu

Kaosu

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dbosman said:
For the fishes sake, so it won't starve to death, it's probably time to put it down.
A small container if water and ice cubes will do. Some people like to put the container in the freezer to make sure, but death is fast in just ice water.
Click to expand...
im sorry but freezing is NOT a human way to put a fish to sleep...clove oil or a quick sharp knife to the back of the head...for a 100% swift death..freezing is a horrible way to go.


OP:..for your fish im not sure..iv seen tetras with the mouth like you are describing but not the bent with it..i hope you find a way to get him better!.
 
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Rev_Jim_Jones

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If I had a picture of the mouth Deformity I could be Even more Certain that it is just a Nutrient Deficiency that led to scoliosis. As it is I am pretty certain.
 
Cowgrl4life

Cowgrl4life

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This is the best I can do, I fished him out and put him in a clear glass. In order to get a clear shot of the mouth deformity I had to actually hold him, The camera wouldn't focus on it when he was in the water. . .

Spinal Curvature

Deformity.JPG

Mouth Deformity
Deformity1.JPG

I left him isolated in the glass, with a few flakes of food. Maybe he'll be able to eat something, if not, he's already caught if I have to put him down. . . Which is unfortunately the way its beginning to look.

Deformity.JPG Deformity1.JPG
 
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