Fin Rot, Gill Damage, and maybe dropsy??

You might want to research neon tetra disease. These are the symptoms and it doesn't only affect neon tetras:

Symptoms:
Restlessness

Fish begins to lose coloration

As cysts develop, body may become lumpy

Fish has difficulty swimming

In advanced cases spine may become curved

Secondary infections such as fin rot and bloating

--------------------------------------------------------

The article I read said there is no known cure. I'll get the link and post it below for you.
 
Just wanted you to know that tank maintenance has nothing at all to do with this disease. I don't remove all my decorations with every water change. I alternate them. For my cories I also use the distraction method that was mentioned. I don't think you're overfeeding at all. I feed freeze-dried bloodworms and freeze-dried tubifex and mysis shrimp as well as what you're feeding (not all at once). Just make sure your filter is running well. Dump the old water out of it when you do your water changes, rinse the media in the old tank water and make sure nothing is wound around the impeller.

I think you're doing a great job with your fish. I'm sorry you have to deal with this now and hope when it passes you'll stick with the hobby.
 
i agree with the above ^

it sounds like you're doing things right, and you're obviously well-informed about cycling, water tests, water changes, etc. anyway, welcome to AC! i hope we can help you out.
 
I use city water.. and the water conditioner i use takes care of chlorine and chloramine.

NTD and TB were my two best guesses, from the start. It just seems strange to me that they lack the symptoms I would expect to see early- such as lose of appetite and energy in TB, or the difficulty swimming and eradic behavior in NTD.

I HAVE to get some school work done right now, and am not at home to do anythign for the fish, but tonight will reread on TB and NTD, and post up.

If it is NTD, do i need to restart the 55, as i would if it was TB? If I can't determine which it is, should i redo it anyways, just to be safe?

Also, how long/what do i look for, to know if the fish are recovering/not going to get sick? I think all of the neons have it, whatever it is. They're turning black and getting lumps and losing color all at once. The longfin danios seem the worst for out of the danios, but the zebras seem relatively unaffected. They're just quarantined as an extra measure of security...

More questions and summary later.

Thanks so much for the info and reassurances.

LeeAnna
 
Ok, so i'm home and looked at the fish. And I'm just so totally stumped right now.

The tetras are changing colors and growing lumps... IDK if the danios even have anything other than finrot.

About now, I'm trying to figure out how to get them in a 'permanent' home so I'm back to 2 tanks, as this is just dragging on forever.

I'm pretty sure the neons have something, and thus I will put them down as soon as i can get some vodka and clove oil... I honestly don't know what to do with the rest.

My other concern is the big tank. I absolutely do not want any more sick fish. Do i need to tear that tank down, sterilize it, etc, and restart? If so, any good links on that process? Is there a 'preventative' i can treat the bottom feeders with to help em out with these issues?


Thanks,
LeeAnna
 
If it was me and I realize this is drastic but I'd start over again. I'd sterilize everything with bleach including the filter and anything that's been in the tank. Either boil the gravel or get new. Sterilize the vaccum and nets, everything. Rinse well and add conditioner to the final rinse.

About the fish which are doing well in quarantine. I don't know if this is something they can carry and then spread to weak fish. You'll have to research that.

I'd euthanize the neons which are doing really poorly, if not all of them.

If you choose to start over, get some media from a healthy established tank and put it behind your disinfected filter's new media. Add lots of cheap real plants. If you do this and add fish very slowly you might not even notice a cycle. I start new tanks this way all the time with no problems.

This happened to me before with columnaris. I used every drug in the book until I realized I was fighting a losing battle and I started over again. Don't give up on the hobby as frustrating as this is. You just learned alot. When's school's out start over and you'll have a great tank by the time summer's over.
 
Well, I'm definitely going to euthanize the tetras, probly the longfins, we'll see how the zebras do. I'll either euthanize them, or if i can convince my betta to live in the 55, i'll move them to the 10 and see how they do.

I'll research sterilizing, but first I have to get the 20 emptied, so the bottom feeders can go in it (currently it is my quarantine) and in order to do that, i either euthanize, or recombine the danios, or i move the betta in with the bottom feeders so the danios can go in the ten... which I can't do until I finish battling his tail deterioration. -grumble- I'm having bad bad bad fish luck lately. (did i mention all my plants are dieing? lol)

I'm definitely not going to pick up the kara.. whatever. I'm betting on NTD, which is untreatable, and I just cant afford any more expensive fish meds.

I'm actually not going to "restock" the 55 after I sterilize it. I'll but the bottom feeders back in, and might round out their shoals abit (only 3 and 2 in the shoals). But I'm gunna leave it understocked, as I am going away next semester, and less fish = less nitrates = better chance of survival under my family's care.


Thanks so much for your input all. I'll let you know how everything turns out... If i ever find time to do it all!

PS... how does one sterilize sand? Or is that even possible? And do I have to then throw away the sponge filter that is in the 55? I can buy a new filter, I hate my HOB, and would rather buy a new one than risk not getting the bleach out of it and what not. Also.. driftwood, rocks? are they garbage too?
I'll research that a bit, but suggestions are welcome.
 
sillypony said:
Well, I'm definitely going to euthanize the tetras, probly the longfins, we'll see how the zebras do. I'll either euthanize them, or if i can convince my betta to live in the 55, i'll move them to the 10 and see how they do.

I'll research sterilizing, but first I have to get the 20 emptied, so the bottom feeders can go in it (currently it is my quarantine) and in order to do that, i either euthanize, or recombine the danios, or i move the betta in with the bottom feeders so the danios can go in the ten... which I can't do until I finish battling his tail deterioration. -grumble- I'm having bad bad bad fish luck lately. (did i mention all my plants are dieing? lol)

I'm definitely not going to pick up the kara.. whatever. I'm betting on NTD, which is untreatable, and I just cant afford any more expensive fish meds.

I'm actually not going to "restock" the 55 after I sterilize it. I'll but the bottom feeders back in, and might round out their shoals abit (only 3 and 2 in the shoals). But I'm gunna leave it understocked, as I am going away next semester, and less fish = less nitrates = better chance of survival under my family's care.


Thanks so much for your input all. I'll let you know how everything turns out... If i ever find time to do it all!

PS... how does one sterilize sand? Or is that even possible? And do I have to then throw away the sponge filter that is in the 55? I can buy a new filter, I hate my HOB, and would rather buy a new one than risk not getting the bleach out of it and what not. Also.. driftwood, rocks? are they garbage too?
I'll research that a bit, but suggestions are welcome.
Click to expand...

You can sterilize sand by boiling it. When I tore down my 25 gal. I replaced the sponge but poured boiling water into the filter with a bit of bleach. Bleach is chlorine. Your conditioner is chlorine remover. So after giving the filter a good rinse fill it will water and add a good dose of conditioner to it and you'll be fine. Rocks and wood can be boiled. You could even put them through the dishwasher without soap (maybe a little bleach) and set on sanitizer and then boil them after. Same with the nets and vaccum. I think maybe skip the boiling for the last 2 because of the plastic. Just rinse well.
 
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