Sick Rummynose Tetra

tackful

AC Members
Mar 15, 2007
649
11
18
Sausalito, CA
I have a total of 18 Tetras and 6 Rasboras in my 4 month old, 29 gal tank. Everyone appears healthy and colorful, but I've noticed that the Rummynose will lose some of their color, either late in the evening, after the lights have been on for almost their full 10 hrs, and also after I've done tank maintenance and disturbed things a bit. They always regain their color, however, usually within an hour in the case of daytime tank work. I know that they tend to be sensitive fish. Is this normal?
One in particular is a source of concern, as it has been breathing rapidly and is less colorful and noticeably slimmer than the other three. Ammonia and nitrite are always zero, nitrates either zero or very low, and ph has been 6.0 (my API kit won't register any lower) since replacing the substrate with Aqua-Soil 6 weeks ago. The tank is heavily planted and growing well. Any ideas? Thanks, Tackful
 
Rummys are a sensitive little fish especially to water conditions so your tank work is probably kicking up debris that their not too keen on. My rummys are always not very brightly coloured when i first put on the light but they soon brighten up. As for the slimmer one, is he eating, is he being picked on at all?
 
Rummys are a sensitive little fish especially to water conditions so your tank work is probably kicking up debris that their not too keen on. My rummys are always not very brightly coloured when i first put on the light but they soon brighten up. As for the slimmer one, is he eating, is he being picked on at all?
He doesn't appear to be eating, and yes, he is being picked on occasionally by the other three rummys. Tackful
 
Rummys are a sensitive little fish especially to water conditions so your tank work is probably kicking up debris that their not too keen on. My rummys are always not very brightly coloured when i first put on the light but they soon brighten up. As for the slimmer one, is he eating, is he being picked on at all?


:iagree:

Mine lose a little color after a gravel vac / water change, but I feed the tank afterwards and they brighten right back up. The mood rings of my aquarium. Do you have somewhere you could QT him to avoid him getting picked on or further stressed?
 
:iagree:

Mine lose a little color after a gravel vac / water change, but I feed the tank afterwards and they brighten right back up. The mood rings of my aquarium. Do you have somewhere you could QT him to avoid him getting picked on or further stressed?
Not at present; I only have the one tank. It would be quite difficult to remove one specific fish from the tank, what with all the heavy plant growth, rocks and driftwood. If there were a simple way to set up a small QT tank and get the fish in it, then that might work. Tackful
 
Have you noticed if the skinny tetras poop is different from the others. If you can't put your fish in a Q-tank I would try and feed them an anti-parasite food. This is something I like to do every once in awhile even if I haven't added new fish, especially since I feed live food. However, sometimes, especially with tetras, you just get a weak one.
 
Have you noticed if the skinny tetras poop is different from the others. If you can't put your fish in a Q-tank I would try and feed them an anti-parasite food. This is something I like to do every once in awhile even if I haven't added new fish, especially since I feed live food. However, sometimes, especially with tetras, you just get a weak one.
Since the Q-tank seems problematic for me at this point, I think I'll try the anti-parasite food. Thanks. Tackful
 
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