Neon Just Got A New Cotton Sweater

I came home today to find one of my clown loaches dead. He somehow hurt his nose the other day and has had a swollen red nose the past few days. Well, he was up against the water intake in my tank missing some meat. I'm not sure who took some of his flesh.

So anyways, I remove the remains fo the clown and noticed that one of my neons was wearing a new cotton sweater. I was thinking fungus but up close I'm not sure. Up close it looks more like his scales are falling off and the color from its midsection is gone. Anyone have any ideas what happened to him? I've attached some pictures. Unfortunately I couldnt get any clear close up pictures. The tap water around here is around 7.5ph but other than that, the tank water tests fine.

Here's what I've got for now:

50 gallon Seaclear System II tank with several potted plants and a total of 18 small fish.

- (2) bumblebee gobies
- (1) 4" common pleco
- (3) 3" clown loaches
- (3) cardinal tetras
- (9) neon tetras
- bunch-o-snails

To me it looks like neon tetra disease but not 100% sure.
You may have to google to see if it is and read up on it.
If it is then its not looking good for your fish.

I would treat it as false ntd which is saddle back columnaris.
Signs of ntd are bleached out colour in the red or blue area, black lining around the tail, lumps on the tummy that go to a point.

Wilder said:

I would treat it as false ntd which is saddle back columnaris.
Signs of ntd are bleached out colour in the red or blue area, black lining around the tail, lumps on the tummy that go to a point.

Click to expand...

Good call Wilder, this is what i used to call sadle back (a one of my wifes female guppies has just been despatched due same problem) once in this state you may find you will end up humainly destroying the fish pictured, as it is heavily infected, once the fungus subsides it can leave an open sore where its erroded the scales and body.

It pays to try and do a visual check on your fish daily as that neon has obviously developed signs over the last few days. It will start with a small patch of white usually in the dorsal fin area before it starts to progress.

Had ntd and mine didn't look like that, looks more like columnaris kev same as you say.
Just hope it is rather than the dreadful ntd.

dont hava clue what it is but i would get him out of the tank asap

http/article.discusnews.com/cat-02/columnaries.shtml
Yes it would be good to issolate the fish but he might not have anywhere to put him.
Plus with it being so bad the columnaris I would treat the whole tank anyway.