Red Eye Tetras Very Ill

Hi peeps,

I have my red eye tetras about 1.5yrs now in the tank, all been good. Last week I noticed something very odd. Normally they are flying around the back of the tank against the stream from eheim aquaball which was added about 2 months ago. One of them seem to have a swollen eye which looks very much like popeye.

Then I noticed another has a large brown discolouration on his left side, which looks slightly swollen.

THEN !!! Another now has what looks like white bumps above his mouth (top).

They seem to be feeding with all the others, but are staying still the rest of the time. All the other fish are fine and seem to be OK.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate <15
Temp 80
PH. 7.2 on digital meter.

Also have Vecton UV Steraliser in there.

Nothing new added recently.

Can anybody tell me a good treatment, as im treating with Anti Internal Bacteria now, but is that the best thing ?

Please help...

Hi Spooky,

As I was reading I was thinking anti internal bacteria..............other than that you know the script, water change etc

You've got a lot of fish in the 4' tank, only saying cos it's the same size as mine and I seem to have hardly any! Are the all wee small fish? (Apart from the loaches) I thought I was close to fully stocked.

Hey scooter chick,

I think its about at its limit yes, but its not overstocked, I have a huge eheim external filter and 2 internal filters and never get ammonia etc. All the tetras are small, as are the catfish. Only really the rams and congos that are largeish.

I think it looks spacious

Hehe - yeh - I have started that treatment, but the one with lumps on its mouth...im stumped with that, but I suppose I can only treat one thing at a time

Thanks for replying, I know im on the right path then at least

Hey spookster,

The lumps certainly sound fungal rather than bacterial, any chance you could separate it and treat it?

I've got 1 common plec (I know he'll get too big), 1 rtbs, 4 golden barbs, 3 pearl gourami's, 2 cooli loaches, 4 diamond tetra's and 1 lone swordtail. Fluval 3 and fluval 1 filters, sounds a lot but like your's, looks very spacious! Never see the loaches right enough.

Secondary bacterial infections bless him.
Brown colour on fish can mean columnaris to velvet.
So need to describe texture of the brown, velvet like, rust looking, fluffy, or just bleached out colour.

Hi wilder,
The brown colour is like washed out more than anything. there is nothing external on him that I can see, it just looks like you can see through his skin if that makes sense.

Scooterchick,
As for seperating him....I wish I could really. But my small tank has now got my black moor from outside in it, and some minnows from a mate So I have nowhere to treat the little critters other than the main tank...

Get going with a bacterial med.
Good luck.

Wilder - I have finished (Sunday) the treatment with Interpet Anti Internal Bacteria.

I cant say they have improved.

I have a pic which ive uploaded...I think it shows the one with the lump and one behind with the white...not sure if ive done it right though...

One with a brown patch hasnt improved, its still got a brown lump, which it probably the same size. The one with popeye I think its improved. The one with white ....stuff on its nose has got worse.

The one with the lump and the one with the white now just sit stationary in middle but do feed. But they seem twitchy...if that makes sense.

Hope someone can help as im not feeling like im helping them at the moment...

EDIT - just looking at the one with white on his nose, his anus is slight swollen and has white around it - also looks a bit ragged around it....

What a mess.
Red anus can be internal parasites to dropsy.
Any fish gone thin.
You have popeye and that closely related to dropsy becaude of the build up of fluids.
The white on the nose is it fluffy.
The lump does it resemble a cauliflower.
The brown patch turn tank lights out, get a torch and shine it on the patch to see if it glows up a golden colour wnat to rule velvet out.
Brown patches can be columnaris to velvet.
Wondering if you have a parasite with bacterial infections.

Dont say that
Nope not gone thin.
Yes its fluffy and the fish seems to have its mouth open all the time.
Nope - lump is not like cauliflower
Will check with torch once light goes out.
thanks Wilder.

I didn't mean it in a nasty way.
Ok if its fluffy all the symtoms are pointing towards bacterial.

hi wilder,
Would you use a general or internal bacterial med ?

Internal, you can use melafix for external with internal bacteria meds.
Good luck.

Unfortunately the one with the white on its mouth died this morning

Am still treating others though.

R.I.P.
Good luck with the others.