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Help!!!!neon tetra dying

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Harshita Arora

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Hi! I'm very new to fishkeeping. So I really need immediate help right now..I bought a 10gallons well planted tank, cycled it for two months and then got 6 neon tetras and 2 guppies.
They were all alive and healthy for two months but last week one of the tetras died suddenly. It was pale and had ragged fins. Then after that, the next day another tetra started showing the same torn fins. I did a 50 percent water change and put in a med for finrot but it also died yesterday. And so now one more neon tetra is doing the same. I have secluded him in a hospital tank with the same temperature.. But he is lying at the bottom and unable to swim..I need help please!!!
 

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Hi and welcome to the forum :)

the swollen eyes would indicate a bacterial infection.

have you added anything to the tank in the last 2 weeks?
did you feed the fish something different just before this started?

You will probably need anti-biotics. You need to treat them for at least 1 week and up to 2 weeks. If there's no improvement after 1 week the medication is not working and you should try something else.

-----------------------
Do the following before you treat the fish.

Work out the volume of water in the tank.
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working.

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.
 
Colin_T said:
Hi and welcome to the forum :)

the swollen eyes would indicate a bacterial infection.

have you added anything to the tank in the last 2 weeks?
did you feed the fish something different just before this started?

You will probably need anti-biotics. You need to treat them for at least 1 week and up to 2 weeks. If there's no improvement after 1 week the medication is not working and you should try something else.

-----------------------
Do the following before you treat the fish.

Work out the volume of water in the tank.
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working.

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Click to expand...


Thankyou Colin for the help!
I have done everything you said including water change, cleaning the filter and tank..

No, I have been feeding them the same food ever since I got them.
Also, I have not and cannot clean or vacuum the substrate as I have soil not pebbles.
For the hospitalised neon tetra I bought a bactericide that I have put in. I have also put in some aquarium salt. Is there anything else I should do?
 
There's no point adding salt because it won't help.

You should treat the main tank because that is where the bad bacteria are.
 
He looks bloated. Have you tried fasting? Are you feeding too much? Neon tetras are not very hardy fish anymore. They’ve been overbred so much. Best of luck!
 
Deanasue said:
He looks bloated. Have you tried fasting? Are you feeding too much? Neon tetras are not very hardy fish anymore. They’ve been overbred so much. Best of luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!
I have been feeding 2 pellets per fish each day as per the instructions given to me by the Pet store guys.. Is that too much?
Also, now he is swimming upside down and I'm really freaking out. Could that be because of the bloating like you mentioned?
 
Harshita Arora said:
Thanks for the reply!
I have been feeding 2 pellets per fish each day as per the instructions given to me by the Pet store guys.. Is that too much?
Also, now he is swimming upside down and I'm really freaking out. Could that be because of the bloating like you mentioned?
Click to expand...
Any chance of another picture of the fish?

It shouldn’t be floating upside down.
 
It could be a swim bladder disorder. Fast the fish for 48 hours and then try boiling a pea for a minute to soften it. Peel it and try to feed it to the fish. It will take practice for him to eat it upside down but hand feed him. This may help some. Also raise the temp in tank a little. Warm water helps with digestion. Good luck. Note: you can also try an Epsom salt bath. For a tetra I would take one gallon of dechlorinated water which is same temp as tank and add 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom salt ( not aquarium salt). Be sure it is pure Epsom salt with no fragrance added. Put fish in the bath for 2 minutes. Then place him back in tank. You can do this 3 times a day. The Epsom salt helps pull fluid off the organs and may help him turn upright. Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Harshita Arora said:
Also, now he is swimming upside down and I'm really freaking out. Could that be because of the bloating like you mentioned?
Click to expand...
This has nothing to do with food unless the food has gone off. The fish has a bacterial infection, which is why the eyes are bulging out.

If the fish is swimming upside down, then euthanise it because it's dying.
 
Well, unfortunately, he died last night. That was not really unexpected as I could see he was suffering really bad..
But thanks all for your help..!

Also since it was an infection I'm worried if my guppy has got it too now. There are no behavioral changes but still I'm a little worried..

Does he look alright?
 

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I need a better picture.

You will have to monitor all the remaining fish and if any of them develop the same symptoms, treat the tank with anti-biotics.
 
Thanks @Deanasue


Here are some more pics
 

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