Algae Infestation in Cycled Tank

[vskscaper]

rock salt for food is fine to use

One more query. I hope this is not any contagious disease like Neon Tetra Disease. I will turn on the UV lamp for a while.

 

[Colin_T]

It doesn't look like a contagious disease, it looks more like physical damage.

 

[vskscaper]

It doesn't look like a contagious disease, it looks more like physical damage.

I had added salt as you suggested. But the situation did not improve, the fish was losing ability to swim and unfortunately it was dead today. I had 2 lemon tertras, one of it is dead. The second one is developing a similar lesion on its body. Not sure if its something contagious.

 

[Colin_T]

Post a picture of the second lemon tetra.

Black markings on the body like in the video are normally bruises or chemical burns. Chemical burns are normally from chlorinated tap water but can be from other chemicals (medications, fertilisers or something from outside the tank) that get added or into the aquarium water. However, chemicals would normally affect all the tank inhabitants not just one. And the big regular water changes you are doing should be diluting anything bad (diseases or chemicals) in the tank.

The creamy white patches are excess mucous and they appear to be mostly on the black patches but it is all over the fish. This would suggest something has done some sort of physical damage to the fish.

The muscle tissue under the skin appears cream/ white in some areas and that can be a microsporidian infection but it does not occur or cause black patches and excess mucous on the body. So the black patches and excess mucous are related to each other and are not linked to a microsporidian infection. The cream/ white muscle tissue is sometimes seen in sick or dying fish and it might not be a microsporidian infection.

The fish has a damaged dorsal fin and tail and unless it was developing these symptoms over a week, it's unlikely to be a disease. If the fish was fine one day and looked like it does the next day, then it's been injured by something or has done some serious damage to itself. There's no real diseases that cause all these symptoms overnight. Microsporidian infections take several months to kill a fish or shrimp. The amount of damage to the fins would have taken a week or more if it was a bacterial infection. External protozoan infections don't cause black patches and the fish would be rubbing on objects if it had an external protozoan infection.

 

[vskscaper]

Post a picture of the second lemon tetra.

Black markings on the body like in the video are normally bruises or chemical burns. Chemical burns are normally from chlorinated tap water but can be from other chemicals (medications, fertilisers or something from outside the tank) that get added or into the aquarium water. However, chemicals would normally affect all the tank inhabitants not just one. And the big regular water changes you are doing should be diluting anything bad (diseases or chemicals) in the tank.

The creamy white patches are excess mucous and they appear to be mostly on the black patches but it is all over the fish. This would suggest something has done some sort of physical damage to the fish.

The muscle tissue under the skin appears cream/ white in some areas and that can be a microsporidian infection but it does not occur or cause black patches and excess mucous on the body. So the black patches and excess mucous are related to each other and are not linked to a microsporidian infection. The cream/ white muscle tissue is sometimes seen in sick or dying fish and it might not be a microsporidian infection.

The fish has a damaged dorsal fin and tail and unless it was developing these symptoms over a week, it's unlikely to be a disease. If the fish was fine one day and looked like it does the next day, then it's been injured by something or has done some serious damage to itself. There's no real diseases that cause all these symptoms overnight. Microsporidian infections take several months to kill a fish or shrimp. The amount of damage to the fins would have taken a week or more if it was a bacterial infection. External protozoan infections don't cause black patches and the fish would be rubbing on objects if it had an external protozoan infection

Please see attached video. The fish that died had developed symptoms like this over period of a week or more. The only fish I have in the tank are tetras,ottos,a bristlenose pleco and 3 Amano shrimp. I have never seen any aggressive behaviour. They are quite friendly with each other.Only thing I observed is the shrimp munching on dead fish some time. I use non chlorinated well water.

 

[Colin_T]

That looks like a wound too. It might be a bacterial infection but they usually go red around the edges.

The fish does have a red nostril and red under the skin near the mouth on the left hand side. That can be from poor water quality or an infection. Cleaning the tank and adding salt usually treats it (your already doing that).
How much salt is in the water (1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres or 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres)?

You can also use a broad spectrum medication and see if that helps. Get something that treats bacteria, fungus and protozoa.

 

[vskscaper]

S

That looks like a wound too. It might be a bacterial infection but they usually go red around the edges.

The fish does have a red nostril and red under the skin near the mouth on the left hand side. That can be from poor water quality or an infection. Cleaning the tank and adding salt usually treats it (your already doing that).
How much salt is in the water (1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres or 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres)?

You can also use a broad spectrum medication and see if that helps. Get something that treats bacteria, fungus and protozoa.

Sorry for the delayed reply. I have less than 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres. Also, I had done a 20% water change since the fish was dead. What broad-spectrum medication can I use?

 

[Colin_T]

Broad spectrum medication is anything that treats bacteria, fungus and protozoan infections. Generally any medication with formaldehyde/ formalin and malachite green will treat most things. They usually have other chemicals in with them too but not always.

 

[vskscaper]

Broad spectrum medication is anything that treats bacteria, fungus and protozoan infections. Generally any medication with formaldehyde/ formalin and malachite green will treat most things. They usually have other chemicals in with them too but not always.

okay.. I think i will do a dip treatment for the affected fish.