Exremely Swollen Neon Tetra

[scooterchick]

Theres a pleco in the tank that was supposed to be going to a new home on Sun, can plecos get neon tetra disease?

 

[WILDER]

Most fish can be affected about it.
I wouldn't rehome him just yet, wait till you know they defiinately haven got ntd.
Good luck.

 

[-germ-]

Wilder i know you know a hell of alot more about fishy illness than me but what about osmotic shock?
Especially considering the supposed colourloss!
I'm obsessed with the idea that alot of fish are misdiagnosed away from this illness....
You'll probably be able to explain why it isn't and i'd love to learn!
Err... Don't hit me!
Cheers...

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Osmotic shock is simply because the water is too salty or there is too little salt for the fish in question. Neon Tetra aree an amazonian fish that hate salt as the amazon is very soft and acidic. Salt doesn't benefit them very much. This wouldn't make the fish fat though, it would be because of a failed organ like the kidneys, pregnancy, overfeeding, or something like this.

Around 80 percent of neon tetras die each season. They are one of the very few fish that the environment can somehow benefit from having them removed from the wild. With so many dyieng naturally every year, they aren't a particularly long living fish and are susceptible to many issues. I wouldn't put too much stock in a sick neon causing problems for everyone else though because...

neone tetra disease is characterized by extreme loss of color and colored tissues being replaced with white infected tissue. It is very contagious among many fish especially amazonian fish for some reason which I have observed. However your fish doesn't seem to have this, it also seems to make the fish waste away, not get bloated. And they swim very erratically when infected.

 

[-germ-]

I thought the salt imbalances were caused not necessarily by a lack of or by too much salt in the water, but by poor nutrition or when linked to incorrect feeding. Otherwise the issue would never have been related to freshwater fish?
Just a thought.
Peas......

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Possibly, but when I think of an osmotic imbalance, its about the level of sodium chloride in the water. Marine salt is different than freshwater salts. They contain many magnesium and calcium salts that freshwater normally doesn't. If theres more salt in the fish than in in the surrounding water, it will be in an osmotic imbalance, which will cause its cells to take on lots of water and potentially lyse or burst. And if there is not enough salt in the fishes cells and too much in the surrounding water, the fish will be in an osmotic imbalance and the fishes cells could shrivel. By no means am I a complete expert on this subject, but I believe that is how it works.

 

[-germ-]

Oh....

 

[WILDER]

Loads of spelling mistakes need to stop drinking wine.
Read ArauraDiscus she very bright, can explains things alot better than me.

 

[-germ-]

Umm...
I'll try to explain my understanding of it....
The osmoregulatory system in fish (i think) relates more to the electrolyte balances in the fish, particularly the swim bladder as the concentration of sodium chloride to water is how it maintains its balance, but it also involves magnesium, potassium, an endless list. The correct balance of these electrolytes is necessary for the uptake of oxygen and the release of ammonium and carbon dioxide, by interfering with their gill functions (via a lack of or too much of the electrolytes in the water) there can be a loss or dangerous build up these chemicals in the fish. Leading to osmotic shock, common symptoms being colour loss, hanging at the surface and a loss in swimming balance.
Its more commonly associated with fish that have scale damage or injury, where the fishes regulatory system struggles to maintain the balance of electrolytes
leading to an osmoregulatory overload.
I'm probably wrong, but i'm sure its just as common in freshwater as saltwater fish....
Its also tied in to PH somehow...
Please explain!!!

 

[scooterchick]

Oh my head hurts!

Anyway, the wee fish was still there when I went to work this morning but has since disappeared, will need to have a good rummage through the tank. I'm veering away from NTD, there was no loss of colour, only swollen belly and definite signs of not appearing well, however as I know nothing of the fish's history perhaps he was just old and old age doesn't come alone, even for a fish. Def not overfed. Poor wee thing, I sounds terrible but I hope he's dead so he's not suffering anymore and so I can get him out the tank. From what I've read NTD can be a long suffering illness, this fish went down hill rapidly and as I say there were no faded patches or anything on him, or the other neons.

 

[WILDER]

If you have lost quite a few fish I would add a bacterial med for now.
Good luck.

 

[scooterchick]

Hi Wilder,

Well, he's hanging in there, hiding under the filter. Can you recommend a good bac med? I usually use interpret stuff. On another note, I have a sickly molly in a different tank, the whole tank were a bit ill but I moved them all and treated for velvet. All the rest of the fish have perked up except the molly but she's also showing signs of finrot so was obviously a bit further gone than the rest. You really have to be on the ball with this fish keeping business, by the time I've noticed a problem it's always too late. Been keeping them for nearly 5 months now, does it get better?

 

[WILDER]

Velvet can cause bacterial infections
Anti internal bacteria med by interpet, but once a bacteria infection has advanced it not that good the med, only in the early stages, so good luck.

 

[ShaunR]

Emm, he looks a bit unhappy but I wouldn't say he was struggling to keep his balance. A bit twitchy perhaps. Oh, I feed them flake food, a small amount every couple of days, the tank is very overcrowded which I trying to address, so I deliberately underfeed them.

I've noticed that none of the neons' red stripe runs the whole length of the body, the red bit starts half way and ends in the tail. is this normal?

 

[ShaunR]

Emm, he looks a bit unhappy but I wouldn't say he was struggling to keep his balance. A bit twitchy perhaps. Oh, I feed them flake food, a small amount every couple of days, the tank is very overcrowded which I trying to address, so I deliberately underfeed them.

I've noticed that none of the neons' red stripe runs the whole length of the body, the red bit starts half way and ends in the tail. is this normal?

Neon's red stripe goes 1/2 way (tail end). Cardinals have the full length stripe. Both are prone to constipation if fed a heavily protien loaded diet. Try feeding some steamed peeled peas or a days fasting.