False or real - Neon Tetra Disease

[debsmd]

We have a new tank with 5 danios who we've had for about 4 weeks and 5 tetras we've had for 3 weeks. One of the tetras is going white around the body and not swimming with the others. However, he's hungry and otherwise looks ok. The water parameters are fine (we had a little nitrite peak last week that has been sorted) and the other fish seem fine. The tetras are also a bit lumpy but generally just after they've been fed (a sign of disease or just digesting their food!?). Should I quarantine my whitish tetra? And how do i know if he had NTD or false NTD? Help!

 

[gracedj88]

I was trying to find out about the white on the body my my neons also, and found your post. Did you ever find out what it was??? I have been treating with melafix for a week, but nothing has changed. No deaths and they are eating just fine. I have read that neons do tend to get a bit lumpy after they eat, and it is nothing to worry about.
thanks grace

 

[debsmd]

Grace, I've looked at some sites and they suggest that the neaons might have neon tetra disease which isn't curable or false neaon tetra disease which is treatable. (Have a look at some of the sites for pictures - fish are basically a bit white under the dorsal fin). Apparently they both show the same symptoms. My tetras like yours seem quite happy and hungry which might suggest it's false NCT as the sites talk about appetite loss and emaciation. However, they also talk about NCT being degenrative so I don't know. They say that you should make sure you don't confuse the two diseases (but don't say how!). So, I'm flumoxed. Off to the fish shop today, so if I get anywhere I'll let you know...fingers crossed. I'm worried about it spreading and whether I should quarantine the discoloured fish.

 

[CFC]

I wouldn't worry about quarantining the fish,if it is neon tetra then it is probably too late as once a tank has neon tetra disease in it it will always have it unless you cull all the stock,strip the whole tank down and sterilise every part

 

[debsmd]

Have now been to fish shop and they agree with Catfish crazy at least about the one with symptoms. Said that the best thing to do was to cull the poor one with the disease add some Melafix and wait a bit to see what happens to the 4 tertras left and the zebras and under no circumstances add any other fish.
This is our first attempt at starting a community aquarium so feels a bit like a disaster, especially if the rest have it too.

 

[CFC]

The one good thing about ntd is that it really does only affect neon tetras,other fish can carry the disease but are not affected by it.If you replace the neons (if they do all die) with cardinal tetras you will get the same affect but they wont be affected by the neon tetra disease.

 

[gracedj88]

Hopefully all is not over yet. On another forum, they suggested using adding salt to the aquarium. 1 tbsp per 5 gallons of water. I am going to give this a try.

 

[CFC]

Neons tolerate salt badly,i would not advise adding salt to any aquarium containing them.

 

[ostrow]

do not add salt!!! if the ntd doesn't kill them, the salt will. just curious, was it a large chain that made the suggestion?

i keep cardinal tetras for just this reason. good alternative, and generally a hardier fish.