Grumpy Old Fish

[newfishaddict]

I have a red eye tetra. He used to be in a group with two other red eyes but they died; apparently they had internal parasites from the store.....This one has had a fugal or bacterial (fungal looking) infection for 3 months. The disease has symptoms of white fuzzy scales at a site of apparent injury and loss of scales. I have tried a antifungal and antibiotic on him with no success. He became infected after a fight and some bad water due to my ingnorance with my new and first tank.

He stays by himself, and does attack any of my many neons that might come into his small territory at the back of the tank.

I would get 3-4 more of them to put him in a schoal , but I fear he is to grumpy now to be put with his own species...Plus his disease, I fear he will pass it on to others....

Any ideas?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

First things first you need to treat him, tetras are shoaling fish will display abnormal behavior hen in too smaller groups plus most likely he will continue to isolate himself for as long as he is ill, it is quite somthing he has managed to survive this long.
Personally i would treat the tank with some Primafix which treats internal and external bacterial infections as well as fungal ones, use a 70% dose to start with, upping the dose if the fish seem unafected by the med to full dose after a couple of days.
After he has been treated i would advise you get another 5 red eye tetras .

 

[Lateral Line]

Certainly "grumpy" behaviour is more likely to be caused by being alone. I agree if he still is unwell, he will also not be at top form. Get him fit and get him some company. You'll probably find after the initial pecking order rumpus, that he will be back into the game.