Is this White spot on Green Neon Tetra?

[Lynnzer]

As the title says.
I just noticed one of the school has a white spot on the face, just behind the eye. However it's not really a spot as such if you watch the video clip. Although it's white, it's bigger in size than I'd expect for white spot.
It's difficult to photograph and any way to rid the thing will need to take into consideration that the other fish may be affected by the curing process. I don't have a spare tank, and even if I did I just couldn't catch the neon with so much hardscape in the way.
The only other species in the tank are a single Santa Maria Endler, a pair of Scarlett Badis and King Kong Shrimp.
Answers greatly appreciated.
Oh, I have just installed a new external filter with UV light. Will that take care of any bacteria in the water that occurs as a result.
Managed to get a video clip.

 

[connorlindeman]

dosnt look like white spot to me

 

[Lynnzer]

dosnt look like white spot to me

Thanks. I think it's not either but what is it then?

 

[connorlindeman]

Thanks. I think it's not either but what is it then?

I dont know unfortunately.

 

[Lynnzer]

Just seen a dead one too. It's down the back of the tank among the plants and unable to be lifted out due to the amount of hardscape.
It's not lifted to the surface yet so it's probably fresh meat. No apparent sign of any skin condition from what I see.
Being so small and in a rather large tank, it'll probably get eaten by the Badis or King Kong shrimp. I just hope it doesn't have an infection to pass on.
I checked the water again and everything's fine.
Would love to know what the white lump on the other one is though

 

[FranciscoB]

That does not look to me like white spot (aka ick). Instead, it looks more like a secondary bacterial/fungal infection, possibly occurring on top of a pre-existing physical injury (scratch or similar).
It it were my tank/fish, I will do either of two things:
1- Treat with a dual (gram + and gram -) antibiotic, and maintain excellent water quality (via large water changes, beginning before any treatment) to lower bacterial/ fungal load. The UV (which I find otherwise unnecessary and ineffective in most cases), may help in this case, but not by itself.
2- Treat with salt, and similar suggestion about the water changes. In my experience, salt should not affect the other fish, but I do not know about the shrimp.
To be honest, I prefer the salt treatment over any antibiotic.
If the antibiotic is not at hand (or not available quickly), I would not wait and would go ahead with the salt treatment.
Good luck!

 

[FranciscoB]

I wrote before reading about the dead fish. It sounds as if there is an issue of water quality, which needs to be improved regardless. Again, Good luck!

 

[Essjay]

As Lynnzer lives in the UK, antibiotics are only available with a vet's prescription - if we can find a vet who is willing to treat fish.

 

[Lynnzer]

I guess it's going to be salt. However, what sort of dose and will it affect the badis badis and king kong shrimp.
EDIT
Oh sugar. I just remembered I have assassin snails too, apart from the unwanted bladder snails.

 

[Colin_T]

SALT
Using Salt to Treat Fish Health Issues.

For some fish diseases you can use salt (sodium chloride) to treat the ailment rather than using a chemical based medication. Salt is relatively safe and is regularly used in the aquaculture industry to treat food fish for diseases. Salt has been successfully used to treat minor fungal and bacterial infections, as well as a number of external protozoan infections. Salt alone will not treat whitespot (Ichthyophthirius) or Velvet (Oodinium) but will treat most other types of protozoan infections in freshwater fishes.

You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt) or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

If you only have livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), goldfish or rainbowfish in the tank you can double that dose rate, so you would add 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres and if there is no improvement after 48 hours, then increase it so there is a total of 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria but the higher dose rate (4 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres) will affect some plants and some snails. The lower dose rate (1-2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres) will not affect fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.

 

[Lynnzer]

I added salt yesterday whilst doing a large water change. I checked in this morning and as always the green neons were in among the roots of plants which are the normal resting places. When they appeared once the lights were on, I noticed an immediate problem.
I don't think it's the same fish as from the last one but take a look and tell me what it it is.
I have also noted similar on a normal neon tetra in another tank too, which I also added salt too yesterday.
Video :

Both of the tanks are filled with stuff, ie wood, that will make it almost impossible to catch any single fish so a remedy should best be for applying to a whole tankful of fish. Also includes snails and shrimp.
Any ideas?

 

[Colin_T]

can't tell from the video. need a clear picture of the fish.

it could be neon disease (columnaris) or just fungus.

how long have you had the fish?
have you added anything to the tank in the last 2 weeks?

 

[Lynnzer]

Nothing added lately that could have brought it on.
The green neons were added around 3 weeks ago.
The other neon in a separate tank has been in it for months. Only thin added there over the last few weeks has been 4 bumblebee gobies a week ago but they look fine.
I tend to dabble into tanks, ie use the same tools to clean each tank, often and perhaps there's been a transfer of some infection like that. I'll need to keep a watch for it on fish in my other tanks as well.
I don't think it's neon tetra disease though, it's just that it seems sort of patch rather than a lump with loss of colour etc; although my first post showed a white lump behind the eye of another fish. I will need to keep an eye out for that fish too but they prefer to swim among the plants so aren't always apparent.

 

[Lynnzer]

Sorry to bump guys but this is getting even worse. I notice another tank with Emperor and Glowlight Tetra also showing signs of infection.

 

[Colin_T]

need clear pictures of the sick fish