Neon tetra disease

[EmJay]

I've lost my Neon tetras to Neon tetra disease.
I read it's usually caught from livefood but I've never used livefood.
Do you have any ideas how else they could have caught it? I had them for 12 months.
I've still got my Platies, Bulldog plec, Red tailed black shark, Betta, Red cherry shrimps and Assassin snails - are any of these at risk?
Any recommendations on what I should do now? Eg should I medicate the tank? is there a waiting time before adding new fish into the tank? Etc

 

[BoomerXIV]

Sorry i couldnt help much, but maybe you could watch this :

 

[itiwhetu]

All these diseases hang around all the time, you will never eliminate from a tank. The important thing is to figure out what the trigger was that caused this out break. Sometimes it can be just the fact that the fish are getting old and their immune system is becoming compromised.

 

[EmJay]

All these diseases hang around all the time, you will never eliminate from a tank. The important thing is to figure out what the trigger was that caused this out break. Sometimes it can be just the fact that the fish are getting old and their immune system is becoming compromised.

So will it always be in my tank now? Does that mean I can't get new fish?
I had them 12 months but no idea how old they were when I got them. How long do they tend to live?
Could it have came with them when I got them 12 months ago? I'm pretty sure 1 had a curved spine around the time I got them. I've read that it can live 6 months without a host.

 

[itiwhetu]

Neons live 3-5 years, establishing their age when you buy them is the hard thing. If you look at the photo in the video clip, those black lines on the edge of the scales are a sign of age. Young fish don't have them. All the common fish diseases are in your fish or tank all the time, just make sure that you keep your fish stress free and you will have no problems. You will always be buying fish, that is what we do, just don't concentrate on the diseases you might have, think about giving your fish the best conditions to live in.

 

[EmJay]

Sorry i couldnt help much, but maybe you could watch this :

Thank you. The video was quite informative

 

[EmJay]

Neons live 3-5 years, establishing their age when you buy them is the hard thing. If you look at the photo in the video clip, those black lines on the edge of the scales are a sign of age. Young fish don't have them. All the common fish diseases are in your fish or tank all the time, just make sure that you keep your fish stress free and you will have no problems. You will always be buying fish, that is what we do, just don't concentrate on the diseases you might have, think about giving your fish the best conditions to live in.

Thank you.
Should I wait before getting some new fish or do you think it would be ok?
Is it worth using medication each time new fish are added as a precaution?
Do you think my remaining fish will be ok? They are Platies, Bulldog plec, Red tailed black shark, Betta, Red cherry shrimps and Assassin snails.

 

[itiwhetu]

If all the other fish are fine it should be fine to get other fish. Stay away from neon tetras they are problematic. Do lots of research and select your fish carefully.

 

[EmJay]

If all the other fish are fine it should be fine to get other fish. Stay away from neon tetras they are problematic. Do lots of research and select your fish carefully.

Thank you.
Would Cardinal tetras be any better?

 

[itiwhetu]

Much better, Love cardinals.

 

[EmJay]

Much better, Love cardinals.

Thank you

 

[Colin_T]

Neon disease is caused by a bacterial infection and the fish usually have it when they come into the country from Asia. The importers should treat it and fix the problem but many don't bother and simply send infected fish to shops and credit the shop for any that die in the bag. Customers buy infected fish and they all die at your house over the next week or two.

It has nothing to do with live food or any food and is caused by bacteria that comes from Asia fish farms.

All new fish should be quarantined for 4 weeks before being added to an established tank.

 

[Retired Viking]

Cardinal tetras are good so are glow light tetras, I have 14 glow light for over a year now and have not lost any, They are a little bigger than the neon tetras. I also have a shoal of 27 neon tetra which seem to be doing well. I bought most (22) at one time when they all were young and 1/2 the size of adults. It is good to have an established tank (6 months or so) before adding neon tetras. I also dim the lights and have floating plants which also helps them deal with stress. They come for South American jungle streams and are use to shade and floating plants above them. They feel safer since one of their main feared predators is birds.

 

[EmJay]

Neon disease is caused by a bacterial infection and the fish usually have it when they come into the country from Asia. The importers should treat it and fix the problem but many don't bother and simply send infected fish to shops and credit the shop for any that die in the bag. Customers buy infected fish and they all die at your house over the next week or two.

It has nothing to do with live food or any food and is caused by bacteria that comes from Asia fish farms.

All new fish should be quarantined for 4 weeks before being added to an established tank.

Thanks.
So would they have had it when I purchased them 12 months ago?

 

[Colin_T]

No. If you had the neons for 12 months they would have been free of it when you got them. However, if you introduced new fish or plants in the 2 weeks before the fish died, the new items could introduce the disease into your tank.

If you didn't add anything new to the tank, then it either wasn't neon disease, or your tank is dirty and needs cleaning more often.