Neon Tetras Have Fin Rot

[Libbyd23]

Hi guys

Hope you can help...

I have a fairly new tank (a couple of months old) and bought 5 neon tetras. 3 died of unknown cause and finally one day (after coming back from my holidays) noticed one had a white tip to it's tail. Then I noticed the other one had a broken tail so I started treating with Fin Rot treatment. It says to mix in the tank water every 7 days but I'm now well into my third week and they still look bad. They're behaving well though - still eating and swimming healthily.

So I'm not quite sure what my next steps are. I really feel for my wee guys as I know they should be in a bigger group but obviously I won't buy anymore fish until they're healthy again.

Help! What next??

Thanks in advance
Libby

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Libby, you might want to repeat this query in the emergencies section as the people who know more about meds often keep an eye on that subforum. They may have a recommendation for a med better than the one you are using.

No matter what the treatment however you'll want to try and keep your ammonia and nitrite at true zero ppm as measured by liquid-reagent based test kits. Nitrate(NO3) should hold steady at only a max of 15 to 20ppm above whatever your tap water nitrate level is. If nitrate wants to rise, then your gravel-clean-water-changes are not large or frequent enough.

Another problem with neons is that they, unfortunately, are best introduced only after a tank has been running for a good six months (no, that's not a typo, its really 6 months.) Its an observation that exerienced aquarists have made time and again although the true reasons behind it are unknown (and not particularly related to cycling, as some want to assume.) Its a tricky thing to communicate because there are indeed plenty of people who successfully keep neons in tanks younger than 6 months, its just that those of us who watch lots and lots of beginners experiences know that there are also lots and lots who have trouble.

Another thing that can make life difficult for neons is water that is relatively hard and basic. Neons are Amazonian fish and really thrive in water that is quite soft and acid. They can be kept if other conditions if the conditions are good and stable but it will also increase the risk of diseases.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[drobbyb]

You might try salt as a treatment for fin rot. I have used it in the past, and it seems to work well enough. The most important thing though is to make sure that there is no ammonia and nitrite, like WD said.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, I think I have used salt for that too, long ago. I don't remember how I arrived at the dose though (heck, I don't even remember which fish they were or which tank,lol, just me as a teenager running around to all my tanks in the basement I think.)

 

[fluffycabbage]

You might try salt as a treatment for fin rot. I have used it in the past, and it seems to work well enough. The most important thing though is to make sure that there is no ammonia and nitrite, like WD said.

Salt isnt good for neons Can you post in the emergencies section about this please

 

[waterdrop]

Well, true.. there are almost no cases where salt is good for freshwater fish.. but when you're in danger of losing them over something then things sometimes get a little different. WD

 

[mrs biffster]

Like waterdrop said a lot of newcomers to the fish hobby start off with neons and guppies and unfortunatly they are the first casualties. You will always get losses and it's very often down to water quality. With new tank syndrome it takes a while for the water to mature. Do you have any other fish in the tank besides neons.

 

[Libbyd23]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I have been testing the water reguarly since setting up the tank and all the levels were safe (using test strips) before I even contemplated adding fish. I originally bought 5 neon tetras then a week later I added 4 male guppies. The guppies all died within 3 days, which I was devastated with. At the time when I bought them at my LFS I noticed a few fish in the tank were a bit sluggish - I knew the warning signs but thought I would chance it as they were such beautiful fish. Lesson number one learnt! Never again as after that my neons started dying. So now I have 2 and as I mentioned they are lively, still feeding, playing etc but have white fluffy tips of tails and some rough edges to fins. NB - I don't have any other fish and don't plan to until these guys are healthy again.

So I have been treating for 4 weeks now and no evidence of the rot going away. Doing some research some people suggest turning the temperature up to 30celsius? It's at 27/28celsius just now. Do you think I should give the salt thing a go? If so - how much? Will it damage my filter?

Also - are these test strips adequate or am I better getting something better to test water quality? I don't want the hassle to keep going into LFS to get water checked and would prefer to do it at home.

Thanks for the suggestion to post in the emergency section, but for some reason it won't allow me?!

Libby

 

[the biffster]

i would for get about test strips
there a waste of time as the are
very inaccurate your better of going
for the API freshwater master test kit
you can pick the up on ebay for about half the
price of what you can in the shops
i never trust lfs doing tests as all
they want to do is make money out of you

 

[Libbyd23]

Thanks, this is what I have come to realise. Right - I'm off to ebay for some shopping then!

 

[Skins]

Hi Libby
You say your levels are safe, can you post those levels(Ammonia,nitrite,nitrate&pH). I have been told that if your water is toxic then some of these meds are of now use.
For liquid test kit, I agree the API freshwater master kit as used my most of us on here.

 

[Libbyd23]

Today my API kit arrived today and my levels are as follows:
ph=7.6 (it's a bit high for neon tetras so I'm going to purchase ph low to reduce it to about 6.5-6.8. You think thats right or will I just leave it?)
ammonia = 0
nitrite = 0
nitrate = 0

So - seeing as my water quality is good... do I try salt or up the dose of the fint rot treatment?

Cheers,
Libby

 

[drobbyb]

Nitrate levels in a cycled tank should never be 0 (yes I know plants can use it, but it is very rare to have a nitrate reading of 0 even in a very heavily planted tank). I wouldn't worry too much about that pH. pH down is a real good way to mess up your tank in a hurry. It does what it says, but it does not treat the root cause of a higher pH and is a temporary fix, meaning that your pH will return to it's higher value in a short amount of time. Fish need stability, not perfect pH.

 

[Libbyd23]

So does this mean my tank isn't fully cycled yet then???

 

[drobbyb]

It's possible. With the API test kit, the nitrate test kit can be tricky. You need to shake the bottles thoroughly before you do the test, and then agitate the test tube for the full duration listed in the instructions. I usually test nitrate twice to make sure because of this.