Neon tetras

[Tuckerman821]

I have a planted tank that had 10 neon tetras a betta, and a Cory catfish. Yesterday I had two neon tetras die. I did a full water change and still woke up this morning with two more dead and the other tetras looking sluggish. But my Betta and Cory are looking healthy as ever. Is there a reason for this or did my tetras just get sick. Thanks in advance

 

[Slaphppy7]

Is the tank cycled?
How long has it been set up?
What are your readings for ammonia, nitrAte, and nitrIte?

 

[Tuckerman821]

The tank has been running for three or four months now. The ammonia is at 0, the nitrate is at 0-5 but was at 15-20ppm when I changed the water. Nitrite 0

 

[Slaphppy7]

Paper test strips, or liquid test kit?
What kind of water conditioner do you use?

 

[Tuckerman821]

Is the tank cycled?
How long has it been set up?
What are your readings for ammonia, nitrAte, and nitrIte?

The tank has been running for three or four months now, with no problems. The ammonia is at 0, the nitrate is at 0-5 but was at 15-20ppm when I changed the water.nitrite is at 0.

 

[Tuckerman821]

Paper test strips, or liquid test kit?
What kind of water conditioner do you use?

Paper test strips, and it is a stress coat from API

 

[Slaphppy7]

Get one of these, paper strips are unreliable and many times inaccurate: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

The Stress Coat contains Aloe Vera, which has a "shaky" reputation at best with fishkeeping, get either the API Tap Water Conditioner, or Seachem Prime, and start using that.

Neons are notoriously overbred and prone to disease, so that may be a factor...bettas aren't usually the best community fish, and may be harassing the neons, causing undue stress/death...and, corys need to be in groups

 

[Tuckerman821]

Get one of these, paper strips are unreliable and many times inaccurate: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

The Stress Coat contains Aloe Vera, which has a "shaky" reputation at best with fishkeeping, get either the API Tap Water Conditioner, or Seachem Prime, and start using that.

Neons are notoriously overbred and prone to disease, so that may be a factor...bettas aren't usually the best community fish, and may be harassing the neons, causing undue stress/death...and, corys need to be in groups

The betta has never shown any aggression to the tetras. I’m also moving in a few months and plan to have a much bigger tank to add four more corys. I’ll go and grab the test kit today and bring back the results from that.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Many times, we don't "see" aggression in our tanks, because it happens after lights out...that being said, some bettas can live well enough with other fish in a community setting, I've done it a few times...just depends on the betta, they all seem to have different temperaments.

Yes, do get the liquid test kit (usually cheaper online), and one of the water conditioners I listed, and post back when you can

BTW, good to see another fellow Texan here....

 

[Tuckerman821]

Many times, we don't "see" aggression in our tanks, because it happens after lights out...that being said, some bettas can live well enough with other fish in a community setting, I've done it a few times...just depends on the betta, they all seem to have different temperaments.

Yes, do get the liquid test kit (usually cheaper online), and one of the water conditioners I listed, and post back when you can

BTW, good to see another fellow Texan here....

It’s great to be here, in Texas and on the forum both?

 

[Byron]

The ammonia is at 0, the nitrate is at 0-5 but was at 15-20ppm when I changed the water.nitrite is at 0.

This shows insufficient water is being changed. Nitrate should never rise from one water change to the next, but remain constant at whatever level is the lowest, here 0-5ppm. Increase the volume of your weekly (I assume once a week) water change so nitrates never rise above 0-5 ppm and the fish will without question be healthier off the top. Nitrates do affect fish, generally by weakening them, which only increases the opportunity for other problems and stress. Overcrowding, over-feeding, insufficient water changes, insufficient substrate cleaning and filter cleaning...all these contribute to organics which is the source of nitrates. Live plants especially floating which are fast growing can help as they use a lot of ammonia/ammonium so less gets changed into nitrite and then nitrate.

I'm not suggesting the Betta is killing the neons, but it is a real possibility. Aggression does not need to be external or visible to us; fish communicate chemically with pheromones and allomones (another reason for water changes, removing these as no filtration can) and the Betta may very well be "signaling" to the neons that he wants them out of his space. Could be something else of course, but this is another example of a likely problem best avoided.

 

[fisman]

Just FYI the cories like to be in groups. Also what size tank do you use? Any more info would be helpful.

 

[Tuckerman821]

I plan to put an ivy on the tank with the roots submerged as it will pull more nitrate out of the water, and I do like the look of it. And the tank was overgrown with rams horn snails, they’ve been dying off because they’ve ran out of food. I’ve picked them out as they died tho.

 

[fisman]

I think this might be neon tetra disease. Do they have discoloration on the neon tetras if so it's neon tetra disease. Yes, it might sound like I'm making this up but it's real. There's a real disease known as neon tetra disease. Unfortunately, if it is neon tetra disease you are out of luck because so far there's no cure. Along with that it won't hurt any of the other fish though.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I think this might be neon tetra disease. Do they have discoloration on the neon tetras if so it's neon tetra disease. Yes, it might sound like I'm making this up but it's real. There's a real disease known as neon tetra disease. Unfortunately, if it is neon tetra disease you are out of luck because so far there's no cure. Along with that it won't hurt any of the other fish though.

Many articles out there about NTD, here's one: https://www.aquariumnexus.com/neon-tetra-disease/