Neons suck!

[fishwatcher]

I know, I know... it's not the neons that suck, it's me. I just had to vent.
Now for the problem... out of 7 I have, 1 just died and 3 look like they're staring the Grim Reaper in the face. Just recently I noticed that my tank seems to be going through a mini-cycle. I belive it all started when I added a few apple snails. 3 days ago I noticed a small increase in ammonia. After a couple of water changes though it went down. Then last night I noticed the nitrites were rising a little (it got up to .5). I've done 2 water changes since then to keep it down. So far everyone is fine except the neons - they are just hanging around breathing heavy. One went from that to dead in under 2 hours. 3 others look like they are on their way to Heaven as well. They are hiding and breathing heavy. The thing that is worrying me though is that all the neons tails and fins look like ragged and like they're being nipped. 2 of their tails also are split. I don't know if this is fin rot, or if another fish is bothering them. I only have 2 female guppies and some cories, so I don't think that's it. But there are no red areas or fungus-looking stuff either.
While I am tired of their weakness, I do like them and want to help them live a full and healthy life, etc, etc. Any ideas?
BTW, sorry for the long post!

EDIT: I'm also treating for ick at the moment.

 

[Bloo]

Your tank is fairly "new" isn't it ? Or under 6 months old ?
If that's the case, don't keep neons - they tend to be delicate fish and require very stable pristine water conditions.

 

[fishwatcher]

Yeah, I've only had it 2 months, I found that out (and from here, not from the lfs!) after I had already bought them. There should be a mandatory sign for weaker fish like these. "Do Not Buy Unless You Are A Master Aquariest!" (Is that even a word!?!)
Do you think they have a fin rot problem? If so I have some meds for it, but I don't know if I should fish them all out and treat them separately or just do the whole tank. I don't want to over medicate them, since I'm already treating ick. I feel like I'm in beteen a rock and a hard place.... a rock,... and a hard place. (Sorry, lapsed into a little Stones action there!)

 

[sylvia]

The split tails/fins do sound like finrot but you need to watch out if you treat as it can make matters worse udner the circumstances (choose a med. that says it won't harm biological filtration - but not something as weak as melafix for example). Probably the result of the stress. I doubt any of your other fish are nipping them. If you think the apple snails caused this mini-cycle bTW, I suggest you take a couple out to reduce the bio-load and save the remaining tetras. Snails are HUGE waste-producers. They realy are incredibly dirty and, while small individuals such as the hitch-hikers you get on plants are ok, apple snails will grow to the size of your fist. Your 10 gallon is already quite over-stocked and, honestly, I don't think it can handle this new load.

 

[fishwatcher]

I have recently been told that about the apple snails. I should have listened, but I thought they'd be ok for a few weeks until I could get another place ready for them.
I'll just have to oust them. I can see if the lfs will take them, and put one or 2 out in my big goldfish pond.
The meds I have is Fugus Clear by Jungle. They are the fizzy tablets. After I take out the apple snails, should I go ahead a medicate? Even with the ick treatment in there?

 

[sylvia]

Sorry, didn't see your latest post. If you are already treating for ich, you need to keep the fish in that tank and treat for the finrot at the same time. Otherwise, you're going to need to start treating 2 tanks at once. However, how big is this other tank you were going to 'fish them out to'? If it is a reasonable size, maybe consider moving some of your other fish into here to lessen teh bio-load int eh 10. Then treat both tanks for ich and the one with the neosn in for finrot as well.

 

[Bloo]

I'm really not sure if you should medicate for two things at the same time. My meds by Interpet says exactly what combinations can be used but it's only things like dechlor etc. that can be used in conjunction with a medication. According to them, no two medications can be used at the same time.

Once I thought I'd try it anyway, and realised the next day why they said not to
The result was 2 dead bleeding heart tetras - and they were actually not even the affected ones !

So I'd very ultra careful about that.

 

[sylvia]

I think it should be ok as the meds are for completely different things. One is to irradicate a protozoan parasite, the other for bacteria. They shouldn't contain the same things so it won't be an over-dosage issue if the combination isn't safe (it may be that the various chemicals react with each other though). Of course, I wouldn't try it if you aren't 100% sure. I'd research this a little more - is there an instruction booklet thing in with the meds? Try finding the websites of these brands and look it up there as well if possible.

 

[fishwatcher]

My hospital tank is just a 1 1/2 gal bowl really. I am just learning about having a hospital tank, and haven't gotten the money yet to buy a proper one. So it would be cramped and stressful for them, but I'm not sure which would be less stressful for them all. Again... rock and hard place.

 

[sylvia]

You could move the snails into there instead.

 

[fishwatcher]

I just caught 2 and put them out in the fish pond. The other 2 I'll have to catch later. I like the big snails, but if they're going to cause all of that, they've got to go. There is no instructions in the box, the dosage instructions are on the back. I'll double-check on their site if I can find it. My biggest concern is hurting the cory cats with it. They've been fine (no ick, no problems) so I don't want to irritate them with the meds, you know?

EDIT: I have since moved another apple snail out (that leaves one left to catch), and although I could find no information on the website about combining meds, I decided to risk it. I know they'll die if I don't, so hopefully no one will if I do. Please keep your fingers crossed for them! BTW, if I get them over this, I may trade them in for something else. What would you suggest? I'm thinking maybe one dwarf gourami?

 

[Discus man]

like said keep neons later when the tank has cycled.
I also wouldnt be bothered about a neon or two dying as they do die alot you may have got a bad batch of them when you went to the LFS i got 14 neons 9 have survived if you want more than 6 neons get at least 10 neons and you will get the 6 you wanted.

 

[fishwatcher]

Yeah, it'll definitely be awhile before I try neons again. The lps of course didn't say how old is your tank? You really should wait. They just said, let's ring them up! I am now down to 4, and one looks awful! He's eaten up eith fin-rot and now he has white fungus on his lips. This has been after I started treating for these things. The others had a little fin-rot so I treated with Fungus Clear. Now this particular has 2 things and they are getting worse. I'm quarantining him this morning, and redosing that water. 3 left look ok, but I think I'd rather just take them back and get a little hardier fish. Maybe a dwarf gourami.

Edit: I jut realized I had mentioned taking them back in the earlier post. Sorry!

 

[Discus man]

Try other tetras like silvertips, blue moon tetras there hardier than neons.

 

[Jephex]

id get a dwarf g. or 2. Incredible fish, they are supposed to be shy i think, but mine is really not, he eats straight from my hand, even nips my fingers sometimes.