New Neon Tetra's dying off

[vanalisa]

most snails will eat almost anything dead on the bottom of your tank

I think I may have misunderstood when I posted Do Snails Kill (or Eat)Shrimp, can't remember which, some one responded that they were herbivores.

I didn't ask about dead or weak things.

I have just posted a new thread "Snail Diet" outlining the whole scenario, as it really has gotten off track and is only tangentially related to the tetras topic.

 

[drewdigg]

Ok what should I do now? I'm down to one. I don't really want to add anymore and watch more die. Do I just leave this poor guy all alone until he most likely goes too? Would you recommend throwing any meds or anything in just in case for the Betta? So is it really just snails with the betta or is there anything else I can add to liven it up more?

 

[vanalisa]

I've had the same issue recently. I bought a total of 14 new neons in two batches recently and most died off within a week. I'm down to 4 neon tetras. I never saw the black skirt tetras nipping at them and never found any bodies.

Just out of curiosity, 10 gone no bodies?
What do you suppose happened to them?

 

[Fishmanic]

Perhaps they fell into my anubias plants and slowly disintegrated . I won't be buying any more neon tetras.

 

[vanalisa]

Ok what should I do now? I'm down to one. I don't really want to add anymore and watch more die. Do I just leave this poor guy all alone until he most likely goes too? Would you recommend throwing any meds or anything in just in case for the Betta? So is it really just snails with the betta or is there anything else I can add to liven it up more?

In my experience, snails and betta. Small snails. I had a betta kill a mystery snail once. With a 10g it might work, but why risk It? See if you can get the yellow and black horned Nerite snails. I put 4 in with him, I think. They are still all together.

I used to play with Mr. Luna, one pellet at a time I would let go and he would dive after it. Then go to another section of the tank and repeat. All that room he should be very lively!

Oddly enough, I uncharacteristically -- (i hate to rock the boat when it comes to fish and their companions, a quirk of mine) -- put two tiny Scarlet Badis with a very old Betta that I thought, and probably rightly so, was almost blind. (This is the betta that didn't share his tank with the mystery snail, but was fine with the very small horned nerites).

He could hardly could see his food! Sometimes he would have a pellet on his head, totally clueless. I thought no way he could get those TINY fish. And he couldn't! Until he started on their bloodworm diet!

He is a totally new fish. Maybe he knew it was them and the bloodworms that gave him a better life, or most likely their quickness and size, but I haven't seen any attacks or nipping. Maybe he's grateful, who knows?

He now chases and catches the worms. Color came back. He and one of them seem to be buddies. I firmly believe this is an anomaly and only his age kept him from getting at the tiny fish. I had hiding places for them, but he is now under and around everything!
I hate to tell you that story after advising against anything but snails, please remember he was in bad condition and starting to lose interest in eating, moving, swimming.

Let's see a picture of your little fella!

I don't know what will become of your tetra.
I just lost the last of 16. 13 of them within about 3 days. 2 more in the next 4 days,
And finally, now Squirt, after about 4 more days.

 

[vanalisa]

Perhaps they fell into my anubias plants and slowly disintegrated . I won't be buying any more neon tetras.

Have to agree with you....so sad.

 

[Byron]

Ok what should I do now? I'm down to one. I don't really want to add anymore and watch more die. Do I just leave this poor guy all alone until he most likely goes too? Would you recommend throwing any meds or anything in just in case for the Betta? So is it really just snails with the betta or is there anything else I can add to liven it up more?

Male bettas are solitary fish that should be on their own, no other fish.

Snails are organics scavengers, eating any and all organic matter they find, whether dead plant, fish or animal matter. This is why they are so beneficial.

 

[drewdigg]

This thread has now become a cautionary tale, don't do what I did. I'm now down to one tetra and the betta died last night. Feel really bad, wish I had just kept the betta alone and probably should have quarantined.

 

[seangee]

Sorry to hear that

 

[Byron]

This thread has now become a cautionary tale, don't do what I did. I'm now down to one tetra and the betta died last night. Feel really bad, wish I had just kept the betta alone and probably should have quarantined.

Lessons we all learned and we lost fish along the way too. But we learn, that is important, and are better aquarists as we move forward.

 

[Fishmanic]

Lesson I learned was to avoid neon tetras. I never had any luck with them in the past or now. I will stick to hardier tetras or rasboras.

 

[Retired Viking]

This thread has now become a cautionary tale, don't do what I did. I'm now down to one tetra and the betta died last night. Feel really bad, wish I had just kept the betta alone and probably should have quarantined.

Sorry to hear about your fish. We have all been there and sometimes it's our fault and some times it just happens despite our best intentions. I still have several healthy neon tetras left (knock on wood)

 

[vanalisa]

Lessons learned the hard way.

Because of my experience with Neons I am even more adamant about messing with tanks that are thriving, happy, well balanced
I also need to do more research and curb my enthusiasm.
Sorry you had this happen, and to all of the others, as well.

 

[Colin_T]

Lesson I learned was to avoid neon tetras. I never had any luck with them in the past or now. I will stick to hardier tetras or rasboras.

You just need to look at the fish in the shop before you buy them. If they are all perfect and swimming and none have a faded blue or red line, and none are rubbing on objects, or sitting alone, then chances are they will be fine.

You should also check to see when the fish came in. Don't buy fish that have just come in during the last few days because they will be stressed and more prone to disease.

Don't buy fish if they have had a water change in the last couple of days.

The best time to get fish is the day before they get a water change, and a week or more after they have come in. Then quarantine all new fish for a month before adding them to the display tank.

 

[vanalisa]

You just need to look at the fish in the shop before you buy them. If they are all perfect and swimming and none have a faded blue or red line, and none are rubbing on objects, or sitting alone, then chances are they will be fine.

You should also check to see when the fish came in. Don't buy fish that have just come in during the last few days because they will be stressed and more prone to disease.

Don't buy fish if they have had a water change in the last couple of days.

The best time to get fish is the day before they get a water change, and a week or more after they have come in. Then quarantine all new fish for a month before adding them to the display tank.

Thank you.

Someone else has since advised me to let them stay at the fish store for a bit.
And that they are ph sensitive.
And to quarantine.

After the fact, of course or I should have taken his advice.

But they were Green Neon Tetras, my "must have." Frankly, I was greedy. I should have asked my friend first as he is experienced.
As are you.