Does my 29g tank have neon tetra disease?

[Brickosaurus]

I recently purchased 4 neon tetras from my local Petco, and quarantined them for a couple days. Yes I should have done it longer (I didn't realize they needed to be quarantined for at least a week) But regardless these were some of the healthiest looking neon tetras I've ever seen from a Petco.

Now I want to say that I had a previous school of neons but most of them died in an ICH outbreak, however 3 survived and I was able to save all the other fish in the tank, I treated the water with medication. That was about 2 months ago, and there is no ICH in the tank. I also have 7 black neons that survived the ich and are perfectly healthy now.

When I added these new seemingly healthy neon tetras everything was fine for the first couple days. But then one died. At first I didn't think anything of it, which I regret now because all of my regular neons are dead. even the previous 3 I originally had. All 7 black neons however are still alive (as well as my other fish)

The condition they have is similar to neon tetra disease, because they seemed to be wasting away. But when they did die it was very suddenly, and I didn't actually witness it. Until I saw the last one die. And it almost looked like he/she was bleeding internally and its eyes looked distorted.

My current tank inhabitants are 1 Moonlight gourami, 1 Bristlenose pleco, 1 Banjo catfish, 2 platys, and seven black neons. All of which still seem happy and healthy, and were extremely peaceful with the regular neons. My water parameters are stable except some very slightly high nitrate levels (I'll be changing the water again after posting this)

But my main concern is that my other fish could end up being infected, even though they seem healthy. What should I do?

 

[tlindsey]

I recently purchased 4 neon tetras from my local Petco, and quarantined them for a couple days. Yes I should have done it longer (I didn't realize they needed to be quarantined for at least a week) But regardless these were some of the healthiest looking neon tetras I've ever seen from a Petco.

Now I want to say that I had a previous school of neons but most of them died in an ICH outbreak, however 3 survived and I was able to save all the other fish in the tank, I treated the water with medication. That was about 2 months ago, and there is no ICH in the tank. I also have 7 black neons that survived the ich and are perfectly healthy now.

When I added these new seemingly healthy neon tetras everything was fine for the first couple days. But then one died. At first I didn't think anything of it, which I regret now because all of my regular neons are dead. even the previous 3 I originally had. All 7 black neons however are still alive (as well as my other fish)

The condition they have is similar to neon tetra disease, because they seemed to be wasting away. But when they did die it was very suddenly, and I didn't actually witness it. Until I saw the last one die. And it almost looked like he/she was bleeding internally and its eyes looked distorted.

My current tank inhabitants are 1 Moonlight gourami, 1 Bristlenose pleco, 1 Banjo catfish, 2 platys, and seven black neons. All of which still seem happy and healthy, and were extremely peaceful with the regular neons. My water parameters are stable except some very slightly high nitrate levels (I'll be changing the water again after posting this)

But my main concern is that my other fish could end up being infected, even though they seem healthy. What should I do?

I've experienced a similar situation that your having it was a couple years ago or so.
I purchased a group of neons from Petsmart because they were on sale. Tbh didn't quarantine because at the time only had a rummynose tetra and 2 Banjo catfish.
Lost one neon within a week and a couple more after until was down to 1 neon and the rummynose tetra. The last neon died but out lived the other 5 for about a year. After the neon died replaced with 5 black neons and knock on wood they are doing great.
Your black neons may not be affected hopefully.

 

[Brickosaurus]

I've experienced a similar situation that your having it was a couple years ago or so.
I purchased a group of neons from Petsmart because they were on sale. Tbh didn't quarantine because at the time only had a rummynose tetra and 2 Banjo catfish.
Lost one neon within a week and a couple more after until was down to 1 neon and the rummynose tetra. The last neon died but out lived the other 5 for about a year. After the neon died replaced with 5 black neons and knock on wood they are doing great.
Your black neons may not be affected hopefully.

Thanks! I guess I'll just closely monitor the other fish for a couple weeks, and if everything seems fine then I'll get some more black neons and/or rasboras. Something instead of more neons

 

[Deadeye]

Generally, the disease only spreads from fish eating the one that died of it (given that tetras are just mini piranhas, this is a very efficient way). Separating the sick looking ones before they die will be the best way to prevent the spread.
The black neons are the only way ones you have that I would worry about catching it, though I know some tetras (like cardinals and green neons) are supposed to not get it. Idk if black neons are the same way.

 

[Brickosaurus]

Generally, the disease only spreads from fish eating the one that died of it (given that tetras are just mini piranhas, this is a very efficient way). Separating the sick looking ones before they die will be the best way to prevent the spread.
The black neons are the only way ones you have that I would worry about catching it, though I know some tetras (like cardinals and green neons) are supposed to not get it. Idk if black neons are the same way.

Now I'm pretty worried because my gourami was picking at one of the dead neons before I could get it out of the tank.

 

[Deadeye]

Now I'm pretty worried because my gourami was picking at one of the dead neons before I could get it out of the tank.

I’ve never heard of gouramis getting it - it’s pretty limited to tetras.

 

[duanes]

To me, a 3 month QT is minimal.
It sometimes takes quite a while for certain diseases to become apparent.
And just because neons die, does not mean its Pleistophora hyphessobryconis, it could be any number of bacterial or viral maladies

 

[Brickosaurus]

To me, a 3 month QT is minimal.
It sometimes takes quite a while for certain diseases to become apparent.
And just because neons die, does not mean its Pleistophora hyphessobryconis, it could be any number of bacterial or viral maladies

Yeah, I was thinking it may have been a different disease. The symptoms don't seem to quite match neon tetra disease, so hopefully what you said is right. I'll watch the other fish closely, and do more frequent water changes.

 

[duanes]

OP Just curious what your water parameters are ?
Neons prefer soft, low to neutral pH water 7 or lower).
Were they locally bred, or wild caught?
If your water is hard and pH above 7.5, and they are wild caught, this (along with being moved) may have contributed to their demise.

 

[Brickosaurus]

OP Just curious what your water parameters are ?
Neons prefer soft, low to neutral pH water 7 or lower).
Were they locally bred, or wild caught?
If your water is hard and pH above 7.5, and they are wild caught, this (along with being moved) may have contributed to their demise.

My water is in-between 7.5 to 8.0 but they are locally bred, and I drip acclimated them before hand. Also the 3 neon tetras I had before were fine until I got the new ones. And the parameters are in check, I recently did a 50% water change so nitrates are like 5.0 and ammonia is 0 as well as nitrites.

But now the situation has gotten even more confusing. One of my black neons just died, and there was nothing externally wrong with him. He was eating just fine this morning and hasn't even discolored at all! I'm probably going to separate the neons in an emergency tank, but idk if that will do any good.