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RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:29:55 GMT

Unfortunately, I can't get a better picture (I'm really trying), but I just came back from an overnight mini-vacation and the white spot looks like it's definitely bigger. It's spread downward into the red now. I even tried getting that one out and putting him into the small bowl just to get a better look/picture, but it was impossible.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

math-only aquarium — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:19:26 GMT

Hello,

Lass is right, NTD is rare and what you have, based on the picture you provided, isn't well defined and thus can't be accurately diagnosed. There are literally thousands of things that could cause the symptoms you described. No less, about 99% of the possibilities will go away if the tank is otherwise healthy, which yours is. This being the case, my recommendation is to simply wait it out: don't feed the fish for a couple days, maybe do another water change soon, and stop worrying.

In all honesty, I've probably had bad luck/been stupid with about 30 of my own fish and been negligent with about 500+ of other people's fish (when I used to work at the pet shop). My point is that mistakes are going to happen and that, in most cases, no one is really to blame. As usual, my advice is to not worry about anything but the Big Three (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate)--everything else gets in the way and makes you worry for no good reason.

MOA

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

David Lass — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:43:45 GMT

I really think you are overreacting. Neon tetra disease is not very common any more, and I really doubt that your fish have it. Do a partial water change, don't feed them for a day or so, and stop beating up on yourself.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

FattFishy — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:41:25 GMT

Hm...

If it was dark inside the room when the light was on, the neons were pale because they were sleeping (my neons and RCS do that) and they didn't adjust to daytime yet and weren't interested as much about food.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:11:58 GMT

I'm just a big animal lover, been doing rescue since I was 11 (17 years ago), and I worked at a vet for 13 years. I'm just really upset because 1st , I don't want anything happening to these guys, and 2nd, I went through you-know-what trying to keep comets. I want to actually ENJOY having an aquarium, and here I switch to tropicals on everyone's advice here and end up w/ possibly having NTD in my tank. I just don't see how it's fair. I bet you guys dollars to donughts that if I had just taken a tiny bowl, threw any random fish in there, and just fed it once a day, doing nothing else (like most people I know), I'd end up w/ a fish that lived for 100 years. But NO, I wanted to do the RIGHT thing by the fish I got.

Anywho, I turned on the light this AM and all 3 were pale in color. I went to feed them and they weren't as interested in eating. They didn't race around chasing the food like usual.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

FattFishy — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:10:07 GMT

First off, calm down... I feel bad now that I talked about NTD...

Um... look, why not just wait until Tues. afternoon? You know, relax, do whatever is needed, and don't start thinking about the fish.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:28:33 GMT

Grrrr.........So what do I do now? I am leaving very early in the AM tomorrow and won't be back until later Tues. afternoon. Can this wait until then? Will the LFS take the infected fish back? Do I get another fish from them? This really is a bad time for this to come about! I really can't isolate the infected fish. Will the other 2 end up w/ it since they came from the same store tank and they've been with the infected one? What do I do? Furthermore, it said that once in your tank, it's very difficult to get rid of it. So, how do I then prevent the 2 others from catching it. Or, if I do lose the 2 healthy ones, how would I then clean the tank to prevent this from happening in the future? I just don't know what to do right now!

I am so beside myself right now, it's not funny! Why am I bothering with a tank? I had no luck with my comets and now I have neon tetra disease?! How is keeping fish supposed to be enjoyable? I'm just so upset right now! I've raised kittens from just 2 days old (orphans don't usually survive that young) to become happy, healthy cats. I've revived newborn puppies from C-Sections successfully. I can't keep a single fish healthy for more than a few days?! I really feel like a failure! I really am freaking out. I'm ready to start crying!

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

FattFishy — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:03:20 GMT

I didn't want to disappoint you but here's a few links regarding neon tetra disease (NTD).

From wikipedia and look around the bottom part labeled Disease.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_tetra

This is another site with loads of info about NTD.

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/disease/p/neondisease.htm

Regarding these two, I read them all and there are many more websites about them so take a look.

It seems like there is a false NTD that is a bacterial infection with very similar symptoms but it's only visible with laboratory equipment. At least there's a bright side...

But... it is completely incurable right now. Fish that can be affected: Angelfish, Barbs, Goldfish, Tetras, Rasboras, and Danios. What's weird is that the Cardinal Tetra is resistant to it. Like they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Only way to "cure" the fish: Kill the infected one or return it.

Sorry, there's no other way.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:45:07 GMT

Ok, so do I freak out now or later? I REALLY can't handle if I end up with neon tetra disease! I mean, come on, wasn't I PUNISHED ENOUGH with 5-6 dead comets???!!! How am I supposed to ENJOY having fish if I only get bad seeds?! I SERIOUSLY NEED someone to help ease my mind. Doesn't help that I'm gonna be away tomorrow into Tues. I'll feed them tomorrow AM, and then when I get home Tues afternoon. Still though......

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

Nikita — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:40:49 GMT

It resembles it. Wait to see if the white area spreads, that'll be a pretty strong indicator. Thankfully, three fish isn't too much to lose if it infects the other neons.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:28:40 GMT

But is that definitely neon tetra disease? Also, the other 2 in the tank were with this one in the store tank. There are no other fish - just those 3 neons. I don't have the space for a quarrantine tank, unfortunately. All I have is a small fish bowl I bought, but I only bought that as a temporary holder in case of anything. I don't think it would be suitable for long-term housing.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

Nikita — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:21:27 GMT

Someone whose tank I helped set up had a bout of neon tetra disease; it spread slowly through the school despite proactive measures such as frequent water changes and close monitoring of water conditions. Some of the affected fish lived for quite a while, several months, with the condition but were eventually found dead. I'd quarantine or euthanize the fish to prevent any possible transmission. ;<

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:13:12 GMT

Yeah, exactly where the circle is. I did do a 25% water change, as you suggested.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

FattFishy — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:00:25 GMT

I've heard of Neon Tetra Disease that is somewhat incurable but I really am not sure because I never experienced it.

Here's what I think the picture looks like:

Is it where the circle is?

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:29:44 GMT

I tried my best to get a pic. They saw the camera phone and started swimming around like crazy. It's very blurry/fuzzy, but it's the best I could do. I made sure to get a pic of the neon on the side the white spot is on. His color still seems ok, not great. The white spot is thowards the tail, where the blue ends, above the red.

RE: Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

FattFishy — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:32:00 GMT

A picture could really help...

The only thing to do at this point: A partial water change of 25-50%. That usually saves the fish.

Whenever it's early morning or in the middle of sleepy time, my neons have their color faded and they just lie on anything there... but after 5 mins the color really perks up. Same with the Red Cherry Shrimp.

Maybe it's nothing - neon w/ faded color

CometGirl — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:45:34 GMT

Hey guys, I woke up this AM and went to feed the little guys. As always, all 3 came flying to the top and swimming around like maniacs chasing the food. Only thing is, one of the neons had faded color. The other 2 are vibrant, and all 3 are acting fine. I'm just concerned because last night, all 3 had vibrant colors and now 1 is faded/pale.

I checked the levels. Everything's stable - pH is 7.6, ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, nitrates between 10-20 ppm (usually 10 ppm).

Am I just overly worried?

Update: It's been an hour since I fed them and his/her color is back now and vibrant like the other 2. A few minutes later, it faded a little again. Not as bad as when I woke up, but not vibrant either. Also, I didn't pay much notice at first, but I was reading other neon posts in this forum and now I'm wondering....the one with the faded color does have a decent sized white spot on the top back of his body closer to the tail. Could that be something as well?