# Something is wrong in my Neon Tetra mouth



## Sirkavu (28 Aug 2018)

Hi guys!!

So..few months ago I saw something white on my Neo tetra fish, yet, I thought it was food in his mouth. Yet, from the last few days it grew a bit more.

I didn’t realise as I was very ill and honestly couldn’t focus as much.

These are the pictures below, does anyone knows what it might be and what can I do? Thank you I’m advance


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## Lee iley (28 Aug 2018)

Looks like some sort of fungal of some sort. My neon tetras have had this also they get it on there sides aswel. Neons I have read are easy to pick up infections I have cardinal tetras aswel and never had a problem with them. As for my neons they get them sort of growths on them and I always do big water changes every week aswel at least 50% hope this helps. I have also tried meds aswel and nothing seems to work.


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (28 Aug 2018)

Look up mouth rot and see if you think it could be that... let us know.


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## Sirkavu (29 Aug 2018)

Matt @ ScapeEasy said:


> Look up mouth rot and see if you think it could be that... let us know.


 Hey Matt, it doesn’t look rot. It kind looks like infected maybe? Looks like something’s on his mouth rather than it rotting.


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## leedsrhinojohn (29 Aug 2018)

Quite possibly neon tetra disease, just type neon tetra disease in google and you will get a host of information.


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## oscarlloydjohn (29 Aug 2018)

I dont think it is Neon Tetra Disease. Possibly columnaris? Look that up and see if it matches.


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## alto (29 Aug 2018)

Looks to be considerable tissue involvement 
Isolate fish to hospital tank (limit spread to others tank inhabitants)
Potassium permangante dip to “kill” the external white gunk (whatever it maybe)
Medicated bath to try & combat the infection (which is internal as well as the external you see)

Treat main tank with lots of water changes - daily 50% if possible, cleaning any detritus 
Medicated food rather than water treatment (you will likely need to prepare your own)

What’s available re medications?


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## alto (29 Aug 2018)

In the UK look to Kusuri for a decent range of available medications

Unfortunately they don’t seem to offer their medicated food range any longer


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## MirandaB (30 Aug 2018)

Cotton mouth/columnaris...your best bet would be to try Waterlife myxazin,what other fish are in the tank?


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## alto (30 Aug 2018)

Do you mean Myxazin P?
Active ingredients: malachite green, acriflavine etc

This would help but the pictured fish would still benefit (greatly) from the rapid action of a Potassium Permanganate dip prior to the Myxazin P treatment (much slower action on any fungus, bacteria etc)


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## rebel (30 Aug 2018)

alto said:


> Looks to be considerable tissue involvement
> Isolate fish to hospital tank (limit spread to others tank inhabitants)
> Potassium permangante dip to “kill” the external white gunk (whatever it maybe)
> Medicated bath to try & combat the infection (which is internal as well as the external you see)
> ...


Agreed!


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## MirandaB (30 Aug 2018)

While I don't doubt a Potassium permanganate dip may help it can be pretty harsh on an already pretty sick fish.
Even with lots of water changes to dilute the bacterial count in the water the tank still needs to be treated....I believe the myxazin P is the pond version,I would stick with the aquarium version myself.
Yet another reason why I won't keep Neon's,I seem to see posts about cottonmouth affecting these virtually daily on other forums


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## alto (30 Aug 2018)

In my online search, there is also a Myxazin product which uses a pepper extract as active ingredient - which may have some general antibacterial activity but none that has been proven against actual fish pathogens 
Myxazin P at least contains ingredients of proven efficacy (though not my drug of choice in case of actual columnaris)

PP dip done properly should not be overly stressful ... any medication is stressful to varying degrees (and sometimes unpredicted species reactions occur), though it is always a possible that an extremely ill fish will succumb to any stressful event - including just the netting & removal to a quarantine tank (in advance of any medical intervention)

In this instance, a short term PP dip will dramatically reduce external pathogens 




MirandaB said:


> Even with lots of water changes to dilute the bacterial count in the water the tank still needs to be treated


Yes
Hence my recommendation to follow up the water changes with a suitable medicated food - which is far more effective than any bath treatment


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## MirandaB (31 Aug 2018)

Not heard of any Myxazin product containing pepper.....as far as I'm aware the ingredients are the same but the "P" is a more concentrated form for dosing ponds.
Here in the UK we are fairly limited in what treatments are available,particularly those that can be mixed into foods and antibiotics are only legally available from a vet.


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## Sirkavu (1 Sep 2018)

MirandaB said:


> Cotton mouth/columnaris...your best bet would be to try Waterlife myxazin,what other fish are in the tank?


Hi MirandaB, I have 3 adult mollies and 2 babies (around 4 weeks now), 18 neon tetras, 1 pleco and 8 Amano (supposed to be 12 but can’t find the other 4).
No one seems to be sick or with a strange behaviour, including the “sick” neon.



alto said:


> Looks to be considerable tissue involvement
> Isolate fish to hospital tank (limit spread to others tank inhabitants)


The hospital tank I have I change the water every 3 weeks. No fish is in, few plants. Is this ok?



alto said:


> Potassium permangante dip to “kill” the external white gunk (whatever it maybe)
> Medicated bath to try & combat the infection (which is internal as well as the external you see)
> 
> Treat main tank with lots of water changes - daily 50% if possible, cleaning any detritus
> ...


so I should put the fish in the hospital tank, and treat with the Myxazin P and PP?
With the main tank I should preform water changes (50%) and use medicated food?

I think I just got confused sorry bah


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## Sirkavu (1 Sep 2018)

Also...a bit off.
I’m going on holidays tomorrow evening and I’m back on Wednesday evening. I’m a bit worried in regards my liquid CO2 and feeding. Also my EI. What should I do during these 4 days?
How do I ensure it has the CO2 needed and my fishes have food? I’ve read a bit about auto feeder - what do you think?

Thank you all


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## roadmaster (1 Sep 2018)

Were it me,I would feed the fish as usual day before you leave, and then perform a 50% water change and hour after they have eaten.
Turn lights off over the tank for the four days you will be gone.
Plant's and fishes will be fine for a few days.
When I returned, I would perform water change,dose the fertilizer and liquid carbon,and return lighting over the tank.


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (1 Sep 2018)

An alternative would be to reduce lighting to 50% and dose enough ferts etc for half the number of days you will be away


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