# Ill neon tetra.



## Garuf (31 Aug 2008)

Hello, can anyone tell me what is wrong with my neon tetras? I added them 3 days ago and today I've noticed they have white flukes on their flanks above ther top fin (cordial?). 
Here's the best picture I could get and is one of the lesser effected ones.


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## Ed Seeley (1 Sep 2008)

I can't tell for sure from the picture but pale areas can be sign of Neon tetra disease.  Or it could be damage and/or stress from shipping and/or capture.  I don't think they're flukes as most parasitic flukes can only really be seen under a microscope and if they were anchor worms then they should be bigger than that on a fish the size of a tetra.

Have the marks just appeared or do you think they may have been there since you got them and they are just more noticeable now the fish have settled in?  Is there anything in the tank they could have scuffed themselves on?


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## Garuf (1 Sep 2008)

They have only become obvious now the fish are settled, they appear to be bigger mind, they protrude and are slightly "fluffy". I don't think there is anything that they could have rubbed on, the heater or the landscape rocks maybe but the heater is a 25w and even when it's been on for a while is only luke warm to the touch.


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## PM (1 Sep 2008)

I can't really tell either, but I will say that  have had 100% fatality from whitespot before, and the second time it happened I just banged a load of medication in there and all but one of the fish survived!

So maybe just treat with a general parasite/fungus treatment.  I can't remember the name of the one I used, something like es1 or something, small blue bottle from LFS.


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## Ed Seeley (1 Sep 2008)

The fluffy comment sounds like it may be fungus.  That's a secondary infection that occurs after some damage.  A general treatment for fungus might be a good idea if it's getting worse.


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## Garuf (1 Sep 2008)

See, I assumed that it was just a scratch but it's the fact that 5 out of the 7 neon's I have all have the same ailment in the same area that is baffling and made me think it's not an easy infection.


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## GreenNeedle (1 Sep 2008)

from the pic it does look like damage to me on the back .  the sort of damage that often occurs after a little battle.  If several have it in the same place however I would treat.  Does look like some fungus on the dorsal though unless its a trick of the camera  

As per above with a fungus treatment but you can also add in some Melafix )or homemade from the recipe somewhere on TFF)  I think it was 1ml tea tree oil to 500ml DI or similar.  I think I also linked to it here on this site somewhere but a long time ago.

The fungus will help cure the disease whilst the melafix will aid recovery.

AC


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## beeky (4 Sep 2008)

Neon tetra disease usually occurs along the flanks and is basically just a white/pale area. I agree that fluffy sounds like fungus. Odd it's in the same place though.


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## Garuf (4 Sep 2008)

Just to note, the neons who had this mystery ailment have both kicked the bucket. I added medication to the tank and it killed an otto so I gave up on that idea. The remaining neons all seem totally unaffected however.


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