# Black Neons with white patch on head...



## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

1. Size of tank? 75 gallon

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? Zero
b. Nitrite? Zero
c. Nitrate? 20-30
d. pH, KH and GH? pH 7.6, unsure on the others
e. Test kit? API liquid

3. Temperature? 78

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? Fresh

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? 2 months, just finished cycling

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
Had 11 Black Neons, lost two today. 8 Glowlight Tetras, 3 otocats. All are <2" and they have been in the tank since yesterday.
7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)? No since they were the first fish in the tank.

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants? Live plants
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? Sand
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors? Rocks and one small piece of wood covered with java moss

9. a. Filtration? AquaClear 110 with two sponges
b. Heater? EboJager 250w

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? Four 6500k T8 tubes
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? None

11. a. Water change schedule?
b. Volume of water changed?
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? Tap water
d. Water conditioner used? API Stress Coat +
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed?

12. Foods?
How often are they fed? Tropical flakes, twice a day

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms?
b. Appearance of poop?
c. Appearance of gills? Normal

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? 
b. What meds were used?

15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.



















Read more: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...orm-read-before-you-post-61135/#ixzz1WpZYxuWw


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

As you can see...there is a white patch on top just in front of the pectoral fin that appears to be under the scales and white stuff coming from the mouth of this fish. One other fish, also a Black Neon, has the patch on top but nothing in the mouth. A third Black Neon has a few small white specs on its tail. Two Black Neons were found dead/dying when I got home from school today but neither appeared to be affected with white "stuff". All fish were placed in the tank yesterday.


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## BarbH (May 23, 2011)

From the picture posted I am thinking that it is probably columnaris. You will want to keep the water pristine, and I would try to keep nitrates no higher than 20 and if possible lower. Here is some information about columnaris from the freshwater and saltwater diseases thread.

*Columnaris (Flexibacter columnaris)
Synonyms:*
Cotton-wool, Mouth Fungus, Flexibacter

*Symptoms:*
White mouth with tiny filaments, white areas near edge of scales, clamped fins, fins start to rot in the later stage, fish struggles and sways near the surface

*Causes:*
This is bacterial infection which is very common in the aquaria and is very contagious. Immediate action is needed to contain it before it spreads to other fish.

*Treatment:*
Broad spectrum antibiotics, Sera Baktopur, Binox, Maracyn I & II, Kanacyn, Terramycin, Acriflavine, Furan, Copper Sulfate

_Flexibacter columnaris_ thrives very well in warm waters therefore it is necessary to gradually lower the temperature to prevent it from progressing.


















Pictures retrieved from Sera guide by Dieter Untergasser for reference purposes. 

Read more: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...-saltwater-diseases-8179/page2/#ixzz1WpfUGIDM

It is possible that it could be body fungus also, but with the cottony filaments around the mouth area I would lean more towards columnaris. I would first see if keeping the water pristine helps before considering starting treatment. If it does not seem to be improving then you will want to consider doing a treatment with medicine.


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks. The patch is kinda fuzzy but not fluffy...there is another fish acting strange...gasping and staying at the surface of the water and yet another fish with some white specs on its tail. I have Furan 2 on hand...I just want to get more info before I start treating.


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

Gasping fish died...fast...it just started acting like that less than an hour ago.


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## BarbH (May 23, 2011)

Sorry to hear about another loss. I have found some additional information on columnaris, which can also affect the gills of fish. Here is the link to what I came across Columnaris (Flexibacteria); Aquarium/Pond Treatment, Prevention; Fungus, Saprolegnia


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks...it was a good read. I think I am going to go ahead and treat with the Furan 2 and try to pickup some Kanamycin too. Maybe some Pimafix as well just in case the other stuff doesn't work. Might not be back to have on hand anyways. Hopefully the local stores have stuff so I don't have to order it and wait until next week.


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## BarbH (May 23, 2011)

Most of your lfs and lps that sell fish should have these on hand. Good luck and keep us updated on how things go.


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

Definitely will. Thanks again.


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

Another seemly unaffected neon dead while the two covered with white patches still alive. Don't understand.


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

The two with the white patches...gone.


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## Beaches (May 28, 2011)

I'm very sorry you are losing so many! If you only added them yesterday, how did you acclimate them? They may have been sickly when you bought them and the added stress may have brought the illness on sooner. Most tetras do better in soft and a bit lower PH. 7.6 may be too high for them and if your water is also hard (which you are unsure of), the sudden change in water parameters may have been too much of a shock to them and they couldn't acclimatise accordingly.

Are the water parameter levels you supplied, after you added all the fish or before? sometimes you can get a spike if you add too many fish too soon, even if you did a fish-less cycle, if there weren't sufficient bacteria colonised.

I had a batch of black neon's once and after being introduced to the tank, they started dieing one by one.


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

I floated the bags to temp. acclimate them. The parameters are after adding them. I tested the same evening and the next day...there could have been a spike but I never saw it if so. I guess maybe the Black Neons are just not quite as hardy as the others, the Glowlights seem just fine and no loses of them yet, same with the otos. So far things seem to have settled. Lights just went out and all remaining fish looked ok...none seemed to be struggling and none had any new growth. Fingers crossed that maybe the weak have gone and the strong will survive. I'll complete the full cycle of Furan 2 and see what happens from here. I am getting ready to go to work so I won't be home for about 14 hours...just hope I have some fish to come home to.


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## Beaches (May 28, 2011)

Nubster said:


> I floated the bags to temp. acclimate them.


As well as acclimatising them to the temp. it is also a very good idea to acclimate them to the water parameters too, to lessen any sudden shock associated with the changes in water parameters between the LFS' tank and yours. Using the drip method is a good way to do this, or you can remove a cup of water from the bag and gradually pour 1/4 of a cup of your tank water into the bag, every 5-10 minutes for approx. 1/2 to 1 hour.


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## BarbH (May 23, 2011)

Sorry that you have lost so many more fish. Hopefully things will start to slow down and the others will be okay.


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

Yeah...well...one more gone today...another Black Neon. Just hoping it doesn't spread to the others.


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## Alekinha (Aug 31, 2011)

I've got the same thing with my newly bought female guppy (got her yesterday). She is the only one currently showing signs of columnaris. I’ve read you can start treatment with salt? I don’t know if it will work or not but I’m desperate. The only problem I have is that I don’t have any other aquarium at the moment to put her under quarantine and to begin treatment.
Can I put her in a small container (inside the aquarium) and treat her with the salt for 3 days?


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## Nubster (Aug 1, 2011)

Yeah...you can use pretty much any small container as a sick tank. Doesn't have to be an actual fish tank.

And I lost another one just before I went to bed. Woke up and no more dead but one looking not so great. Seems like once the Black Neons are all dead, all the dying might stop in my tank. The otos and Glowlights are still looking good.


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