# tetra with a white upper lip?



## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

I just noticed earlier today that one of my Colombian tetras has a white upper lip? Can someone tell what it is please? Got some pics but they are not the best since the little guy kept hidng in the plants sorry.


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

(posting mainly to subscribe to topic)

My Lemon Tetras sometimes have this same kind of white on their upper lip. I don't know if it is directly harmful or not, but I would love some more info on this "marking". Hopefully some experts will swing by and diagnose that.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

small fry said:


> (posting mainly to subscribe to topic)
> 
> My Lemon Tetras sometimes have this same kind of white on their upper lip. I don't know if it is directly harmful or not, but I would love some more info on this "marking". Hopefully some experts will swing by and diagnose that.


Got five of them and just that one has it and it didn't start till the third day? He seems to be okay still swims around a lot and still eats everything he can get LoL


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Just to add a little more here are my water parameters ph=7.4 ammionia=.25 GH=9 KH=8 nitrite =0 nitrate =5 temp=77°


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## Andarial (Feb 12, 2011)

I think this could be mouth fungus or Columnaris, I've never treated it before but if it is it's extremely contagious, it is a bacterial infection. It should be treated immediately if possible. Maracyn is one of the treatments I know about. But if you feel uncomfortable because I'm not exactly sure (only about 97%) wait for someone else to respond. In the later stages the fins clamp down and start to rot.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Ooh that's nice umm not much I can do now as I just saw the post and I am at work Soo are they both contagious?


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

I don't know. It seems that all of our fish are fine right now. The first time I had a tetra with this, I moved it to a small QT, and it got so stressed, it didn't eat. I had to put the poor guy down.

The next time I had a tetra that got this (or what looked like this at least), I treated the tank endlessly for a long time and I probably killed the fish with meds. Tetra a very sensitive to fish meds. Now I have my tetra that shows these symtoms, and it hasn't spread (not saying it wont), and it has eaten Ok for the past few weeks.

I am not saying that this isn't a problem, I am just saying that I think we need to get a better idea of what this is before we try to treat it. I doubt that it is "mouth fungus" (which is a good guess, but that could be any number of diesases with similar symtoms), and I really doubt it is Columnaris due to it's incredibally fast spread, and it's quick deaths.

Let's hang tight for a minute. A big enough, good water quality QT for the fish showing these symtoms is probably the best option for now. Otherwise, it may not be a good idea to treat sensitive tetra, or make a diagnosis just yet.

_(edit: I just posted right after boredomb, so I didn't see the reply. Yes boredomb, Columnaris and most strands of "Mouth Fungus" are highly contagious, but like I said, I don't kow if that is what our fish have or not.)_


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

small fry said:


> I don't know. It seems that all of our fish are fine right now. The first time I had a tetra with this, I moved it to a small QT, and it got so stressed, it didn't eat. I had to put the poor guy down.
> 
> The next time I had a tetra that got this (or what looked like this at least), I treated the tank endlessly for a long time and I probably killed the fish with meds. Tetra a very sensitive to fish meds. Now I have my tetra that shows these symtoms, and it hasn't spread (not saying it wont), and it has eaten Ok for the past few weeks.
> 
> ...


None of my other tetras are showing signs of this and the one that is is still eating acting okay this tank is still cycling and I don't have another tank will just watch and I am going to do a water change tonight


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Boredomb said:


> None of my other tetras are showing signs of this and the one that is is still eating acting okay this tank is still cycling and I don't have another tank will just watch and I am going to do a water change tonight


Okay before I was on my cellphone and hard to read and type on the thing LoL. So being this is the only tank and I only have 5 tetra in it do you think it will be okay to leave it there since I don't have another tank? and Like I said I'll be doing a water change tonite or fist thing in the morning ( it might bee really late when I get off of work tonite) is there anything else I should do other then keep a close eye on the little guy? THanks for the help soo far!!


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

If you don't have another suitable sized tank already setup and cycled, I would just leave the fish where it is at. If you do find out for sure that this diesase is deadly and contagious, you may have to take more serious measures. Hopefully it wont come to that.:-(


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## underh2o (Nov 8, 2010)

*I agree with small fry!! I have a black tetra with the same symptoms, do not like alot of meds. , just watch him. *_I still use allot of salt. (I no there is allot of Roderick about that but have cured allot of fish with it. Jack_


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

small fry said:


> If you don't have another suitable sized tank already setup and cycled, I would just leave the fish where it is at. If you do find out for sure that this diesase is deadly and contagious, you may have to take more serious measures. Hopefully it wont come to that.:-(


Ok thanks. Hopefully it doesn't come to that!


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

I want to watch this outcome too because I've been looking at some rainbows at PetCo, dropped by today, and one in the tank has that exact symptom - didn't have it yesterday. 

Gwen


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

underh2o said:


> *I agree with small fry!! I have a black tetra with the same symptoms, do not like alot of meds. , just watch him. *_I still use allot of salt. (I no there is allot of Roderick about that but have cured allot of fish with it. Jack_


I have a freind who has quite of few tanks and he uses salt I think he says he uses one tablespoon per gallon of salt in every tank and it does wonders according to him. He says he nevers has any issues with dieases soo I dunno I thought about using salt but wasn't sure about it ?


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## underh2o (Nov 8, 2010)

*try it you might like it!! put him in a separate tank or holding chamber so you will not have to dose the whole aquarium. Try a little then add from there. Fresh water is crucial ..* So be sure to watch.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

underh2o said:


> *try it you might like it!! put him in a separate tank or holding chamber so you will not have to dose the whole aquarium. Try a little then add from there. Fresh water is crucial ..* So be sure to watch.


Might give it a shot but will have to be tomorrow as I am still at work will be here to 4am LoL but I don't have a holding chamber and going to have to get one before I can try. I am starting to think I seriously need to a tank for a QT!!


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*hmmm*

in my opinion yeah bump up the temperature and add the salt..but be spareingly as it will have adverse effect on your plants.


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

Hey guys, bad news.:-(

Not to start a panic, but I thought I'd let you all know that my lemon tetra showing these symtoms passed very quickly and unexpectedly last night. I did a head count, and fed them all at about 8pm and all were doing fine. At about 11pm, the lemon tetra was completely out. I didn't see a transition between healthy and ill behaviour, last time I saw that guy, it was happily eating fish flakes.

The good news is, there seems to have been no spread. I doubt the diesase is very contagious, if contagious at all, since I have had that guy awhile and all my other fish look fine.

If you guys have an empty QT, you may want to move any white-lip tetra in there just to be safe. We still don't know hardly anything about this "diesase" or even if our fish all have the same thing.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

small fry said:


> Hey guys, bad news.:-(
> 
> Not to start a panic, but I thought I'd let you all know that my lemon tetra showing these symtoms passed very quickly and unexpectedly last night. I did a head count, and fed them all at about 8pm and all were doing fine. At about 11pm, the lemon tetra was completely out. I didn't see a transition between healthy and ill behaviour, last time I saw that guy, it was happily eating fish flakes.
> 
> ...


Okay thanks for the update. Well mine as of last night (4am) was fine I haven't check on him yet this morning and none of my other fish seem to be showing anything. I am still working on getting a QT. So hopefully it won't spread to any of my other fish!


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