Neon Tetra Disease

This can infect a wide variety of different Tetra species. It’s a set of bacterial infections caused by a parasite which enters the fish, invading the stomach and Neon Tetra Disease tract – consuming the fish from the inside out.

Physical Signs

• Cysts on the body
• Loss of color in the red stripe and/or milky/brownish coloration
• Pale areas around the dorsal fun
• Weight loss
• Extreme cases can cause the fish’s spine to curve
• Advanced stages can end in secondary bacterial infections which cause bloating and Popeye

Behavioral Signs

• Difficulty swimming
• Erratic swimming
• Separating from the school

Potential Causes

Caused by a parasitic organism known as Pleistophora Hyphessobryconis, it feeds on the fish until it dies.

This is can occur when fish eat other dead fish or even from eating live food servings. The live food can act as a carrier, transmitting it to your fish once they eat it.

Possible Treatments

Unfortunately, there’s currently no medicine or treatment for infected fish. You should remove the infected fish and humanely euthanize them to stop further contamination.

Your best course of action would be to take safety measures against a second outbreak. You can do this by maintaining high-quality water levels and regular cleaning.

When buying new fish, be very strict when choosing, and always quarantine them for a couple weeks before introducing them.

Author – modestfish