Neon Tetra Diseases

Neon Tetra Disease (NTD)

Unfortunately Neon Tetra are prone to developing a disease commonly referred to as "Neon Tetra Disease" a well known disease that is currently incurable. The disease cycle begins when microsporidian parasite spores enter a fishes body after it has consumed an infected material such as the bodies of a dead fish, live foods such as tubifex, which may serve as intermediate hosts. The disease is most commonly passed on by new fish introduced to an aquarium already carrying the illness. Symptoms of Neon Tetra disease include:

Restfulness Reduced brightness in coloration Cysts that appear as lumps on the body Difficulty swimming Curvature of the spine Fin rot and bloating

As there is no cure for the disease infected fish or fish that have passed on should be immediately removed from the tank to stop the disease spreading further. When purchasing new fish inspect all fish in the tank to make sure they are disease free, if any fish do look sick do not purchase other fish from that tank. If possible you can quarantine new fish in a quarantine tank before introducing them to your main tank, this insures new fish are healthy and won't be passing on any external diseases.

Other common diseases

Ichthyophthirius or Ich
A parasitical disease that appears on the fishes body as small white spots. You may notice the fish rubbing up against objects in the tank in an attempt to remove the parasite. There are numerous commercial treatment avaible for treating Ichthyophthirius.

Fin Rot
Fin rot is a bacterial infection that effects the fishes fins. The disease is often started when a guppies fins are nipped by another fish, leading to infection. If you are having problems with fin rot try to locate any fish that are nippy and remove them to another tank. Speak to your local fish shop expert to find a commercial treatment for fin rot.

Hemorrhagic Septicemia
A bacterial infection that can be identified by red streaks on the fins of your fish or red dots on the body. This disease is caused by excess levels of nitrate and ammonia in your tanks water, you should perform daily water changes with conditioned to get these levels under control. Fish infected can be treated with an antibacterial solution to reduce the symptoms.

Ammonia poisoning
Fish suffering from ammonia poisoning can be seen gasping at the surface of the water and their gills will appear red and inflamed. Ammonia poisoning is common in new tank setups, water should be replace with conditioned water and additional aeration should be provided.