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Green neons dying one by one. Really need help

1K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  Docock 
#1 ·
I have no idea what to do at this point. About 6 hours ago I notice a dead green neon tetra out of no where. Then I noticed one swimming in the open by itself, which they never do. He died shortly after that. I noticed another one doing the same thing. I went to dinner and when I came back, two were dead.

This morning I did a 50% water change, and this is what I do every week for my 48 gallon aquarium. The only thing I could think of is that I sprayed some Windex on paper towel (in another room) and cleaned the front of the tank. 30 minutes later I put my hand in the tank to adjust the filter.

I also have red lizard catfish, halfbeaks, endlers, amano shrimp, peacok gudgeons and vampire shrimp. Everything else is doing great, no deaths. I tested my water and my Nitrates are pretty hi, but the green neons were used to this due to the fact I dose EI.

Since the first one died I have done 2 20% water changes, and they keep dying. They were in the tank for two months with not one death before this. Someone help please!!!
 
#2 ·
Others will disagree with me but I find EI and the associated methods (blast CO2 until the fish are on the verge of suffocation, maintain super high nutrient and metal levels) are not good for livestock longevity. In particular I know a hobbyist who observed gill deformities in their green neons after months in an EI tank.

It could also be a characin-specific viral disease. Perhaps your fish were harboring it originally but recent events stressed them and depressed their immunity.

I doubt the Windex alone caused it. If so the shrimp would be the first to go.
 
#5 ·
That is super interesting theory. You might be right, because I just added new fish which would have been that thing to give them extra stress. Man, I feel awful that I essentially poisoned them! Everyone seems to be so fond of EI, and my CO2 is pretty low.

Guess I will keep doing water changes, I lost one more today. I wonder if they are all hopeless at this point? :( I will change my dosing to something else I guess
 
#4 ·
I use similar products to clean the glass sometimes, without issues. I agree with possible CO2 toxicity. Also, make sure to use a good dechlorinator that will take out chloramine.unless the glass is super greasy, just splash a few drops of tank water on the glass and pollish it up with a ball of newsprint.
 
#8 ·
I have seen symptoms... First I will notice that one of them comes out of hiding and schooling. They will swim in open water for a bit and then slowly get weak. Some will sit at the bottom slowly gasping there mouth. On one of them I notice some sort of grey **** on its mouth, almost like a worm, but no chance I could get a picture.

I have not lost any today, so I am hoping the plague has stopped.
 
#7 ·
Could be a recent addition brought something in with them. Those new fish could be fine having already developed a resistance. We bring in captive clownfish and it can be a beast to acclimate to a system containing wild caught fish.

I had someone return about 50 swordtails from Thailand to the wrong system that contained dennison barbs from Indo and it started a spiral of death.
 
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