[eisBear]

HI all,

I need some help with two of my black neon tetras.

Info about the tank:

No major changes in 2 years.

29Gal, heavily planted tank. Water parameters have been good for the past 2 years but I've run out of test supplies except for Nitrate which was at 20-30 when I checked today and phosphate (which I don't think could contribute). Gets 25% WC every 7-14 days and all has been healthy for 2 or so years. Have even had a few baby black neons hatch and grow up.

Edit: Filters: 2 HOB, AQ50 and AQ30.

Livestock: 8 - 9 black neons, 11 Harlequin rasboras, many many shrimp (started with 10), estimated 20.

Problem: for about 2 months, one of the females has appeared very fat. I thought she had eggs but she never thinned out. I tried giving some peas here and there but she's still looking the same. She has been otherwise behaving normally, eating, swimming with the school, swimming fine. Now, a second one has just started to look the same, only the second one seems to be opening and closing her mouth a bit rapidly. Otherwise, she also seems fine, swims with the school just fine and eats energetically. Scales do not seem to be protruding off of their bodies. When I got them, they are about as long as they are now, which is a bit large for a black neon, so no idea as to age but they were probably mature when I got them 2 years ago. They get fed flakes and dried bloodworms about 3 times/week.

I included some pics. One of the pics is the 'original' and the other two are of the one who recently developed similar symptoms.

I see that it might be dropsy (but again, after 2 months and scales not sticking out), that it could be egg bound, or something else. I dunno. Looking for any ideas on how to help these little girls out. Thanks so much for your help in advance!

Best,

eisbear

 

[alcimedes]

see if they'll eat crushed, cooked peas?

 

[eisBear]

see if they'll eat crushed, cooked peas?

Thanks for the Reply, gonna get some peas, the one that's been big for a while has eaten a few pieces of peas over the last month or two.

Update: the more recently affected fish seems, as of this morning, to be breathing heavier, listing a bit and is hanging out mid-tank, she might not be coming up to feed and I worry if I try peas, the other fish will steal them.

I wonder if Epsom salt bath + Hospital tank is overkill at this point (I'm not sure how contagious any cause might be) but I do have a tank that has a very weak (or gone) cycle I could set up as the hospital tank. Any other possible meds or cures to try if I go this route? I seem to have maracyn - oxy on hand but I live near a Petco. I am somewhat far from the LFS.

edit: if I move them to QT/hospital, what are the thoughts on just adding Epsom directly to the tank?

Thanks!

 

[psych]

I don't know what's wrong but I had one that started to look exactly like that and passed shortly after. No one else in the tank got sick.

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