Black neon tetras dying within 24 hours - help with diagnosis?

[ApistoQueen]

Over the last 24 hours I've lost 7 of my original 11 black neon tetras. From what I can see, they start flashing, then swimming erratically before losing bouyancy control and eventually dying. I can't see any outwardly consistent symptoms other than fin rot in one or two of them. I've had them for about 2 months and they share a planted tank (with airstone) with 2 apistos, 2 plecos and 12 cardinal tetras which were added in the last week. All other fish seem fine.

Water params:

- Ammonia/nitrite = 0

- Nitrate = 10 ppm

- Buffer = 80 ppm

- Hardness = 150 ppm

- pH = 6.8

- Temp = 79.5 F

[Colu]

It's possible your cardinals introduced pathogen into the tank that's affecting your neons with mass mortality your seeing it more than likely bacterial infections what I would do is treat with kanaplex in food feed twice a day for 7 days you can also use metroplex to treat the water column to cover all bases

[ApistoQueen]

I've ordered a kanaplex, metroplex, focus and garlicguard pack for tomorrow. Will treat even if there are no black neons left by then (it's not looking likely).

[Colu]

On 4/14/2022 at 11:18 PM, ApistoQueen said:

I've ordered a kanaplex, metroplex, focus and garlicguard pack for tomorrow. Will treat even if there are no black neons left by then (it's not looking likely)

Hopefully it's not to late for your neons sometime fish can be immune to some pathogens that probably why your neons are dieing and your cardinals don't seem to be effected I think it's a good idea to treat them all just to be on the safe side 

[ApistoQueen]

On a tangent, Aquarium Coop are really difficult to get in-touch with. I was trying to inform them that their cardinal tank probably has bacterial contamination but the only email address I could find was for shipping. I sent it there anyway.

[Colu]

On 4/14/2022 at 11:57 PM, ApistoQueen said:

On a tangent, Aquarium Coop are really difficult to get in-touch with. I was trying to inform them that their cardinal tank probably has bacterial contamination but the only email address I could find was for shipping. I sent it there anyway.

Am not sure how to get in touch with them am based in the UK 

[ApistoQueen]

Update: Metroplex hasn’t yet helped. One by one I’ve lost the half of the community tank including my male Apistogramma 😞 I tried quarantining the sick but it didn’t help.

1x Apistogramma

13x Black Neon Tetra

7x Cardinal Tetra

All gone in 2 days with minor fin rot and, often, a large smooth white patch somewhere on their body. I feel helpless.

 

[Colu]

On 4/16/2022 at 5:37 PM, ApistoQueen said:

Update: Metroplex hasn’t yet helped. One by one I’ve lost the half of the community tank including my male Apistogramma 😞 I tried quarantining the sick but it didn’t help.

1x Apistogramma

13x Black Neon Tetra

7x Cardinal Tetra

All gone in 2 days with minor fin rot and, often, a large smooth white patch somewhere on their body. I feel helpless.

 

Could be Columnaris have you been using kanaplex as well as the metroplex if it's Columnaris you want to treat with a combination of kanaplex and jungal fungas clear fizz tabs containing nitrofurazone together following this treatment schedule using jungal fungas clear fizz tabs instead of furan2 as it has been discontinued

Edited April 16, 2022 by Colu
Typo

[Minanora]

I am so sorry that you're having to deal with this battle. It sounds like Columnaris with the smooth white patch. Columnaris can be an internal infection that is very difficult to fight. Jungle Fungus Fizz tabs and Kanaplex is a good combination. Colu has a typo in his above statement. "...you won't..." should you be "...you want...".

I highly recommend treating all of your fish using a quarantine. Or remove all of your plants before you start the treatment because the fizz tabs can be hard on many types of plants.