Is my tank crashing?

[Max W.]

I have no idea what has been happening the past few days. My original 3 neon tetras have died suddenly. Now, my one juvenile neon tetras is schooling with one black neon. After I placed them into a cup, they puffed up and lost color. I cannot tell if it is neon tetra disease. They showed no symptoms the day before. They were eating the normal amount and seemed fine. When I was feeding them this morning, I noticed one was twitching around and swimming into the gravel. I took him out and placed him in a cup in the filter. When I came back, all my neon tetras were dead but one.  An anyone help me with this problem? No other fish were affected by this.

Edited March 15 by Max W.

[Tony s]

First we need information on the tank. What size. How long has it been going. What are your water parameters 

[Max W.]

I don’t have the water parameters right now, checking it.

 

cycled tank and has had no problems. The neons have been in there for 4 1/2 months and every other fish for a month.

 

its been running for 5 months. I did not cycle it for a long time but assumed it was fine because the neons were thriving. They got huge.

tank size: 28 gallons

only new plants are the duckweed in my net for 2 baby swordtails.

All my other fish in the tank are fine.

I currently don’t have test strips. I will try to buy one asap

[Max W.]

I do notice a very thin bio film, but it never has affected the fish.

[Tony s]

Yeah it should just be a protein film. Airstone should break that up 

 

Protein film is usually caused by a bit of over feeding. I get them too

 

[Max W.]

Ok, I was thinking of getting a small bubbler, that should work too. Right?

[Tony s]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:33 PM, Max W. said:

Ok, I was thinking of getting a small bubbler, that should work too. Right

Right, Cory from coop always recommends an extra air stone in most aquariums. I’m quickly coming to that conclusion. And it could keep your tank alive if the filter ever crashes

[Tony s]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:16 PM, Max W. said:

All my other fish in the tank are fine

If it’s only the two neons. You may not have a large issue. Neons are becoming notoriously hard to keep alive. But usually if they make it a few months. They’re good for long while. Neon tetra disease is not very common. Although it is definitely out there. You may have had a short term ammonia spike. Sometimes that happens unexpectedly. The thing to do after a loss is check parameters immediately to make sure nothing else is going on.  

[Max W.]

Ok, thanks.  I’m left with 1 neon schooling with 1 black neon.

[Tony s]

Yeah, at least they can school together😪. I’ve had 2 schools of 10 neons in different tanks. 3 left in one and 2 in the other. Can’t seem to keep them. Blacks and greens tougher 

Edited March 15 by Tony s

[Whitecloud09]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:16 PM, Max W. said:

I don’t have the water parameters right now, checking it.

 

cycled tank and has had no problems. The neons have been in there for 4 1/2 months and every other fish for a month.

 

its been running for 5 months. I did not cycle it for a long time but assumed it was fine because the neons were thriving. They got huge.

tank size: 28 gallons

only new plants are the duckweed in my net for 2 baby swordtails.

All my other fish in the tank are fine.

I currently don’t have test strips. I will try to buy one asap

Sorry for not seeing this in time @Max W., my bad, but the test strips will do, but if you can, as long as you get some ammonia strips too. Like @Tony s said, that little thin biofilm can be because you might be slightly over feeding, i get that sometimes too. I would get an airstone like @Tony s said, then strips or even better, the API master test kit that measures ammonia nitrite and nitrate and ph. 

[Max W.]

I did about a big water change because I think while i was cleaning some chemicals got in there. The water kinda smelt so I did a 75% water change at around 12:30 A.M. I could not sleep. All the fish are awake and well at the moment. I think I had bad water parameters.