I lost all 8 of my long-finned serpae tetras in about 2 months' time. The last 3 I euthanized because they were showing symptoms and I didn't want them infecting the rest of the tank. I really hope none of the other fish get it.

It was hard to identify the symptoms at first. It started out with very pale, blotchy patches on their body behind the gills. Then their color started to fade, and they'd hide a lot and swim a little funny. They lived for a quite a while though, and still ate as normal. The first ones to die developed bloat almost like dropsy, a day or two before they died. I didn't let the rest get that far advanced in their disease.

Does that sound like neon tetra disease to anyone?

It does sound like Neon Tetra Disease. You have most of the symptoms. Although the Bloating is generally accepted as a secondary infection, rather than that caused direct by the parasite (apart from cyst nodes).

One symptom is that the fish looks like it hasn't been eating. You say your's were. Did they look well fed?


It seems that Silent Doh, and yourself, should exchange notes!

I'm trying to remember exactly how much they ate before they died - I think I remember the first few (who later developed bloat) eating normally, but I think one of the first that I euthanized ate, but didn't eat as much as the other fish. He was kind of sickly and under-nourished looking. The others I got out of the tank as soon as they started showing signs of being sick.

I'm just scared to death of my other tetras coming down with the same thing - and heaven forbid any of my loaches! I've been watching them like crazy but so far they all look okay. I have two long-finned skirt tetras, about 5 neon tetras and 6 bloodfin tetras. I don't want this disease to wipe out the whole population. I'm very attached to the loaches.

I understand other species can catch it. Tetra's happen to be much more susceptible.

I believe the established routine, upon identifying a serious outbreak of Neon Tetra Disease, is to break down the tank and give it thorough cleanout.

Hopefully, whatever it was, you've stemied it by removing the sick fish.

I lost my only golden dojo loach yesterday, which was heartbreaking, but he hadn't been doing well since the unexpected death of his mate several months ago, so I don't think it was neon tetra disease. He didn't have any of the symptoms either.

I guess now would be a good time to break down the tank and clean, since my fish population is down. I haven't restocked any of them since they started dying, so I'm down to a very few tetras, and mostly loaches and cories. The tank looks pretty empty now, especially with all the plants out for de-algaeing.