Cardinal tetras sick

[nick_tks]

dear fellow friends,

just got a new 1ft tank... having 8 cardinal tetras nw, but recently found one of them with red stripe break in between and there's another one i've found to have a small pore on its mouth. just added ocean free 'O' disease medicine into the tank yesterday. The cardinal tetras r rather scare when i'm watching them now and the food i've given them, they don't seemed to eat much... is there anything i can do to save them? Please help

[chipset]

More information on your setup will be good.
Thing like did you cycle your tank, filter use and planted tank?

[Blue Whale]

YOU HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY seperate the sick cardinal with the fatal Columnaris diseases. Sadly there is no cure for this. Inorder not to infect the rest you have to let go of this sick one.

As for the rest, if you are feeding flakes or pellets, try to introduce some tubifex worms (see if you can buy half a cup). Note that under no circumstances should you cause "shock" which might scare the fish. They are timid, any sudden scaring will cause them to loose their colors almost immediately.

Later on you can introduce micro pellets, they should be able to feed on them nicely once they settle down.

When watching the fish, you should not put your face on the glass, instead, take a small chair and sit slightly away then observe, this way, you will not scare the fish whilst your fishy can take some time to adjust to you as their master.

[nick_tks]

i've did some read up, but it doesn't seem my cardinal tetras got the columnairs disease... is there any other symptoms with regards to that disease? mine is a planted tank with filter and i've also cycled my tank before i put the fishes in... so far there's nothing wrong with the fishes and they are still eating as usual and swimming in school most of the time...

Blue Whale, i think you are right, i normally put my face quite near the tank causing them to be scare as i need to monitor on their behaviour as well as checking on the white spots if they have any.... i'll take note of your advise to keep a distance away from the tank when i'm watching them in future...

i normally feed them with flakes and they will take a few sec before they will swim up to eat... but each time they will swim up and snatch at high speed as if afraid i saw them...

[Wilfred]

Sorry, disease and illness, I'm not good at it but..

i normally feed them with flakes and they will take a few sec b4 they will swim up to eat... but each time they will swim up and snatch at high speed as if afraid i saw them...

Hi,

My too, all my tetras swim up and snatch food with high speed but i don't see this as a abnormal behavior (for what i know tetras are mid-feeder, they don't like feed on the top as they feel unsafe), they just hungry..

My tetra never care about me looking at them up close, they will just swim in and later all swarm out and start looking hungry (I'm sure, they are looking at me), maybe these more space to take cover!? and not to get scare of me? My tetra always look hungry, they will just keep seeking out for food at the bottom after the feeding (all look like hunter too me, lol.., looking (hunting) around for more FOOD.. Lol..), even sometime i over-feed them (opss.. my bad), but they still can take-in whatever i put in (controlling but I just couldn't stop feeding them, they just look so hungry to me )..

*All looking strong (or fat) and healthy to me all look so cute at far, but keep swarm together after i get close (hungry again!?)

[Blue Whale]

If got pasat malam, then just buy a $2 magnifying glass to confirm. If the color is just normal, you can give it a pass. If not, best that you seperate them. It is also known as false tetra diseases....fatal class. Guess you are right, a bit of reading won't hurt.
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/di...columnaris.htm

Once the tetra are used to your hand, usually they will not be scared off until no colors. But simple thing like switch off lights also can jump their colors...just normal, they need to get use to it. slowly.

Watching a distance, you can use focus light, e.g. bike torchlight to shine slowly from a distance. If they eating, then no issue. some forumers got experience that the tetra totally don't eat. If water is treated properly, actually no need to watch for white spots.

They need time to adjust to new environment one, usually if you put the plastic on the water surface before release, then they get adjust to environment and temperature. Sudden release would be like culture shock. So if you already done with the sudden release, now is to let them get use to the enviornment slowly. I usually will wingle my fingers even if not feeding. If they follow me, next time when I feed, they will follow my hand action to come and eat also. So you can train them if you want to.

[nick_tks]

guys, really thanks for your valuable replies... hope my tetras can last... happy new year to u guys and enjoy the holidays

[Blue Whale]

=) you too! Enjoy your hobby by doing more observation.

[Wackytpt]

nick_tks,

It has come to my notice that the few posts that you have started and filled with sms lingo and shortforms.

Please refrain from it as this is serious frown upon in the forum.

Thanks

[nick_tks]

all right, i'll take note of that.... thanks