# White Skirt Tetra-- wobbly swimming patterns



## Cichlidsrule (Nov 8, 2006)

My mom has an approx. 30 gallon tank (maybe more) that has 2 serpae tetras, 1 corydoras, 1 white cloud mountain minnow, 1 black phantom tetra, and 1 white skirt tetra. The white skirt has only one eye, and it's been getting its fins nipped slightly. Recently, I've noticed that it's been wobbling to the left a little bit when it swims, and a lot of the time it just swims in place vaguely. Is the wobbliness an effect from the one eye, or is it possible it has an SBD? I didn't see any bulge on its side though...
The water parameters are all normal-- the pH is around 7.2, slightly hard, and the nitrites/nitrates all good. None of the other fish are doing badly.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

The eye won't effect swimming. Getting his side fins nipped will though. Its also possible its got something else, too. Getting chewed on is very stressful.


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## Cichlidsrule (Nov 8, 2006)

Now the rest of the tetras are doing it, although the cory catfish is still fine. The tetras are leaning to one side, and staying in place. Every half a second or so, all their fins will jerk. Some will swim around though. I can't figure it out!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Change water and hit the fish disease sites, its most likely an early sign of something.


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## Cichlidsrule (Nov 8, 2006)

Ok, thnaks


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2007)

Have you added any medication to the tank of any kind? Have the colors faded? If there's a toxin in the water, usually the same species is affected. Could be something called whirling disease, but the symptoms are more violent; however, that's with progression of the disease. It's my best guess.

Whirling disease causes the fish to wobble or weave, if you will. Similar symptoms can be caused by exhaustion from being bullied. Whirling disease is caused by a parasite which affects the brain and spinal regions, which obviously causes the locomotive impairment. It's not all that common, as I understand, but it's possible. When an infected fish dies of it, a number of the parasites are released into the water continuing the disease.

You don't feed tubifex by chance, do you?

If you've ruled out everything else, I'd suggest treating. It's very degenerative, and those fish that do survive are often physically disfigured if the disease progressed far enough.

TREATMENT for whirling disease: Treat with Quinine Sulfate

I just noticed you said the fins were "jerking." There's another possibility (I know, great). Trichodina can cause that symptom, but I find it odd that your fish are still vaguely active as well. Is there any reddening anywhere on the fish? If you've got a good microscope handy, examining a smear would help . There should be some sort of visible irritation on the fish's skin if it is trichodina. TREATMENT: Malachite green is usually effective.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I wouldn't worry about whirling disease just yet, unless you happen to live anywhere near Minnesota, Iowa, the Dakotas or Montana, and even then only if you did something like use some local plants in your tank, of if your petshop did.
Jerking is a common symptom of many things, most of them easily fixed. A water change might even help, and look around for any faulty electrical equipment possibly letting stray voltage into the water, which shouldn't really be a problem in freshwater, but you never know.


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## Cichlidsrule (Nov 8, 2006)

Ok.
I live in Michigan, but I don't use any local plants in my tank and I don't think the LFS did either. 
They seem to be doing better-- wobbling less, with the exception of the white skirt tetra, who is still leaning to the right quite a bit. 
One of them did get attacked and by the time my mom found it, the head and tail had been eaten. This could be because we didn't realize that the vacation fish food thingy was upside down, and the fish couldn't eat from it. I don't know if starvation would have an affect on fishy balance though.
And I do have a good microscope, but what do you mean by 'visible irritation'? Also, I presume I should take a smear of the skin, right? And also (sorry for all the questions ) would I have to use a dye to look for possible parasites/whatever is on the skin?
I don't feed the fish tubifex. These guys were all recently put in-- about a week and a half ago, so we've just been using this Tetra vacation feeder thingy because it's in my mom's classroom.
And I haven't been putting any medication in either.


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2007)

By visible irritation, I meant redness, etc. To look at a sample under the microscope you would take a smear of the skin, yes. A dye would help in any case, if you don't over dye the specimen. Maracyn blue usually works well, if you've got it. QuickCure contains it. 

Here's a site that'll help you identify (don't know if I've given you this link before for something else). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA041

Examining a smear under a microscope may or may not help if you've got a parasite. TheOldSalt's advice was very good. Hopefully that helps.


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## Cichlidsrule (Nov 8, 2006)

That's really great- thanks so much. The other serpae died, so maybe it was just a disease that the serpaes had? In any case, the white skirt is still very wobbly, and there does seem to be a red-orange spot between her eyes, but it seems to be inside its head, so maybe it's the brain I'm seeing  Also, in front of her dorsal fin there is a small reddish spot. I'll try taking a smear of that, thanks!
And the website was very useful btw, thanks


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2007)

I'd assume that is the brain you're seeing. Good luck with it! I'd be interested in hearing if you find anything.


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