Fat Neon -- NTD, Pregnant or Greedy?

**Amelia** · 06-02-2012, 12:42 PM

One of my Neon tetras, I noticed the other day, is extremely fat. I've tried and failed to get a photograph, they are simply too fast and my camera just goes all glarey.

She -- I assume it's a she -- has a swollen, round belly. It's not overfeeding as I know what that looks like and this is different. She seems quite aggressive to the others, especially during feeding.

There are no "dull" or white patches on her, which I've learned are NTD symptoms. I think she's been this way for quite a while. She is so fat that her blue line appears very crooked.

Should I be concerned?

**Lady Hobbs** · 06-02-2012, 04:55 PM

The only way fish contact NTD is to eat the dead carcus of another that has it so doubtful this is that. Also, they waste away, not get fat. Fat could be she is full of eggs and they do get plump but not overly. Another thing might be internal worms.

**dbosman** · 06-03-2012, 02:44 AM

Fat healthy tetras, of any species, are full of eggs.
Not to worry. Tetras, and most other fish love caviar.

**Amelia** · 06-03-2012, 03:10 AM

Oh, I read somewhere that a swollen tetra could be the cyst of the NTD. It freaked me out.

So nothing to worry about then? Pregnancy would probably explain her aggression to the others.

**FPF77** · 10-07-2012, 01:44 PM

When just starting out with Neon Tetras, I often had the same problem. After doing lots of research, someone suggested this often happens when Neons are fed floating flakes and suck in air when striking at the surface. Since then, maybe 18 months ago, I have soaked and swirled the flakes in a small cup of tank water until all were submerged, then poured into the tank to avoid any being on the surface. So far, the swollen belly thing has not happened once.

If it were me, I'd QT the sick/swollen fish and stop feeding for a day or two to be sure. If it goes down by then, it's almost certainly nothing serious/gas/constipation.