Help My Cherry Barb!

[chromide]

my cherry barb has a brown gunk on the top side of him, it almost looks like a scab. i added about 1 table spoon of salt to my 20 gal tank but it hasnt helped. does anyone know what the problem is? i dont want him to die!! my tank is clean i clean it once a week and i only have 3 fish in the tank two cherry barbs and a sailfin catfish.

 

[WILDER]

What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

I would remove the salt with water changes, catfish don't tolerate it towell.

The brown gunk does it look fluffy like cotton wool.
Does the brown gunk form a saddle shape that goes along the top of the fish and down the sides to form a saddle shape.
Does it look like a rusty coloured varnish.
Any redness to the scab.
Does it look like a brown spot patch.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing, darting, erratic swimming, laboured breathing, excess mucas.

 

[chromide]

it kind of is a saddle shape its a dark brown and it doesnt look like cotton. he swims and acts normal. and i dont think it is a scab so much as discoloration. his fins are also frayed and ruff looking.

 

[WILDER]

If there no signs of flicking and rubbing I would take the bacterial route.
Columanris can look brown on fish.

 

[chromide]

well..... he seems to be fine now may have been stress from moving to a much larger tank. if he gets bad again ill go the bacterial route thank you.

 

[WILDER]

That's good news then.
Good Luck.