Help

[Ianuk]

I have had 2 quite big red tailed barbs, but 1 died last night. It was strange though and i have never seen this happen before, the fish was about 11months old, but yesterday it had a strange flit, and crashed into my heater, then jumped out of the water and hit the lid and was swimming upside down for about 5 mins trying despritly to bring himself upright but couldnt then everything slowed down and then he died. There was no viable signs in the fish. He was crashing into the rocks and glass. Ive described it as best as i could, but it was so strange. Could someone help diagnose it?

 

[Athena]

Hi - I have read about fish doing this sort of thing but nobody seems to really know the cause. Suggestions have been that (a) they get spooked by sudden movement and in their haste to hide they crash into tank decor/equipment, spooking them even more, causing such a fright that they then have a heart attack and die or (b) crashing into the heater that may have a hairline crack (or causing one at the time) causes an electric shock.

Are the other fish in that tank perfectly ok?

When this incident happened, had you turned the tank lights on suddenly? Sometimes if the tank light and room light have been off for hours, then someone comes in and turns on the room light and straight away the tank light, this can cause shock to some sensitive fish and they will dart about in confusion, trying to find a place to hide.

Regards - Athena

 

[Colin_T]

if the fish wasn't startled, (ie: like mentioned above) then it is probably a protozoan infection in the brain, or a stroke, (usually protozoan tho).
Protozoan infections are usually caused by lack of water changes and dirty gravel and filters.
Try doing a partial (40-50%) water change and gravel clean each day for a couple of weeks. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine and has a similar temperature & pH to the tank water.
Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last few weeks. If you have a power filter then wash the filter media in a bucket of tank water.
If there have been no more problems after a couple of weeks then go back to weekly water changes and gravel cleans.
Filters should be done once a month after this is over.

 

[Ianuk]

Thanks for the reply. I always change my water on a regular occassions and on each change i put aqua safe with it too. But was wondering if it was the PH levels but i have checked that and there spot on too.

As for the lighting i have dim l.e.d's which are always on until i go to sleep. Im just really gutted. (no pun intended)

Thanks for your help.