Pale Tiger Barb

[injektion]

ok so in the last couple days i've watched them quite closely. on of the barbs were going up for air quite a lot and the rest were doing fine. this morning the air gasping one died and another died mysteriously, along with my algae eater. there's only 1 tiger barb and the shrimp left and the fins on the last barb look to be deteriorating (is this fin rot?). i checked my ph level today and it went down to 6.6. i haven't checked the nitrate and nitrite and ammonia levels yet as i lent the testing kit to a friend. i'm guessing my water went bad after i did a 20% water change after my first barb died.

i am completely demoralized and stumped. need help...

 

[rabbut]

At this point I'd post the situation in the emergencies section. I suspect there may be a Flukes putbreak in your tank. I have used Sterazin by Waterlife on occasion, but I'm not sure if it's available to you

All the best
Rabbut

 

[injektion]

as of this yesterday morning all of my fish have died. strangely enough my shrimp hasn't died yet. tough little fellow. should i be worried about his health? i can't tell if he's fine or not because nothing looks wrong. then again thats what i thought about my barbs.

if my barbs died of flukes should i be worried about the water now that they're all gone? should i change all the water, clean the sand, wash the plants and wood?

 

[rabbut]

I'd leave the tank "vacant" for a month or so now, adding ammonia. Take the shrimp back so he comes to no harm If you sterilise the tank to remove the infection, you will have to start your cycle from scratch. It isn't worth it. Flukes can live for about 2 weeks without a host presant in the tank, and thus will have died of before re-stocking if you don't re-stock after this disaster

Sorry to hear about your losses

I'd try a differennt LFS when you get replacement fish, as it would apear that there was an issue with the stock from the one you chose. Out of interest, can you 'phone the store and ask if they have been having issues with the fish you bought?

All the best
Rabbut