Poorly Cherry Barb - Swollen Abdomen, Worm, Lying Upside Down

[brucethefish]

Hi guys, after some help please.
 
I thought my cherry barb was carrying eggs but now sure she is sick.  I've put her in a separate chamber in the tank - she seems to spend most of the time upside down on the bottom as in the picture.  About 15 minutes ago I was about to euthanase her with clove oil and vodka when she started swimming round as if normal (still swollen obviously) so I have held off.
 
She had a worm yesterday but that has come out now.
 
Not sure what to do - if the kindest thing is to euthanase her then I will do that.
 
There are some more cherry barbs and some tetras in the 30litre tank, a couple of snails.
 
Any help would be great thanks, whether that means something to make her better or whether I have to accept this is the end for her.  I don't want her or the other fish to suffer.
 
Thanks
Brucethefish

 

[attibones]

What are your water parameters? They are in a thirty liter tank? That's way too small. Regardless, your fish has some sort of internal parasite which will just make her hurt. I'd put her out of her misery. Damn. I've never seen a fish look like that, but I think it would be kindest to get out the clove oil.

 

[snazy]

You can't say a fish has internal parasites just by looking at a big belly. It could be anything, including internal bacterial infection, which is more likely if it's just one fish. Parasites make the fish ichy and they scrape themselves.
 
Try a salt dip. Get some aquarium salt or salt from the supermarket that has no additives at all. I've used cooking sea salt sometimes.
 
Melt it in some tank water in proportion 1 table spoon per gallon max.
Then put the fish into this and watch for stress. Leave for 5-10min max if the fish doesn't "faint". If it turns belly up, just put back into normal tank water. If you have some bacterial/antiparasitic meds, you can put around 1.5 times the recommended amount for the volume of the container you are using into this water too to boost the strenght.
 
It helps sometimes. If it does, the fish will feel better in 24-48 hrs.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Come on guys : sorry but his fish is suffering. Think it's dropsy in an irreversebale state. Please euthanise the fish asp!! Sorry but this isn't treatable anymore (as far dropsy is).

 

[Meeresstille]

I'm surprised the fish is still alive! I too would euthanize, I may be wrong, but this looks too far gone!

 

[attibones]

You can't say a fish has internal parasites just by looking at a big belly. It could be anything, including internal bacterial infection, which is more likely if it's just one fish. Parasites make the fish ichy and they scrape themselves.

This is true, but OP stated that they had seen worms, which leaves me to believe that the parasites may still be present.

 

[RCA]

Brucethefish, where are you located?  Please add it into your profile as it assists in advising you with different treatments etc.
 
Only you can tell if your fish is suffering, look at the breathing of the fish as much as anything else, is it labored?  
 
How long has she been like this?
 
If you say you saw a worm, I would definitely be treating all of your fish.  I use the Kusuri Wormer Plus, which is manufactured for Discus but is very good.
 
Personally, I would say whether it is worms or bacterial, permanent damage may well have been done, and it is unlikely to survive and therefore it is best to do what is the kindest thing for the fish.  I recently went through a similar experience and sadly the fish passed away having opened up, so in the long run it may have been kinder to put her to sleep.  Equally on another occasion I wormed the fish and this was the outcome, although I lost a WCMM shortly after and was not sure which fish it was that went.
 
Make your decision based on how long she has been like this to cause more permanent damage, her breathing and your gut feel as to what is right.
 
Keep us posted and good luck.

 

[snazy]

She had a worm yesterday but that has come out now.
 

 
I thought the OP meant that he/she fed the fish with a worm(me thinking a blood worm), that has now passed. My bad

The fish does look its in a very bad shape. Good luck with it and hopefully the rest would be ok.

 

[brucethefish]

Thanks guys.  I euthanased the fish as although it didn't appear to be suffering all the time , I couldn't see how it would survive.
 
Not a nice thing to do but I couldn't let it suffer.
 
Thanks everyone who replied.