Sideways Swimming Barbs

[akago105]

I just got new fish, Rosy Barbs, after cycling with two Kuhli loaches that I have had for a long time.
I checked my pH Ammonia Nitrate and Nitrite, and all the levels are good.
I haven't been feeding them a lot because I just got them three days ago.
I let them acclimate and everything.
From the other threads I have read I think it is Dropsy? But I dont know how that could have happened.
I've already have had one death and his fins were flaired.
What I am mostly asking is if this is contagious? I don't have a hospital tank or anything like that.

Tank size: 29 Gal. (Got it Second hand custom. I dont know why they chose 29 gal.)
pH: 7.0
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
kH: n/a
gH: n/a
tank temp: 78* I know a little high.
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): no lesions, color normal, swimming sideways and floating. swimming upside down also. They are fine when the light is on, but once I turn the light off they start swimming funny again. Like I have said I have already had one die.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: once a week, 25%
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Start Right (Added two days before I got them) contains Sodium Chloride, ALoe vera, and polyvinylptrolidone. One back filter for up to 50 gallons.
Tank inhabitants: 2 Kuhli Loaches, and... now... three rosy barbs
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): none besides the barbs.
Exposure to chemicals: none.
Digital photo (include if possible): none perhaps later.

 

[afremont]

I just got new fish, Rosy Barbs, after cycling with two Kuhli loaches that I have had for a long time.
I checked my pH Ammonia Nitrate and Nitrite, and all the levels are good.
I haven't been feeding them a lot because I just got them three days ago.
I let them acclimate and everything.
From the other threads I have read I think it is Dropsy? But I dont know how that could have happened.
I've already have had one death and his fins were flaired.
What I am mostly asking is if this is contagious? I don't have a hospital tank or anything like that.

Tank size: 29 Gal. (Got it Second hand custom. I dont know why they chose 29 gal.)
pH: 7.0
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
kH: n/a
gH: n/a
tank temp: 78* I know a little high.
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): no lesions, color normal, swimming sideways and floating. swimming upside down also. They are fine when the light is on, but once I turn the light off they start swimming funny again. Like I have said I have already had one die.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: once a week, 25%
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Start Right (Added two days before I got them) contains Sodium Chloride, ALoe vera, and polyvinylptrolidone. One back filter for up to 50 gallons.
Tank inhabitants: 2 Kuhli Loaches, and... now... three rosy barbs
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): none besides the barbs.
Exposure to chemicals: none.
Digital photo (include if possible): none perhaps later.

0 nitrAtes is pretty odd for an established (cycled) tank. Dropsy is a symptom, not a specific disease with a specific treatment. If the fish is extremely bloated and the scales are pine coning, then that is called dropsy. It could be caused by a number of things such as tumor, bacterial infection, parasites such as tapeworms, water logging from kidney failure, etc. If the fish is not extremely bloated but seems to have issues with staying upright or tilting it could be an issue with the swimbladder.

 

[akago105]

0 nitrAtes is pretty odd for an established (cycled) tank. Dropsy is a symptom, not a specific disease with a specific treatment. If the fish is extremely bloated and the scales are pine coning, then that is called dropsy. It could be caused by a number of things such as tumor, bacterial infection, parasites such as tapeworms, water logging from kidney failure, etc. If the fish is not extremely bloated but seems to have issues with staying upright or tilting it could be an issue with the swimbladder.

I just did the tests with my API Liquid tests. Came out the same as above. Thanks for telling me that Dropsy is a symptom and not a disease. The one that died did have pineconing scales and was extremely bloated, but the others dont have pine coning scales and are not bloated. But like I said, its odd, my fish are fine when the light is on, but once it turns off they start swimming sideways and upside down.
Does that mean that I should just leave the lights on constantly?

Oh, and I got my tank temp down to 76* since I first posted.

 

[AshP1986]

I recently struggled with lowering my ammonia because I thought it was high (according to my api master test kit) turns out... ammonia wasn't high just wasn't reading the chart right... the chart they give you is a nice reference, but it does not replace a control. If you can, try testing the ammonia with bottled spring water(that has no additives) and then base your readings off of that? Maybe worth a try.... I literally just spent 20 mins googling fish swimming sideways and all I came up with were swim bladder disease and ammonia poisoning....

Good Luck! I will keep my eyes open for anything.

 

[afremont]

0 nitrAtes is pretty odd for an established (cycled) tank. Dropsy is a symptom, not a specific disease with a specific treatment. If the fish is extremely bloated and the scales are pine coning, then that is called dropsy. It could be caused by a number of things such as tumor, bacterial infection, parasites such as tapeworms, water logging from kidney failure, etc. If the fish is not extremely bloated but seems to have issues with staying upright or tilting it could be an issue with the swimbladder.

I just did the tests with my API Liquid tests. Came out the same as above. Thanks for telling me that Dropsy is a symptom and not a disease. The one that died did have pineconing scales and was extremely bloated, but the others dont have pine coning scales and are not bloated. But like I said, its odd, my fish are fine when the light is on, but once it turns off they start swimming sideways and upside down.
Does that mean that I should just leave the lights on constantly?

Oh, and I got my tank temp down to 76* since I first posted.

I did a quick search on google and there are several returns with people describing exactly the same thing about their rosy barbs and turning the light off.
http/www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/cyprinids-atherinids/rosy-barb-very-odd-behaviour-24908/
I've read that some fish use visual cues to remain upright and by losing an eye, for example, they start tilting to one side. Do you have any other bright lights in the room that the fish might be trying to cue off of when you turn the tank lights off? Maybe something across the room.

I think that most fish dislike having the lights shut off abruptly since that's not what happens in nature. They seem to like a more gradual change so in the morning I will turn on a room light that indirectly starts lighting the tanks. Most of the fish are floating around aimlessly in some kind of trance and will freak out if you shock them awake by flipping on the tank lights. My gouramis don't like you turning the lights out suddenly either so I do the same thing at night. I turn the tank light off, but I make sure to have room lighting on that simulates dusk, then I later turn the room lights out when I see them start drifting around at a 45 degree angle (it's what the gouramis do). I like to give the fish about a half hour or so in the dawn or dusk mode before changing the tank lights. They need time for their eyes to adjust and most don't have pupils to regulate the light anyway so they really need some time to adjust. I wait a little while after turning the lights on before feeding so they can see the food ok.

Most fish need some darkness each night or they will stress so don't leave the lights on all the time.

 

[FarmboyUK]

My Rosy tetras swim with their bodies at about 30 degrees off vertical when the light first comes on. Wears off after about 10 minutes so the lighting theory seems possible

 

[akago105]

I did a quick search on google and there are several returns with people describing exactly the same thing about their rosy barbs and turning the light off.
http/www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/cyprinids-atherinids/rosy-barb-very-odd-behaviour-24908/
I've read that some fish use visual cues to remain upright and by losing an eye, for example, they start tilting to one side. Do you have any other bright lights in the room that the fish might be trying to cue off of when you turn the tank lights off? Maybe something across the room.

I think that most fish dislike having the lights shut off abruptly since that's not what happens in nature. They seem to like a more gradual change so in the morning I will turn on a room light that indirectly starts lighting the tanks. Most of the fish are floating around aimlessly in some kind of trance and will freak out if you shock them awake by flipping on the tank lights. My gouramis don't like you turning the lights out suddenly either so I do the same thing at night. I turn the tank light off, but I make sure to have room lighting on that simulates dusk, then I later turn the room lights out when I see them start drifting around at a 45 degree angle (it's what the gouramis do). I like to give the fish about a half hour or so in the dawn or dusk mode before changing the tank lights. They need time for their eyes to adjust and most don't have pupils to regulate the light anyway so they really need some time to adjust. I wait a little while after turning the lights on before feeding so they can see the food ok.

Most fish need some darkness each night or they will stress so don't leave the lights on all the time.

I didnt think that Leaving the light on would be a good idea, just was running out of options. I didnt know about the light source thing. I have my room light on and the fish tank light off so that may be why they were swimming funnily. Thank you.

My Rosy tetras swim with their bodies at about 30 degrees off vertical when the light first comes on. Wears off after about 10 minutes so the lighting theory seems possible

So thats normal. That makes me feel so much better. I saw one of them die and thought the rest were to follow. Thank you so much for this information.

and two everyone about my levels, I took them to a local water tester and they got the same results as I did.

 

[akago105]

I just had another one of my Rosy barbs die. I don't know what is going on. If it is a parasite or anything what should I do?