Tiger Barb Bloated And Turning Upside Down.

[CameronN]

One of my 8 tiger barbs is bloated and turning upside down. She's been bloated for a while now and I thought it was just cause she was my only female. I think it might be Malawi bloat from what I've read. Are there any treatments for this? I currently don't have a hospital tank so I can't quarantine except in a plastic jug.

-Sorry for the rushed post.

 

[fluttermoth]

Malawi bloat is specific to Lake Malawi and other Rift valley cichlids, so it won't be that.

Have you tested the water, and if so what were the results? How big is the tank and what tank mates do they have?

I would do a massive (right down until the fish have only just enough water to swim upright) water change and don't feed the tank for at least three or four days and see if that brings any improvement.

Tigers are quite prone to bloating problems of this sort; it's usually sheer greed, or snatching food from the water surface and taking in mouthfuls of air, that causes it, although it could be some other problem of course.

 

[CameronN]

Malawi bloat is specific to Lake Malawi and other Rift valley cichlids, so it won't be that.

Have you tested the water, and if so what were the results? How big is the tank and what tank mates do they have?

I would do a massive (right down until the fish have only just enough water to swim upright) water change and don't feed the tank for at least three or four days and see if that brings any improvement.

Tigers are quite prone to bloating problems of this sort; it's usually sheer greed, or snatching food from the water surface and taking in mouthfuls of air, that causes it, although it could be some other problem of course.

It's just the one fish and it's been bloated for a while (probably 3 months now). The water conditions are pretty much perfect. There are a few BN plecos in the tank as well. I don't want to do a massive water change since the water out of my tap has a lot of ammonia. I'll try not feeding for a bit.

 

[WILDER]

Epson salt baths to draw the fluids out.
Feed some peas.

Do you soak there dried food in tank water before you feed it to the fish?

What do you feed your fish?
Over feeding bloodworms can cause bloating. So can to many dried foods. Freeze dried foods cause constipation, bloating.

 

[fluttermoth]

I don't want to do a massive water change since the water out of my tap has a lot of ammonia.

Oh blimey, that doesn't help does it? I see your point.

You could try the salt baths that Wilder mentioned, that would have been my next suggestion. 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts to 5 gallons of water, for 30 minutes; but do keep a close eye on the fish and take it out if it looks distressed.

 

[CameronN]

I don't want to do a massive water change since the water out of my tap has a lot of ammonia.

Oh blimey, that doesn't help does it? I see your point.

You could try the salt baths that Wilder mentioned, that would have been my next suggestion. 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts to 5 gallons of water, for 30 minutes; but do keep a close eye on the fish and take it out if it looks distressed.

Yeah I was going to do that but I don't have a hospital tank available and if I put epsom salt with my plecos my entire house would probably be covered with poo. I'll try to feed her peas.

Edit: I feed my fish using a multi feeder from tetra. It's like flakes, pellets, and shrimp (dried or freeze dried). I don't feed them the shrimps since they are too big for their mouths. Sometimes they nibble the algae discs that go down to my plecos.

 

[fluttermoth]

Just do the salt bath in your water change bucket

 

[WILDER]

I stopped using freeze dried foods due to causing constipation and bloating.
I bought frozen food like brime shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms, etc.
Need to introduce some green veg into your fish diet.

 

[CameronN]

What do you recommend for green veg? I'm doing a salt bath now. They don't seem to be taking to the peas at all.

 

[WILDER]

Sometimes it does take a few times with the peas. They do seem to turn there noses up at them at first. Make sure there chopped into tiny pieces.

You can feed. Cabbage, sproats, lettuce, cucumber, spinach, peas, broc.

 

[CameronN]

After the salt bath my fish first dropped to the bottom and kind of panted for a bit, but eventually she got back up and joined into the shoal again. I did a 75% water change with half distilled and half tap water (with dechlorinize), since one of my other fish floated on his head for a minute. I'm going to check for odd behavior and try the vegetables again.

 

[CameronN]

Sometimes it does take a few times with the peas. They do seem to turn there noses up at them at first. Make sure there chopped into tiny pieces.

You can feed. Cabbage, sproats, lettuce, cucumber, spinach, peas, broc.

I use steamed peas from frozen which I split up a bit, they sink immediately. Some of the healthy ones will pick a few up, but the two I'm worried about won't go for them at all.

 

[WILDER]

Has the bloating gone down.
It sounds like you might need to use a bacterial med.

 

[CameronN]

Has the bloating gone down.
It sounds like you might need to use a bacterial med.

No it hasn't, I just put some melafix in. I noticed a bunch of my fish are clamping their fins and brushing against things like they have an itch or something. I'm completely clueless now, but it does seem more and more like bacteria.

 

[WILDER]

Melafix is no good i'm afraid. You need an internal bacteria med.

Have the fish only just started brushing against things, clamped fins, since adding the melafix to the tank?