Tiger Barb Illness

[DjLeethul]

I have steadily been losing my tiger barb shoal and I have noticed something very odd. The fish that seem to be ailing and ultimately die are swollen underneath their top fin. That is, the top half of the body is swollen. I physically examined my most recent loss and the swollen area feels somewhat bloated and I am fairly certain that this is a sympton of what is causing my losses.

Does anyone know what this can be attributed to? Why some of my tiger barbs kinda look like the outline of a light bulb (bottom skinny, top swollen)

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litries.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Do the barbs look thin, and I mean really thin.

 

[DjLeethul]

29 gallon tank
ph ~ 7.5 - 8
Ammonia ~ 0
Nitrite ~ 0-1
Nitrate ~ 10

4 serpae tetras are also in the tank

The barbs do not look thin at all and have very healthy colorations about them. Do you recommend administering general medicine to the tank?

 

[WILDER]

Does it look like a swelling of fluid underneath the dorsall fin.
Never heard of it before, fluids build up usually epson salt baths.
You could try anti internal bacteria med by interpet.

Any red patches or red streaking in the fins.
You have a slight nitrite reading, have you been over feeding.

 

[DjLeethul]

Yea, it definitely caught me off guard and I have never experienced anything like it. The swelling could have been fluid. I gently pressed it (under the top fin, I guess that is dorsal) and it was somewhat soft, but still felt flesh-like. Whatever it is, it is not affecting any of the other fish in the tank except for the 3 remaining tiger barbs.

I also have two small clown loaches in the tank (I will move them to a bigger tank later) and they are swimming around the tank more than the barbs are.

would the medicine be safe for the loaches as well??

 

[WILDER]

If you lost quite a few of them yes I would try the anti internal bacteria med by interpet.
It's better to issolate fish for treatment.
Clown loaches will be fine if you increase aeration, it the parasite meds they don't handle to well.
Good luck.
What do you think of this
Symptoms: Include the appearance of Popeye. It is possible to see the formation of these gas "bubbles" which could even be classified as blisters under the skin located anywhere on the fishes body including the fins. If these bubbles move to the blood stream they can be fatal.

That all I could find on swelling below the dorsal fin.
Gas bubble desease it bubbles beneath the skin.
Usually caused by to much aeration in the tank.

 

[DjLeethul]

I have two 30 gallon filters running in the tank (not at full capacity) and also a tiny wall bubbler. Could this actually cause over-aeration in the tank?

 

[WILDER]

The wall bubbbler could.
Do the barbs sit near the bubbler.

 

[DjLeethul]

Nope. The barbs are not near the bubbler or try to stay near it.

I do not notice any bubbles forming on the outside of any plants or fish that would suggest over-aeration.

 

[WILDER]

Ok thats fine then always best to rule things out.
I would add the bacterial med.
Good luck.