Weird Behavior- Updated!

[Kairi]

One of my albino tiger barbs is swimming weird. His back tail fin has been nibbled..... but apart from that, he looks like everyone else. He is currently in a floating tank just in case- I don't want the others to pick on him.


1. Water parameters. Ammonia is 0, Nitrites are 0, no idea what the Nitrates are, but it's a fully cycled tank. It's been set up for over a year.
2. A full description of the fishes symptoms. One of my albino tiger barbs is swimming weird. His back tail fin has been nibbled..... but apart from that, he looks like everyone else. He is currently in a floating tank just in case- I don't want the others to pick on him.
3. How often you do water changes and how much. once a week, and I change 20%
4. Any chemicals and treatments you add to the water. Added a bit of Melafix
5. What tank mates are in the tank. Total of 4 albino tiger barbs, and pleco (yes I realize it's overstocked w/ the pleco....)
6. Tank size. 10 gallons
7. Finally Have you recently added any new fish? nope. set up like this for 9 months.


===================

Three hours have gone by now, and Mr. Fish is actually swimming almost completly upright now!! He finally ate the pea in his little container and although he sometimes still flips upside down, he is able to right himself. He still swims nose down... but one thing at a time, right?

 

[WILDER]

How much of the fin has gone as it can make them swim funny, is he struggling to swim as it not a good sign.

 

[Kairi]

he's not struggling, but he's floating. i put some pea in there for him, and he was unable to get to the bottom of his 4 inch tank to get the pea. i picked it up a bit so he was able to reach the bottom... he's still upside down.

his fin is in two diagonals (make sense? / and one under it.... \ .... ) yeah, anyways about half of / one side is nibbled off....

currently he is really spazing out as he hates being upside down apparently. between his fins on his belly it looks a tiny bit swollen.... not much.

 

[WILDER]

Bless him not sounding to hopeful i'm afraid if he's upside down.
The peas should be good for him if he eats them.
Add abit of salt to his water will help with the swelling.

 

[Kairi]

this is very sudden. i check them out very carefully every morning (each of the 100 fish get the twice over as I feed them all) and they were all fine at 9am! ... it's 4pm and he's looking poorly. poor little guy.

now he's swimming in upside down circles

 

[WILDER]

He's dying sorry, sounds like he has swimbladder as well with the swelling.

 

[Kairi]

phooey. that was quick!

should i keep a close eye on the other 3?

wonder if they knew he was ill and nipped his fin b/c he was the weakest?

 

[WILDER]

Sadly yes fish do pick on fish when they are ill.
Give them some shelled peas to, I feed peas twice a week keeps them going to the toilet.

 

[Kairi]

they just finished a chunk of cucumber! ... i would have thought that would help. who knows. the other 3 are becoming a bit aggressive at the moment.... these guys are a pain sometimes.

then again, they hate when i change their water too (which i did today)

 

[WILDER]

Barbs are aggressive fish, bigger shoal they say to cut the aggression out.

 

[Kairi]

hence the 4.... (or 3 now that one is seperated)

he's in a shallower dish now... and eating the peas. i'd love for him to NOT die. it's my husband's fish....

 

[WILDER]

It is touch and go, wish him all the luck that he pulls through.