Help Req : Urgent !

[chunkster]

Hi , i awoke this morning to a sick tiger barb , i have 5 in total in a 125ltr tank. The fish seemed to be breathing OK but it was lying on the bottom, i noticed that a few days ago it started to get a red nose ?
I used the net to lift the fish to mid water and it seemed to sit in the net OK ? But one you let the fish go it slowly sinks to the bottom and stays there ??

The other fish have had a go at its fins ( under its belly ) , will this effect the ablity to swim ?

I have isolated the fish in a plastic container floated in the tank .

Any advice would be greatly appreciated ...

Simon ..

 

[SamUK]

Hi , i awoke this morning to a sick tiger barb , i have 5 in total in a 125ltr tank. The fish seemed to be breathing OK but it was lying on the bottom, i noticed that a few days ago it started to get a red nose ?
I used the net to lift the fish to mid water and it seemed to sit in the net OK ? But one you let the fish go it slowly sinks to the bottom and stays there ??

The other fish have had a go at its fins ( under its belly ) , will this effect the ablity to swim ?

I have isolated the fish in a plastic container floated in the tank .

Any advice would be greatly appreciated ...

Simon ..

does he look like hes having trouble staying at the level he wants too?

so like if he trys to swim up hes jus floating back down?

 

[chunkster]

Hi , i awoke this morning to a sick tiger barb , i have 5 in total in a 125ltr tank. The fish seemed to be breathing OK but it was lying on the bottom, i noticed that a few days ago it started to get a red nose ?
I used the net to lift the fish to mid water and it seemed to sit in the net OK ? But one you let the fish go it slowly sinks to the bottom and stays there ??

The other fish have had a go at its fins ( under its belly ) , will this effect the ablity to swim ?

I have isolated the fish in a plastic container floated in the tank .

Any advice would be greatly appreciated ...

Simon ..

does he look like hes having trouble staying at the level he wants too?

so like if he trys to swim up hes jus floating back down?

Yes , thats about right, release him mid water and he trys to turn and just sinks, i have spoken to LFS and they told me to keep him in isolation for a day or two just to see what happens . Possible swim bladder ??

 

[black angel]

Sounds like his swim bladder. Dont feed him for 3 days and then only live or dried foods but not flaked. Keeping him in shallow water might help the bladder heal as you are taking pressure off it.

 

[max11180]

going back to the red nose thing - that shouldn't be any problem with health, probably just a male, starting to show his colours. The fin nipping is more than likely down to fighting with a fellow barb for position within their hireachy, probably another male. Chances are he picked a fight he didnt win, and had no where to hide and ended up stressed out, thus, prone to infection.
If tank space permits, adding a few more barbs will reduce the likelyhood of this occuring again. The common theory is that you should keep at least 8 Tiger barbs. THIS page is quite useful for tiger barb care and breeding.

If its possible, you may be better isolating him where the other barbs cannot see him, because they will likely try and get in with him, and generally pester the container.

 

[chunkster]

going back to the red nose thing - that shouldn't be any problem with health, probably just a male, starting to show his colours. The fin nipping is more than likely down to fighting with a fellow barb for position within their hireachy, probably another male. Chances are he picked a fight he didnt win, and had no where to hide and ended up stressed out, thus, prone to infection.
If tank space permits, adding a few more barbs will reduce the likelyhood of this occuring again. The common theory is that you should keep at least 8 Tiger barbs. THIS page is quite useful for tiger barb care and breeding.

If its possible, you may be better isolating him where the other barbs cannot see him, because they will likely try and get in with him, and generally pester the container.

Well , as if by magic the barb has recovered (apart from the fins ) , still keeping an eye on him , but he's back in the main tank with his buddy's !

 

[max11180]

Sounds like a case of stress then. When i added the 3rd of my Tinfoil barbs, if did the whole swim belly up thing, because the other 2 were pestering it, and generally smothering it. A night in one of 18" tanks, and he was fine, and he took to the tank without a hitch the day after.