Is my Cherry Barb poorly?

[Sparx]

We’ve had our barbs for about 6 months, and this little girl has always had a bit of a pop belly.
But recently, probably over the last couple of months her belly has got bigger and her spine looks a little bent, and to swim she kind of flicks herself about rather than gracefully gliding through the water like her buddies. She eats normally and always comes to inspect me with the others if I have to put my hand in the tank. She’s not giving the obvious tell tale signs of being sick.
Could this be a defect she was born with that’s only become more evident as she’s grown?

 

[GaryE]

She might have spinal or nervous damage from a cyst or tumour, or even a minor local paralysis from nerve damage/neurological damage. Their bodies are as complex as ours, and there can be a lot of things that go wrong that nothing can be done about.

 

[Sparx]

She might have spinal or nervous damage from a cyst or tumour, or even a minor local paralysis from nerve damage/neurological damage. Their bodies are as complex as ours, and there can be a lot of things that go wrong that nothing can be done about.

Ok thanks Gary. I’ll just continue keeping my eye on her

 

[Colin_T]

It's not a swim bladder problem but she definitely has a buoyancy issue and rolls back when she stops swimming. This will eventually burn her out and she will get weaker and weaker due to having to correct all the time.

If you can reduce the water movement it will make it a bit easier for her but eventually she will die from exhaustion or internal problems.

If she starts to sink when she stops swimming, or has trouble swimming (more than currently), or she stops eating, euthanise her.

 

[Sparx]

It's not a swim bladder problem but she definitely has a buoyancy issue and rolls back when she stops swimming. This will eventually burn her out and she will get weaker and weaker due to having to correct all the time.

If you can reduce the water movement it will make it a bit easier for her but eventually she will die from exhaustion or internal problems.

If she starts to sink when she stops swimming, or has trouble swimming (more than currently), or she stops eating, euthanise her.

Thanks Colin. How would you suggest euthanising her if that’s what it eventually comes down to?
I don’t think I’d have the heart to bash her or cut her

 

[MattW]

I used clove oil on my betta. Bought from boots

 

[Sparx]

I used clove oil on my betta. Bought from boots

Is clove oil toxic for fish? Obviously I would need to separate her first in a QT tank or something and just add the oil to the water?

 

[Essjay]

First make up the clove oil with water in a small screw top bottle. Clove oil does not smell very nice so I always wear rubber gloves. The oil doesn't mix well with water so it has to be shaken like mad, that's why you need a screw top bottle.
Sacrifice a small container (or save a 'butter' or ice cream tub from the recycling) and put some tank water in it. Catch the fish and put it in the tub. Add a small amount of the clove oil/water mix, not enough so the fish panics, then a bit more after several minutes. Once the fish lies on the bottom of the tub and doesn't move, empty the rest of the bottle in the tub. Leave for a while to make sure the fish really is dead.


Clove oil is an anaesthetic and the first small doses send the fish to sleep, then the overdose kills it. Because it smells awful, you can't use anything it's touched for anything else. If you get it on your skin the smell lingers for ages

 

[Back in the fold]

First make up the clove oil with water in a small screw top bottle. Clove oil does not smell very nice so I always wear rubber gloves. The oil doesn't mix well with water so it has to be shaken like mad, that's why you need a screw top bottle.
Sacrifice a small container (or save a 'butter' or ice cream tub from the recycling) and put some tank water in it. Catch the fish and put it in the tub. Add a small amount of the clove oil/water mix, not enough so the fish panics, then a bit more after several minutes. Once the fish lies on the bottom of the tub and doesn't move, empty the rest of the bottle in the tub. Leave for a while to make sure the fish really is dead.


Clove oil is an anaesthetic and the first small doses send the fish to sleep, then the overdose kills it. Because it smells awful, you can't use anything it's touched for anything else. If you get it on your skin the smell lingers for ages

Sheesh . . . . Dr. Mengele .

 

[Sparx]

First make up the clove oil with water in a small screw top bottle. Clove oil does not smell very nice so I always wear rubber gloves. The oil doesn't mix well with water so it has to be shaken like mad, that's why you need a screw top bottle.
Sacrifice a small container (or save a 'butter' or ice cream tub from the recycling) and put some tank water in it. Catch the fish and put it in the tub. Add a small amount of the clove oil/water mix, not enough so the fish panics, then a bit more after several minutes. Once the fish lies on the bottom of the tub and doesn't move, empty the rest of the bottle in the tub. Leave for a while to make sure the fish really is dead.


Clove oil is an anaesthetic and the first small doses send the fish to sleep, then the overdose kills it. Because it smells awful, you can't use anything it's touched for anything else. If you get it on your skin the smell lingers for ages

Thanks @Essjay i appreciate your guidance. Hopefully it won’t come to this but I will buy some clove oil just in case

 

[Essjay]

Save a tub and small screw top bottle from the recycling/rubbish as well.

The amount to use is 10 drops per litre - I use a pipette to get it out of the tiny bottle it comes in and to count the drops. Scale that amount down if the bottle is smaller than 1 litre. It emulsifies better in hot water. Give the bottle a really good shake again right before using it.