Odd looking Tiger Barb (Mouth Deformity)

[Tumanita]

A couple of month ago my friend had to move and gave me his tiger barbs. I had already had tiger barbs so I knew what they needed. One in particular looked very ugly and had a big belly and my friend said that the fish had that belly since it was a baby. I let it go. Today in the morning it was dying at the bottom of my tank. Nitrates and ammonia levels were good and upon closer inspection I realized that this fish has part of his face missing, and I realized he was always like this. Now I’m curious to know what this fish had and why he might of died.

 

[CryptFan]

It could be genetic but I don’t know.
what size tank are they in?

 

[Tumanita]

It could be genetic but I don’t know.
what size tank are they in?

They were in a 10 gallon tank at first when they first arrived, then I moved them to a 20 gallon tank with some corydoras and they seemed alright until today that odd one. Even passed it seemed exactly like the day they were brought in. I’ve had them for four months now.

 

[Guest14017]

Looks like a genetic mouth deformity to me. All the fish have big fat bellies. I was feeding a bit too much because I was thinking my Blood Parrot was stealing all the food and because my Tiger Barbs kept bullying and stealing from some Cory Catfish I had. My Tiger Barbs got like that too. Just really ugly and fat looking. They also seemed more sluggish and "slept" more. I cut down on the food once the Cories got bullied and starved to death, and the Barbs slimmed down some and got way more active and seemed much happier.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Were you feeding the cories sinking pellets?

 

[CryptFan]

The corries need pellets, they cannot live on flakes.

 

[Guest14017]

I have never fed my fish flakes.

 

[Metalhead88]

What size tank were they in for the majority of his life?

He almost looks a little squished or stunted. It may be the angle, but some of the others look a little weird shaped too.

 

[CryptFan]

I have never fed my fish flakes.

Sorry, the op replied that he fed flakes to juicebox’s question, but I think he meant he feeds the tiger barbs flakes.