One Tiger Barb Losing Color

Larkspur

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I'm having a very similar situation as in this thread: http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/316092-tiger-barbs-inactive/
(Tiger barb hiding when lights are on in the plants, coming out at night only, colors seem faded)

The difference I am having is only one of my tigers is doing this. It's stressed for some reason. Possibly overcrowding, but then I don't know how to explain why only one of my 3 seems shy. Within 2 weeks of getting them the tank came down with ICH which I have just finished treating. Figured the fish, also being the one first to show signs, was simply stressed due to the chemicals and lack of water change. Treatment is over. Carbon filter replaced. Did a water change yesterday. Fish is still hiding???

All the other fish in the tank are doing excellent despite the overcrowding and such. I have a fairly heavily planted tank. This particular tiger hides in my java fern all day long, only occasionally coming out. It has very little red so my guess is it is a female. I know at least one of my others has to be a male. Very deep red on the dorsal fin. Not sure about the sex of my third. These are guesses to begin with. The other two barbs don't bother the shy one. They seem highly entertained playing a chasing game with one another.

Tank is small. 5.5 gallons and it has danios and the tiger barbs, a single guppy, an otto, and a BN catfish.

Is this a result of me simply mistreating the fish and making it live in a small tank? Is the fish sick? I know I still see two flecks on its tail, but I think they are part of the fish's body. They're the same color as the tail and I noticed them way back right after I got the fish. I would imagine if it were ICH those would be the first "flecks" to disappear after my first couple treatments of Malachite Green.

So in a nutshell:
-Pigment on fish is dull
-Fish seems to sit in plants gulping a lot
-Avoids being seen, but every few days I witness it eating off the top with the others before dashing back in the plants
-All other fish are happy and healthy even in a small tank

22449_254072302318_813192318_3087678_3715582_n.jpg

Not a good photo, but you can kind of see here she isn't very vibrant in color. She's actually lighter than this at times. My other two are a green and albino tiger barb. Even the albino looks vibrant compared to her.
 
Yeah, I see what you mean. The color on that fish is nowhere near the vibrancy I have seen on other tiger barbs. I don't know what's wrong exactly, but wilder in the emergencies section might. Try posting there or pm wilder.

Also, your tank is definitely overstocked as you suspect. Any plans to upgrade in the very near future?
 
Yes, I will hopefully be upgrading to my 29 gallon this summer, but am trying to wait until AFTER I've moved out my parents house. I was pretty irresponsible when buying fish over the last year. Been relying more on spontaneous purchases than research. It's coming back to bite me in the butt. Especially when I stress my fish and then I feel bad for them. :sad:

This is the only fish who seems to be stressing. Odd odd.
 
It's ok Larkspur. Most of us have done the very same in our early days of fishkeeping. Now that you know, you can change your ways and hopefully pass on the information that you have gathered to the next generation.
 
I have a new symptom and now I'm frustrated. The shy tiger barb I noticed was out of the plants when I came home from work just now. It very visibly flashed against one of the java ferns. I don't see any ICH. But now I am worrying that perhaps it is coming back?

The fish still has 3 flesh colored specks on the tail. They've been there for weeks. Even after treatment. Otherwise I don't see any possible visible signs of ICH in the tank. Seems like it'd have come back right after the last treatment too. I did the last treatment on Tuesday and a water change Wednesday. :/

I'm at the point now I feel like I need to remove this one fish from the tank and put into a container and treat it alone and then the tank again if the other tank mates begin showing signs.
 

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