Thought It Was Ich… Now Not So Sure. Fish Is Dying, Help!

[fierceblossoming]

I began treating my tank for ich on Sunday using Kordon Ich Attack. I have 8 fish and one albino barb was showing symptoms. I also started treating the tank with Melafix on Sunday.
 
Since beginning treatment with Ich Attack, my albino barb looks much worse. I am wondering if maybe its not ich. Initially he had a couple white spots on his fins, was hanging out near the top edge of the tank… now his eyes are bulging out, his scales seem really ragged, he is having trouble stabilizing his body (he keeps kinds of going sideways), his fins are deteriorating… I don't think the other fish are attacking him because they mainly stay on the other side of the tank. All of this in 24 hours… its so fast!
 
55g freshwater tank
Current temp 78 degrees F
pH 8.0
NH3/NH4: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 5ppm
 
Water changes:
Did a small water change when I returned form my trip on Sunday (only about 5 gallons) since I think they were slightly overfed while I was gone and ammonia was high (its back to normal now). Its a new tank, so haven't done a major water change yet. 
 
Stocked with: 3 reg wag mollies, 3 tiger barbs, 1 green tiger barb, 1 albino barb (the sick one). 
 
Here is a video of my sick fish: https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZermePmO_M
 
This is a fairly new tank, about 2-1/2 weeks ago I transferred everyone form my 20g to this new 55g (cycled). Everything was fine, but then I went out of town for 10 days (left my partner in charge of feeding), came back and now the albino is sick. The others in the tank seem fine. 
 
- I do have my old 20g tank still set up… should I move him? He is in such bad shape I am worried about traumatizing him anymore… 
- Do you think this is actually ich? If not, what could this be? I don't want to be medicating for the wrong disease. 
- If it is ich, should I be using another type of medication? 
 
I am at a loss of what to do and I really don't want my fish to suffer, or die, or infect the other fish

Help! And thank you in advance. 

 

[Francesjane]

When you look down on him from above does his scales look like a pine cone?

 

[fierceblossoming]

A little, they seem to be sticking out a little. Normally his scales are smooth.  Do you think its dropsy?

 

[Francesjane]

Well I really am no expert I'm afraid...it could be...try searching web images for dropsy to see if you can get an idea of similarity from the pics.... The eyes can pop a little with dropsy too I think....

 

[Meeresstille]

Did you get anything new within the last 6 weeks, a fish, a snail, a plant? Anything that could have brought ich to your fish? If not, then it is most likely not ich. 
 
It looks like your fish has pop-eye, and with his swimming behaviour I am guessing he may have Swimbladder Disease. If his scales are starting to raise he could very well be having dropsy. If I were you I would take the sick fish out, and put him in a quarantine tank. It may not be too late yet to try and treat him with Epsom Salts and Antibiotics. 
 
I've just recently had to help my son deal with a Betta with dropsy, and we were using API Triple Sulfa. We were trying to get Kanaplex but they did not have it at the time. The Betta did not make it, dropsy is usually fatal, the chances are best before symptoms (swelling and pine-coning) appear.

 

[fierceblossoming]

Sadly, we just euthanized him

Its crazy how fast he went downhill - he started floating upside down and the other fish suddenly started attacking him. I don't think he would have lived another hour even without the other fish in there. After putting him down, I was able to look closer at this scales -- definite pine coning, his belly was swollen, and his eyes were bulging really bad. 
 
People comment to me that they are "just fish", but I just cried while putting him down. It breaks my heart that he was suffering. 
 
Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it. 

 

[Francesjane]

xx

 

[Meeresstille]

I'm so sorry for your loss!

 

[DoubleDutch]

Sorry, do you feed them vegs as well ?