Is my fish sick?

Question

I have had a 29 gallon tank running for about 2 1/2 weeks now. It is the first tank I have ever had. I have 6 green tiger barbs, 2 platyes, and 1 dwarf gourami. I have a couple live plants, several fake plants, a couple of rocks, and a couple small structures (all aquarium-safe). The heater keeps the water at 78 degrees. The bio-wheel filter is for a tank up to 50 gallons. I have been feeding 1 to 2 times per day, alternating between tetramin flakes and freezedried bloodworms. The last couple of days the green tiger barbs seem to swim pointed down at about a 45 degree angle. It also seems like if they stop swimming, they float to the top almost immediately. It was especially bad with the biggest one tonight. It looked like he was having a difficult time swimming and if he stopped he would float quickly to the top, sometimes on his side. He would sometimes float at the top for a few seconds, then start swimming again. What is wrong?

Only the largest barb has actually floated to the top. The other ones just start to float upwards and then start swimming again.

I will try the water change, but is there some type of treatment that I can do?

Answer 1

Go to the store and pick up nitrogen and pH testers to see if the levels are off. Also check the fish to see if you notice any parasites growing on them. I would try doing a 15% water change. It is also recommended to have aeration (like an air pump etc).

Answer 2

sounds like a swim bladder problem. Its probably cause by high levels of ammonia, nitrites, etc. I thinkk you might have overload you tank too fast. Tiger barbs really are not too hardy like gourami and platys. First you need to test for these substance in you water. if these levels are high then you can try a 50% water change until its fixed. You filter and tank willl evauntly build up enough bacteria to process your fish's waste. However another cause cause could be parasit or just a bad bladder. Try to add more vitiman supplement to the fishes diet, or you can buy jungle buddy pasite treatment. good luck on getting into this wonderful hobby just don't let it keep you up at night like i do about my fish.

Answer 3

This sounds familiar. It sounds alot like swim bladder infection. If the fish constantly float up to the top, and their stomachs look a little white, or very bloated, then that is what the problem is. As far as I know, there are no known cures, you could perform EPSON salt baths, or dips. Although this isn't a sure fire way of fixing it, all you can really do is sit and wait for the best. www.google.ca type in epson salt baths/dips for the procedure on how to perform these.

Answer 4

sure, if one fish is unwell they're going to all fall unwell. the only ailment i've got ever seen take over a tank (and it befell as quickly as I presented a clean fish) became little white spots began to look on him a pair days later. Then the different fish have been given it and died too.

Answer 5

sounds like you need to get yourself a water change, bottle of artificial bacteria, a master test kit and some ammonia treatment. your tank is cycling now which takes a few weeks. fish, food and waste are a source of ammonia and until bacteria develops in your tank the ammonia in not going anywhere. too much will kill your fish. a master test kit will run about 30 bucks at most and it tests for ph,nitrites.nitrates and ammonia. when bacteria develops it turns ammonia into nitrites then into nitrates which is a far less toxic form of ammonia. so as i said go to your local petshop and get a master test kit, some bacteria and ammonia treatment and change half your water or at least a quarter and add the solution.

Answer 6

it could be swim bladder or you could have high ammonia levels.

add some cycle or stress zyne to the tank to help grow beneficial bacteria every week and double the amounts the first month. and remember to gravel vacuum and change about 20-25% of the water once a week. i like to put some melafix in with the water once a week too. its like a antibacterial wash for your tank.

if you do all this you don't have to bother with ammonia and nitrite testing. your biowheel should help keep them down too.

if its swim bladder and all your fish have been eating well give them a fast of a day or two. you can feed them something high in fiber like chopped green peas. cut them up about the size of a little fish eye. i know gouramies will eat it and i think your others will too.

Answer 7

If you have that many fish and you have only had that tank up for a couple of weeks, then that tank has not even begun to cycle, and the fish are getting a nice dose of ammonia poisoning. What this means, is that there has not been enough time for beneficial bacteria to grow and the fish are living in their own excrement... very high levels of it too, based on your fish load. They should be dead by tomorrow. It sounds like only the strong will survive in that tank.

Answer 8

yes i think their sick. I don't know what the cause of it is but my fish also had this and they died a couple days later.