I need some help with my tiger barbs

[Sharkman]

I have 2 tiger barbs that are not looking good. They are swimming upside down, but to their credit they have been fighting all morning. It looks like maybe a couple of the other tiger barbs in the tank were nipping their anal fins off. Would this be the cause of them swimming upside down? The results do not look promising for the fish, but they are still alive. The set up is in my signature. 6 tiger barbs (2 are ill) and 1 firemouth in a 29g. The filtration is an emporer 400 bio wheel hob filter. I change about 30% water weekly. Just changed it on friday. The firemouth is not the culprit. She is very calm and ignores the barbs.

Water perameters are as follows:

pH:7.6
Ammonia:0 ppm
Nitrite:0 ppm
Nitrate:0 ppm

Anything I can do for these fellas or any medication I can get or is it best to put them out of their misery?

Is it possible the other tiger barbs are just becoming more aggressive all of a sudden?

[Wild Turkey]

More barbs could calm them a bit if thats possible, but really it looks like you're already up to full stock pretty much.

I would separate the two barbs and treat them with a little mela if you can. You dont want the other tigers to pick on then if they cant swim, they're goners in that case.

[abaigael04]

I know SOMe people have had good luck with tiger barbs.. but I had 6-7 and they all slowly killed each other off. I have one left... who is in my 10 gallon, isolated until I find someone who will take him. So.. my bet is (if their fins *look* like it - yes, fin nipping.) If you make the school larger - it may stop it, I've heard the magic # is 8, but I got tired of constantly buying more for the remaining ones to gang up and kill it... Is your tank heavily planted? It seems weird there would be NO nitrate...

[Sharkman]

thank you for the replies.

I do not have any way of isolating them. No open, cycled tanks they could go in. I have a breeder box I could put in their 29g and put them in? I'm not sure why there would be any issues now as they have all been together for months before with no issues. I have zero plants in this tank so that could be why there is no nitrates.

Maybe I willgo out and get some melafix.

[Wild Turkey]

Actually with no plants in the tank you should have more nitrates, but its probably (hopefully) due to your recent waterchange, do you have a lot of algae? Did you get a trate reading before the waterchange?

If you only have a breeder net i would put them in there to keep them away from the other barbs, but skip the melafix, you dont want to treat the whole tank IMO if possible.

[Sharkman]

okay. Come to think of it, I have never had a nitrate reading in this tank. It has zero algae. I have never once cleaned the tank for algae. It has one lava rock in it that the firemouth uses for his cave, a smaller flower pot, a piece of driftwood,and gravel.

[Wild Turkey]

okay. Come to think of it, I have never had a nitrate reading in this tank. It has zero algae. I have never once cleaned the tank for algae. It has one lava rock in it that the firemouth uses for his cave, a smaller flower pot, a piece of driftwood,and gravel.

How long have you had fish in the tank? You probably know what im getting at

[abaigael04]

are you 100% sure you are doing the trates test correctly? I can't see how you could have none.... I have very low trates... but it still registers... if the tank is cycled seems you would have some... I don't think 30% weekly is enough to have none...

[Northernguy]

How old is your test kit?
Take a sample in to your lfs and ask them to test it for you!

[Sharkman]

the fish have been in this tank since July. No previous issues with nitrite or mini cycles. I am definitely doing the tests correctly too. I've done them about 100 times before. I'm not sure what else I can do.

[Wild Turkey]

the fish have been in this tank since July. No previous issues with nitrite or mini cycles. I am definitely doing the tests correctly too. I've done them about 100 times before. I'm not sure what else I can do.

Time to grab a new test kit, like NG said take a sample of your water to ur lfs and have them test it, if it shows trates, buy a new kit, easy peasey lemon squeezy.

[Sharkman]

bought the test kit in June.. I really don't think that its old or expired at all. There has to be something else we're missing.

[abaigael04]

I think they are only good for 6 months (could be wrong?).. i had mine for 6 months when it suddenly showed *4* for ammonia. I freaked and bought a new kit... yeh, my tank was fine. Also - check the sticker or whatever if there is one.. you don't know how long the test was sitting on the shelf at the store... or what not.

[Wild Turkey]

I think they are only good for 6 months (could be wrong?).. i had mine for 6 months when it suddenly showed *4* for ammonia. I freaked and bought a new kit... yeh, my tank was fine. Also - check the sticker or whatever if there is one.. you don't know how long the test was sitting on the shelf at the store... or what not.

Exactly, i seriously doubt even api has ever put out one dud test as well, it happens. Unfortunately, test kits seem to be one of the least most popular items at most pet stores.

[Northernguy]

All you have to do to find out is a test comparison.
LOL Don't let it freeze on the way there!

[Wild Turkey]

All you have to do to find out is a test comparison.
LOL Don't let it freeze on the way there!
Was that your post sharkman??? :hmm3grin2orange: