Sick Tiger Barb

[Ed357]

I'm new to freshwater aquariums, it's been 1 1/2 months and think the tank cycled. I added a few new fish (Catfish and Tiger barbs) catfish died in 4 days and one by one the others followed. I went from 9 fish (20 gal) now have 3 (2 Rosy Barbs- healthy and one last Tiger- very sick. I dont know what to do, I think he got Ick from the Catfish (dead 4 days now) I'm treating the water with Ick and Fungus guard. he is still floating nose mostly downward, rapid gills and mouth. I now noticed black spots under his scales (appears to be inside, mostly on the sides) still has white spot also. water balance is not too bad. Ammonia is at a .50 (higher today) zero nitrites, but PH stays around 6.2-4 regardless the daily half dose of either "PH up" or "PH 7.0". any sugesstions before I have to bury another fish with my 6 year old?
Thanks

[nikelodeon79]

A 20g is really too small for a proper sized school of Tiger Barbs. They are quite aggressive, particularly when they are not kept in numbers above 7-8 individuals.

Fish who are chased/attacked a lot get stressed, and stressed fish get ich and other diseases.

Additionally, the presence of ammonia in your tank suggests that it is either not cycled or is/was overstocked.

Do a very large water change to get that ammonia down and keep monitoring the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your tank. If you do not have a liquid test kit and are instead using test strips, I would recommend getting a liquid kit (I like API's master test kit).

Have you washed out the filter media with tap water? If so, you may have killed off the beneficial bacteria. Filter media should never be changed all at once, and should only be rinsed in used tank water.

[Fishin Phil]

Agree that first step is definitely 50% water change. You need to get that ammonia down to .25 or lower.

[Stlouisfish]

I'm new to freshwater aquariums, it's been 1 1/2 months and think the tank cycled. I added a few new fish (Catfish and Tiger barbs) catfish died in 4 days and one by one the others followed. I went from 9 fish (20 gal) now have 3 (2 Rosy Barbs- healthy and one last Tiger- very sick. I dont know what to do, I think he got Ick from the Catfish (dead 4 days now) I'm treating the water with Ick and Fungus guard. he is still floating nose mostly downward, rapid gills and mouth. I now noticed black spots under his scales (appears to be inside, mostly on the sides) still has white spot also. water balance is not too bad. Ammonia is at a .50 (higher today) zero nitrites, but PH stays around 6.2-4 regardless the daily half dose of either "PH up" or "PH 7.0". any sugesstions before I have to bury another fish with my 6 year old?
Thanks
Along with agreeing with the water change recommended - your tank is NOT cycled - a cycled tank has water parameters of 0 ammonia & nitrites & 20 or lower nitrates.

Do NOT worry about your pH - it will fluctuate while cycling (which you are doing with fish right now) and adding things to bring it to a certain level will stress out whatever fish you have left in there.

If you are sure one of your fish has ick (it looks like salt crystals on the fish's body) and you are treating with medication, make sure you are adding oxygen to the water with an airstone (attached to airline tubing & connected to an airpump - unless you already have one) because meds remove oxygen, hence your fish is gasping.

While your tank is cycling, do NOT clean your filter because you need to grow bacteria in it to cycle it. You can not know if your tank is cycled or not unless you are testing your water - what are you using?

[Ed357]

thank you.
the tank had zero ammonia and nitrite (nitrite remains at zero) but with a daily dose of dead fish, I would imagine it would be elevated.
I didnt wash or rinse the biowheel. I have a bubbler stone beneath a breeding enclosure where I keep the sick barb from being nipped. I notice there are black spots on him as well. is there anything I can do to ease stress or better yet cure whatever it is that he has, or is it too late? all the fish got along, and now it is far from overcrowded, with only three 1 1/2" fish. I am preparing to set up the 55 gal so will have plenty of room.

[Stlouisfish]

thank you.
the tank had zero ammonia and nitrite (nitrite remains at zero) but with a daily dose of dead fish, I would imagine it would be elevated.
I didnt wash or rinse the biowheel. I have a bubbler stone beneath a breeding enclosure where I keep the sick barb from being nipped. I notice there are black spots on him as well. is there anything I can do to ease stress or better yet cure whatever it is that he has, or is it too late? all the fish got along, and now it is far from overcrowded, with only three 1 1/2" fish. I am preparing to set up the 55 gal so will have plenty of room.
Black spots are not ich - you said that's what you are treating for? Are there black ones along with white ones? Did you try and look up what your fish might have? Maybe posting a pic in the fish disease section might be advantageous.

In the meantime, unless you know what your fish really has, I wouldn't add any meds. What temp do you keep your tank at? Also, you haven't listed your nitrates yet - they are important too. If you don't have a test for them you need to get one.

[Ed357]

Nitrates are at around 10, nitrites are 0.
The tiger definitely has Ick. I don't know what the black dots are, they resemble Ick, but are black.
First time on this forum, don't know how to post a picture.
Do you think "Stress coat" will help relieve any stress?

[MLBfan]

If you could get some, pics would definitely help.
To add pictures, get the picture to an appropriate size and when you post go to attachments and add the photos from the files, or make a photobucket account and add a link to the photos.