Help! 911! Sick cherry barb!

[WendysWorld]

I've been watching one of my three male cherry barbs. He has been territorial, hiding in the fake plants, a loner, easily spooked back into hiding whenever we enter the room. Eats less. Stressed easily from other fish and aggressively chases them away. He is the biggest of the 3 barbs.

THought he was maybe just more territorial than the others. Or more stressed.

Last couple days his abdomen looks a little swollen. Thought maybe he was just eating more. But today, really really suspiciously enlarged.

And even looks like his scales are flared outward, rough surface. He opens his mouth lots as if breathing is rapid and labored.

Maybe this video is really bad quality. Sorry. Best I could get.

His symptoms are so obviously abnormal, that I removed him from the tank and have him in a glass drinking pitcher. Please!! What is wrong with him?? It is so late night here. All stores closed. Can't go out to get any sort of medicine for him if it would help anyway. Afraid to leave him in the tank with other fish overnight.

[imma24]

If your fish looks like a pinecone with its scales sticking out, it's possibly dropsy which is generally fatal - sometimes fish come down with illnesses that we can't do anything about.

Cherry barbs also do better in larger groups for the future.

[Lady Hobbs]

Put him down Wendy. Nothing you can do for him. I lost a 6 year old corys today too. Life happens.

[WendysWorld]

Yes, I know they do better in groups of 6+. Add that to my growing list of mistakes. Had planned to add more as soon as 50 gallon tank was cycled.

I researched the net while waiting for replies. Found dropsy or internal parasites. Both of which I am incapable of treating right now. No extra quarantine tank. No stores to buy the meds. No skills or experience what to do. No way to even verify the diagnosis.

I don't know what he has, but it is obvious he is near death. It is midnight here. He would likely die during the night and contaminate the whole tank. Can't risk that. Don't know for sure what he is sick with. We euthanized him.

If it is dropsy....I need to research more what it is exactly and how to prevent it. Only read enough to identify his symptoms and that "pinecone scales" is beyond hope of cure.

If it is internal parasites....I've already tried buying meds to deworm here in Lithuania. Hopeless. Still waiting for PraziPro to arrive in mail.

Really concerned about other fish now. Will they get it? One by one, die? What am I doing wrong? What can I do to prevent it?

This is the worst week for my fishkeeping. It seems one thing after another is causing my fish to die.

[Lady Hobbs]

I lost all my female barbs to internal worms and I'm the one who always believes in being proactive and treating my tank once a year. Only thing is that I got the barbs between treatments.

No point in stessing over this. It is what it is.

[WendysWorld]

Hey, sorry, Hobbs and other moderators and forum members. Just realized that this thread got moved to different topic heading. I gave somebody extra work by not posting in correct topic. Sorry! I need to pay more attention to that, but so often automatically go to Beginners section.

So sorry! Decided a public apology more appropriate than a PM to moderators. Thanks for keeping the forum organized. And thanks for your patience while I learn how to use a forum for help!