bloated unfortunate tiger barb - help!

Mirta

Hi!

I have come home today to view a terrible sight - one of my numerous tiger barbs, living in a 40 gal tank, had a bloody red spot on its side. The other bandits were biting him hard. The fish has been hanging with its snout down, bloated like a balloon, and pale to the extent that you couldn't see it was a tiger, for about 2 weeks. The others look a bit overfed, but nice and healthy. This one has also its fins slightly raised.

Once I tried to find out about their snout-down hanging behaviour, and I understood that it could be in their ways. Also, there's a possibility of poisoning, but the water parameters are good and the tank gets cleaned regularly.

So, apparently this is some kind of disease. I feel sorry for this fish - and can't help him. I almost feel his pain. I have three tanks, but no quarantine - just a 3 gal jar where I could put him, but there's no heating there. Is it more humane just to destroy him? I cannot bring myself to do it. :(

Mirta

I've reread my text and spotted a mistake - it's not the fins but the scales that are raised and the fish is very fat!

Falina

Sounds like dropsy. Can you post a photo?

Symptoms of dropsy are that the scales will be raised and the fish will appear very bloated so your fish definitely fits the spec so fa.

If it is dropsy, then this cannot be passed on through the water, but if the fish dies, and unfortunately it's very difficult to cure, and another fish eats the body, it can be caught this way.

Lupin

This is indeed a case of dropsy. It's not a disease but more of a sign of something wrong with its environment. As dropsy is internal, causes are difficult to determine. Be it poor water quality, bacterial infections, internal parasites, damaged organs, etc. There is not many cases of successful recovery. If you do not have quarantine tanks, then it may be best to euthanize the fish. Usually the afflicted fish must be isolated immediately as possible cannibalism may result in other fish suffering from dropsy as well.

Mirta

Thank you very much for your knowledgeable answers. I think I will establish a quarantine tank now. The fish's condition and appearance truly corresponds to that dropsy symptoms. I have read that dropsy can be treated with antibiotics. I wonder which medications meant for fish contain antibiotics. We don't have fish vets here and people in pet shops sometimes know less than me.

Mirta

I have set up a quarantine tank and put the fat guy in there. Today I've noticed he regained colour and doesn't hang with his nose down anymore. Instead he hits his nose against the glass trying to find a way out of his prison and return to his nasty family. Somehow I do not see that his scales are raised anymore. Could it be that the scales settle down with time in dropsy case? Maybe he will recover...

Lupin

That's quite surprising. Then I can easily rule out the possibility of damaged organs. Keep up with water changes and continue to monitor your water parameters regularly. Medicines like Binox are used against bacterial infections however I don't think I'd use meds just to be safe. What are your water parameters right now? Try Epsom salt at dose of 1 teaspoon per 4-5 gallons.

Mirta

The water parameters are like this: nitrates - 10, nitrites - zero, dGH - 14, but dKH - 20, and ph - 8,4! He must be feeling bad. His scales are hardly raised but he is still very fat. He keeps to the bottom of the tank now, being pale and sad. I haven't attempted to feed him today yet. But I don't think he will accept food, being inactive as he is. I don't know why dKH and PH are so high in this tank!