FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Today, after months and months of not adding fish to my established tank, I decided to buy two large rosy barbs. They were put in the tank at 1500 today (it's now 0045), and within an hour they began showing spots on their bodes. Now they've developed large greenish sections over much of their scales, and they've become somewhat lazy in their swimming -- somewhat bobbing like those funky goldfish. And they hang out at the top of the tank.

Yet I'm puzzled; I've no diseases, and the chemistry is good. Not perfect, but certainly not horrible: pH: 7.5; Ammonia: 0; Nitrite: <0.25 mg/l; Nitrate: ~25mg/l. Oxygen: Just about fully saturated (~7 mg/l @ 81F).

Any ideas what could be wrong?

FreshFishy attached this image:

Could it be pH shock?

must say they look nothing at all like my rosy barbs

Last edited by cols at 18-Oct-2004 03:03

Thanks for your reply. It's hard to tell if it's pH shock since I don't know exactly what the symptoms are; I have no idea what the pH of the store's water was because I didn't test it. However, one would think that 7.5 is pretty neutral. At this point they don't look like they're going to make it.

Do fish recover from this?

The store will refund my money, particularly since my water chemistry is pretty good, but I'm concerned about buying any other fish. These guys were acclimated to my tank's water for about 45 minutes before adding them to the tank, and I added a bit of water from my tank to their bags during the acclimation.

It's almost as if they had an immediate allergic reaction to something.

It's not plainly visible in the photograph, but even their eyes have developed what almost looks like a haze or slight cloudiness to them. Weird.

I really dont think they are Rosy Barbs, i think there tin foil barbs. Even more so after looking at pictures on the internet.

The fins on my rosy barbs are different shape to those in your pictures, and mine are actualy red not silver.

My bad. You're right; they're tinfoils.

They're still alive this morning, so I'm encouraged they might in fact make it. They still don't look too great, though.

Could try giving them some live food to help them settle in?

I just put some food in the tank -- normal morning feeding. They don't seem to be interested in food, though they look ever so slightly better.

Do fish acclimate to pH changes, or do they just ultimately succumb?

I would do a water change as you have a nitrite reading it should be 0.

Too much of a ph change can shock and stress fish, which can lead to other illnesses like ich.

Since these are tinfoils, you have a large enough tank for them right They get over a foot long and being barbs will want the swimming room

The nitrIte could also be causing stress.

^_^
*Proud member of the Committee for Sig Line Restoration*

Yes - a water change is overdue and will be undertaken today. The tank is 50 gallons and is shared with a (beautiful) 4.5" buttokoferi, a dwarf Texas, five silver dollars, 3 balas (that haven't grown), a small gourami and a couple of cories. I believe there's room for the tinfoils.

I've been away for a couple of weeks and evaporation has claimed about 4 gallons. I'll do a 30% change today which should be nitrites/nitrates down to proper levels. The other chemistry is OK.

Any other ideas are welcome. If someone thinks there's not enough room for these guys, let me know. They currently are about 3.5".

There's not enough room for the stock you have now!

Bala sharks get over a foot long, schooling and need swimming room, a 55 just isn't big enough. Some say 125 will be enough, I vote for more room simply because they are active fish. Typo on "buttokoferi" ? I sure hope you don't mean koi, because those are pond fish, not tank fish @all .

Tinfoil Barb check the max size it's bigger than the width of the tank. Unless you have plans for upgrading to a much much larger tank in the next few months I'd suggest rethinking the stocking. Stunting does happen and it's not plesant for the fish.

^_^
*Proud member of the Committee for Sig Line Restoration*

Last edited by Babelfish at 18-Oct-2004 14:04

I agree with Babel. I think the bala sharks might be getting stunted, if they haven't been growing. Instead of the tinfoil barbs, why not add some cories? That will free up a lot of space in the long run, and make the cories you already have much happier. I would return the tinfoil barbs, and add four more of the same cory species you already have. That will solve the tinfoil barb problem, and reduce the stress on your cories considerably.

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Will do; I'll return the tinfoils -- assuming they recover -- and get some more cories. The balas have never grown past about 4" in the year I've had them, even though IMO the tank is no longer overstocked. There are only about a dozen fish in there. The biggest guy in there is the buttokoferi -- a black-with-yellow-stripes kind of bumblebee-looking South American cichlid that's tripled its size since I bought him. Gorgeous fish, though.