# Severely injured barb



## Monsterpony (Feb 13, 2008)

When I got home just now, I found one of my gold barbs had gotten stuck trying to go through a small hole in one of the decorations. I was able to free her, but in her struggles she tore a lot of scales off in a band around where the plastic held her. She also appears to have swelled up around where the plastic was and has some small areas of hemorrhage on her belly. She is having a lot of difficulty swimming and may have damaged pectoral or pelvic fins. What is the best way to treat her? I can run to the lfs and get meds, but I have to go soon. Should I raise the water temp (it is at 76F) or add salt? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I don't want anything more to happen to her. Thank you in advance.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Aw, that sucks Monsterpony. Do you have a hospital tank you can isolate her in? Melafix is good for minor injuries but if the damage is extensive you might need something stronger. Also keeping the water nice and pristine will help. I treated one of my cories once with Melafix for a scrape on his nose and he healed up nicely. 

Do you have any pics of the injury?


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## Monsterpony (Feb 13, 2008)

I have a ~2 gallon tank that isn't set up. It has a heater and undergravel filter, but it hasn't been used in a week. Should I set that up or would cycling cause more problems?

I just took some pictures of her and there is some improvement. The swelling went down so she doesn't look deformed anymore and she is swimming.

Please excuse the blurriness, I was in a panic taking them.


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

I think the cycling would cause more problems as pristine water conditions are essential for healing.

Add some melafix and keep the water conditions perfect by doing extra water changes. She should heal up. She's still swimming and acting normal so that's a good sign she'll make it.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Oooh, the poor thing! 

Like Falina said treat the tank with Melafix and keep the water clean and hopefully she'll heal up ok.

Good luck!


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## Monsterpony (Feb 13, 2008)

I wasn't able to get to the fish store last night (closed 30 minutes earlier than I thought), but I am going ASAP today. She was up and swimming around, though sort of in odd circles and with some difficulty last night. This morning she is moving along the bottom of the tank on her left side, unable to swim. I want to start treating her, but my dilemma is that I am leaving town tomorrow night for 10 days. So I can't dose daily or do the water change after seven days. I set up my little 2 gallon tank with gravel from the 55 gallon last night. I tested the water this morning with liquid test and it was 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 5ppm nitrate. Is it too much to hope for that it cycled overnight? If I put her in the 2 gal tank, I can take her with me and treat all week as well as doing water changes at least daily to keep water conditions at best. Any comments (good idea/bad idea?) on this plan?


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## Monsterpony (Feb 13, 2008)

She didn't make it, poor little girl.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Sorry 

Are you going to keep the 2 gallon running as a hospital tank?


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## Monsterpony (Feb 13, 2008)

Yes, I have it sitting running on my desk right now. I won't be making that mistake again. I hate to think I could have saved her if I had been better prepared. Now the rest of my barbs are hiding all huddled together. It is very sad as they were a happy group. The other female is especially quiet as she was closer to the one that died then the two males.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
i can totally understand how you are feeling.
i have a big bit of wood in my barb tank which had some holes in it,
i didn't think the barbs would be able to fit through,
well two did,the first was my large moss grenn tiger,
got wedged in there and when i got him out his body looked
the same as your one did,he never made it he was dead the next morning,
i thought it wouldn't happen again.......it did,another green barb,
i took the wood out,and made the holes larger so none of them
would have the same problem.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

So sorry for your loss.


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

Really sorry to hear that. Sometimes these things happen with fish, and at least you can b prepared now so that if anything happens again then you will have a hospital tank ready.

I meant to add: did you remove the offending decoration? if not then you probably should, else make the holes bigger, or close them up somehow like Willow suggested.


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## Monsterpony (Feb 13, 2008)

The ornament hit the trash can as soon as I was able to get the barb out. Thanks for the condolences everyone.


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