# Two 'sick cherry barbs, whats going on?



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

1. Size of tank? 50 gallons

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? ~.35 [high, i know, probably the source of the red streaks on one of them]
b. Nitrite? 0
c. Nitrate? 15ppm [a little high, didnt have time for a full w/c this week.]
d. pH, KH and GH? 6.4, i drop, 2 drops
e. Test kit? API Master Test Kit

3. Temperature? 77

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? Fresh

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? since spring of this year

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
one betta, 12 guppies, 10 cories, 9 cherry barbs, a bristlenose pleco, a rubbernose pleco two apple snails. They are all full grown, and have had all of them since the beginning. I watch for guppies giving birth and take out all babies, and put them in the fry tank.

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)? All seperate QT's in the begining, original cherry barbs were hit with disaster from my boyfriend using the same syphon as the QT [other fish]. Two males survived, i bought more, two died in QT and they were in QT for a month and a half after the second died.

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants? Live plants
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? playsand
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors? yes, larger fake log, long straigh driftwood, some lava rock

9. a. Filtration? 70 gallon and 20 gallon
b. Heater? yes

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? two 36 inch t8 6500k 12 hours a day
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? no

11. a. Water change schedule? usually 3x 15 % weekly, this week only 1x [recently got another job]
b. Volume of water changed? see above
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? tap water
d. Water conditioner used? API extra strength
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? once a week

12. Foods? NLS small fish formula
How often are they fed? twice a day, a small pinch for the gups at top and the betta, and a pinch in the filter flow to bring it to the bottom for the cories and barbs

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? Yesterday the barbs were fine, today one female has a sore at the base of her tail, with a white center, it is sticking out. Anotehr female is bigger than normal, ive been thinking possibly pregnant, though she is bigger on one side than the other, and her stomach area has a few red streaks, which im putting as the highish ammonia? 
b. Appearance of poop? normal as far as i can tell.
c. Appearance of gills? my cherry barbs have always had rosy cheeks. im not sure if this is normal, byut the guppies and the cories dont have red gills, thats why im iffy on the red streaks being caused by the ammonia.

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? no
b. What meds were used? none

15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.
Here is a video of the fat barb with red streaks..
Fat barb, bigger on one side, red streaks on side. - YouTube
Heres a video of the barb with the sore and white spot:
Barb with red sore/ white in the middle - YouTube
I do have a few pictures of the two cherries, but the uploader isnt working at the moment.

No other fish are acting funny or have any signs at all. I have been watching them like a hawk litterally all day, except to vote. There is no flashing of any kind, the two 'sick' cherries act normal, a little less active than normal, but basically what they always act like.
Could the barb with the sore have hurt herself? or could it be external parasites? The only new thing in the tank is a large amazon sword that came from a tank that was plant only, and has been..
I havent trreated, i wanted to see what you guys thought first! 

Please respond quick, if this is an external parasite, i want to be able to catch these two and seperate them...
I will be doing a 4x 15% waterchange tomorrow.


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I also dont understand the ammonia problem im having..I recently converted to all live plants, anacharis, swords, caboma, watersprite, parrots feather, java moss...Most of what i have is fast growing, so why am i having a problem? The watersprite seems to be falling apart, so im going to take that out tonight, maybe its causing the ammonia spike?


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

I wouldn't treat for a parasite unless you're sure since you would want to treat the whole tank in that case. 

Can you quarantine the two barbs? If it's a wound I'd try Melafix first and see if it clears up. I've had really good results with it.

Not sure why your ammonia is up. Have you tested your tap water lately? Try using some Seachem Prime as conditioner until you can get it down to zero.


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