# Very sick tinfoil barb help help!!!!!



## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

Ok, I just started working to help with someone's fish tank. It is pretty bad right now and other than the obvious stocking issues were not sure why. So there is a single tinfoil barb in a 75g fish tank along with a handful of tiger barbs and one parrot chiclid. I don't really know anything about tinfoil barbs so I need someone with experience to give some advice. He swims around very slow and lazy like and his body is not shiny and bright. He is a very dull grey color and is completely foggy looking. Even his fins seem foggy and his eyes which are swollen. His dorsal fin seems kind of tilted sideways and he constantly flicks his fins. It looks like he has a sort of foggy almost cheesy coating or something over his body. Here is a picture from a few weeks ago, he is worse now sorry I don't have a newer one. Please heeeelp!!
Thank you for any advice. 
Here is a link to my other thread on the topic http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...l-someone-their-setup-bad-314466/#post3549930


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

I moved your thread to this disease section.

Hope someone is able to help the poor fishy  I've got to hit the road so I'm not late for work.


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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

So sad to see this fish in such terrible shape. I'm no expert but some simple things that you could try to help him/ her are:
Feed live foods such as brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, or blackworms.
Do frequent partial water changes.
Check that your tank is perfect temp for him and adjust heater if not.
Make sure he's not being nipped or harrassed by other fish.
Include tons of live plants in his tank to reduce his stress.
Check if salt is ok for barbs, I'm not sure, but if it is, it might help his skin/ scales. Use about 1 tsp. per gallon IF its safe for him.
Again, I'm not an expert, but the fish looks very old. Symptoms you are seeing MIGHT be the result of old age. Just a thought.

I think you're great for taking on this challenge and trying to help fish that are in a very poor situation. My sincere best wishes go out to you and the poor fish you're trying to help.
Good luck!


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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

Yes, I do think he might be pretty sick. The tank has no plants in it, I am looking into picking up some cheap plants like hornwort or something easy to start planting the tank. I have a bunch of frozen bloodworms at home, if I bring those in will it be very beneficial still or does it have to be love to help. I think the tiger barbs might be nibbling at him sometimes! but they seem to keep their distance...the only thing I can think to reduce any abuse from them would be to increase their school size, because there are only three right now. I'm afraid to try adding anything else right now though with the illness in the tank:/
I'll check on salt.
Thanks!!!
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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

Nutritionaly, frozen foods are identicle to live, but I think fish just enjoy eating live more. Your frozen bloodworms might be VERY beneficial for him-especialy if he has only had dry foods. Also try frozen brine shrimp. Its cheaper than other frozen fishfoods and all my fish absolutely love it. The small pack at petcomart is only 1.99$
Hornwort is a great easy plant . Anacharis is cheaper and grows faster and needs zero maintainence to grow well. It can grow in the substrate or floating.
Good luck and thanks again for caring for these fish!


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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

Ok, I have anacharis it's growing fast but a lot of it dies in my tank for some reason and I'm not sure why but maybe will like the nutrient levels and lower lighting of heir tank better haha
I'll ask today if I can bring some in and what they feed
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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

Oh that last post was supposed to say I thought he was pretty old, not pretty sick although both are true....
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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

It seems like a very small amount of salt would be ok. If they are not willing to buy fw aquarium salt, could I add a small amount of table salt, or would that just be a bad idea. Unionized salt of course.
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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

Road salt or rock salt would be a better choice because anti-caking agents are usually added to table salt to prevent it from clumping. Do not add anacharis if yu do use salt because it will melt in even a small concentration of salt. Hornwort and anubias are much more tolerant .


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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

Ok update/edit
They are using aquarium salt, apparently. Also, she is feeding them shrimp from the grocery store as their staple diet. That seems like a good food for them, but probably not a good *only* food. Bloodworms will add more variety. I know she does algae wafers for the Pleco too so they might nibble on that...(?)
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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

I tried feeding them bloodworms today. The tiger barbs gobbled up a bunch, but what floated in front of the tinfoil was ignored. He didn't eat any at all or even show interest:/
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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

He looks really bad and very old, might be near the end. ( so sad)


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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

Ok. I guess we might just have to wait it out then. 
Also, I noticed that he is kind of small compared to how big they should get... Not juvenile size of course, since he's old, but he is definately not 14 inches long. Just thought I'd throw that out there...
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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

Of course, I would never give up on a fish as long as he was still breathing.


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## squishylittlefishies (Sep 12, 2012)

Well, yeah, but there's just not really much we can do right now t seems.... 
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