# sick red tailed tinfoil barbs



## tinfoilfan (Mar 12, 2011)

1. Size of tank? 30 gals

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? n/a
b. Nitrite: 180-200 ish
c. Nitrate: 0
d. PH: 8
KH: 180
GH: 180
e. Test kit: api 5 in 1

3.room tempature not heated

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish): freshwater

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? 7 years

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them? 

1- Placo aprox foot and half in length 7-8 years old
4- Red Taild Tinfoil Barbs 2 @ 8-9 inches in length at around 6-7 years old
2 @ 4 inches in length and around 1-2 years old
1- Red tailed shark 1-2 years old 3-4 inches 

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)

no quarantine all fish have lived in same tank for years.

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants: No plants
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom: gravel bottom
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors: No decorations fish to big. do have a smooh rock on bottom of tank thats about 3x3

9. a. Filtration? 350 magnum filter 
b. Heater? yes unsure of b rand but its never used

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? normal aquarium light 12 hour on off schedule on timer
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? not unless windows up wich isnt often

11. a. Water change schedule? atleast 2-4 gallons a month due to water evap might be a short period of time not sure never really paid attention big water changes every three months

b. Volume of water changed? half
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? well water, hard well water at that
d. Water conditioner used? none
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? every 2-4 months depending on how the tank looks

12. Foods? cucumber, tetramin fish food, rosie feeder fish
How often are they fed? fish food every other day or so, feeders whenever i buy
them could be once a week to once every two weeks 

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? Fish swims upside down and sideways, yellow tinit to belly
b. Appearance of poop?
c. Appearance of gills?

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? ich treament one day after water change havent used sense

1 8-9 inch Red tailed tinfoil barb seems to swim upside down normal breathing from what i can tell. just seems stuck upside down. white film over eyes and yellow tint to belly no other obvious signs at the moment. 

also

1 4 inch tinfoil barb also was doing the same as above but after water change he seemed to get better, still has white film over eyes, 

i lost the red tailed shark and the other big tinfoil barb over this and week or so ago lost a catfish(white with long ass wiskers and black spots and fins)

the other small tinfoil barb and placo are seemingly unaffected at all swimming and acting normal no white over the eyes or anything. 

upon noticing the alements i tested the water it was very acitic so i did the water change to bring ph up without using chemicals on the water brought it from 6 or lower to 8, i lost the red tailed shark right away the tinfoil barb over night last night (after water change) and the other 3 fish and placo are still alive. 

i did switch feeder fish cause the store was out to comets (small goldfish) instead of rosies wonder if this is possible cause

i never have any issues like this in the 7 years ive owned the tank and fish. 


any questions or ideas would b e awesome and very helpful


----------



## tinfoilfan (Mar 12, 2011)

also currently using gravel vacum and doing water change of have along with cleaning the tank at the same time whil ei wait for responses.


----------



## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

If I understand correctly are you saying you had to feed them comets instead of their usual feeder fish? If that is the case, most of the feeder goldfish are in terrible condition often disease/parasite ridden and that could very well be part of if not most of your problem... This is why many people raise their own feeder fish.. usually livebearers... guppies, platies.. etc... so that they know what they are feeding their fish is healthy.

If that is not the case... then someone with way more knowledge than I will have to speak up.

Gina


----------



## tinfoilfan (Mar 12, 2011)

yes it was this one time. cause they were outa rosies. 

usually i buy rosies and put em in a seperate tank and fed em 4-6 at a time 

this time i just bout a half dozen or so cause i noticed they werent eating the flake food and put them directly in the tank matter of fact there still one swimming around un eaten yet.


----------



## tinfoilfan (Mar 12, 2011)

new water readigs after about 65% water change while gravel vacumming the bottom

gh - 180
kh - 240
ph - 8
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 80


----------



## ElectricBlueJackDempsey (Aug 4, 2010)

Tinfoil barbs require a MUCH bigger tank than a 30 gallon. It's practically animal cruelty keeping a fish of that size in that small of a tank.


----------



## tinfoilfan (Mar 12, 2011)

i know that but unfortunitly im not rich im working on a new tank like i said above. 

dont appreciate animal cruelty being brought into this when im trying to save my fish. 

i need helpful insight not smart ass remarks


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

tinfoilfan said:


> i know that but unfortunitly im not rich im working on a new tank like i said above.
> 
> dont appreciate animal cruelty being brought into this when im trying to save my fish.
> 
> i need helpful insight not smart ass remarks


 


Too large of fish for tank. Healthy tinfoil barb (s) at six or seven years old, should be close to 12 inches and need large swimming area. Ditto for pleco.

Too few water changes. Water changes should be performed once a week removing 25 to 30 percent of the old water and replacing with fresh dechlorinated water.(topping off tank every couple months is poor care, and sudden large water changes after this length of time are Dangerous to lethal.)
Read up on benefits of regular water changes with tropical fish.

Poor diet. Tinfoil Barbs ,pleco, are largely herbivores .Read up on proper diet for the fish you keep.
(none you have will benefit from feeder's)

Temp in the tank should be steady 75to 78 degrees F. Fish are tropical which means unless you live in the tropics,,you should have operating heater.
.
Fish are suffering from neglect and general poor care/consideration.


----------



## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

I assume you had the nitrite and nitrate readings switched in your original post and that you meant 0 nitrites and 180-200 nitrates. Although not as immediately toxic as ammonia and nitrites, high nitrates can, over time, cause illness and shorten the life of fish. I liken it to living in a very polluted urban area. You don't notice health problems right away, but over time a person can develop lung problems, cancer, etc. Nitrates are removed through regular weekly partial water changes which should include routine vacuuming of a portion of the gravel.

I agree, the pleco and tinfoil barbs are way too big for a 30 gallon tank. Unfortunately, that along with improper maintenance schedule, poor water quality and diet are taking its toll now. The humane thing to do is to get them a bigger, more appropriate tank or to give them away to someone who has a proper sized tank for them. Tinfoils grow to 14" and would need a 6 ft tank as would the pleco. It sounds like you care about your fish and are attached to them (having had them for 7 years or so). Keep looking for that bigger tank. Check your local Craigslist daily. I was able to find my 135 gallon tank with stand for $150. One of my 55 gallon tanks I got for $50 and this included a stand, filter, gravel and other misc stuff. Good luck with your search and keep up on those water changes.


----------



## tinfoilfan (Mar 12, 2011)

The water readings are all correct as listed. Water changes are done more often then i guessed at i know for a fact cause i got real hard well water. As for the two barbs they passed on wich is prolly best given the suffering involved. I knew they were to big for the tank i had but didnt know they should be in a 6 foot tank off the bat. The one thing i do know i had right was there diet they eat eat small fish, fruit veggies flake food n blood worms. They dont get the meat like i sid everyday sense some people cant read once a week to once every other week but if u have barbs as they get bigger they were eating more fish not only in my tank but my friends tank they love them. But they were also getting plenty of plant food in form of flake food n cucumbers they love cucumbers. Lettuce but it is what it is the other fush are fine and like i stated above ill be getting a new tank n some new mates for them sense they are very social.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

