# Tinfoil Barb - disease identification help



## arunsai (Sep 25, 2010)

Hi,

One of my tinfoils (Its an albino red tailed) is sick. It has clamped up fins, the anal fin is bloodied and has almost rotted away, the dorsal fin is damaged too. The fish does not show signs of iching. He(she?) does not rub against the gravel or anything. He has become lethargic and quite thin. I do however notice 3-4 whitish spots on the tail. Could this be Ick?

If so, I have a couple of questions on the Ick treatment using salt
1. Can I use common table salt? Is this Iodine in it harmful to fish?
2. I also have one Red Tailed Black Shark, 6 Tiger Barbs, 3 Zebra loaches - Are any of these fishes sensitive to salt?

My tank is 50g with an undergravel and an internal power filter, very lightly planted, setup 4 months ago with the last fish added being the RTBS a month back. I feed them once daily - pellets, freeze dried tubifex, occasionally live blood worms and cucumber.


Please help!! Many thanks!

Cheers
Arun

PS: Sorry the pics are pretty bad - Its the best I could manage with my phone.


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## Backer (Sep 18, 2010)

Hey, 
I am no fish genius but I will tell you the little I know. I am pretty sure regular table salt is incompatible with your aquarium, but aquarium salt is cheap. His white spots are definately potenial ich, but only if they look raised, like grains of salt. I was thinking, maybe his bloody anal fin is due to constipation? That can cause him to be lathargic and get thin because he wouldn't want to eat. To fix that, salt will help diffuse some water into his body, but any fish without scales with be sensitive to salt, and I'm pretty sure this is the case for Kuhli Loaches, as well it is pretty hard on your plants. You can buy anti-parasite food that will help him with the contipation if that's what it is. As well, maybe switching the food type? Maybe some frozen shrimp pellets? Hopefully this helps you or at least gets you pointed in a direction. Let us know how it goes.

Good Luck.


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## Backer (Sep 18, 2010)

Does he have white stringy poop?


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

My first thought on reading this was Parasites, 
All the rest are secondary problems brought on by the original.

Alot and I do mean alot of folks are having a hugh problem with the "Camilanus worm"
It has been coming in with alot of shipments of Fish.

Personally it's really pissing me off,
I pretty much stopped buying any new fish for just this reason, 
But my Son has taken a shinning to fish and has been purchasing alot from fish stores of late & so far EVERY fish he has bought has this horrible parasite, 
Fortunately I have lots of Levisole on hand and will continue too,
However despite the treatment I don't feel these fish are ever the same or worth keeping.

If it was me I'd reach for "Levisole" first and foremost and then treat for secondary problems.


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## arunsai (Sep 25, 2010)

Thanks guys, but he/she died yesterday. I used a "Anti-Ich solution" from my LFS. Wasnt too convinced as the medication did not even have a description of the content. It was a ink-like liquid which turned my tank blue for half a day.

I'm going to change 1/3 of the water. Thankfully the rest of the fish seem fine.


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