Sick Barb

[Zathoros]

What causes a fish to swim uncontrollably? Should I euthanize this fish or
will some sort of medication cure it?

http://www.avadb.com/photos/sick-barb.wmv

Thanks,

[Liz McGuire]

Just some guesses, not that I have experience, but....

It looks like he has white stringy poop - from what I've read, this
isn't good. From a book I have:

"Long, pale faecal cast, perhaps with darkening of colour, pop-eye,
and loss of appetite." Dropsy and Hole-in-the-head disease are their
possibilities. (Though it doesn't really seem to have the pine-cone
look associated with dropsy.)

The book doesn't mention it, but I suppose this could be evidence of
an internal parasite - perhaps someone with experience could comment
on that.

"Unnatural swimming behaviour, 'listing' to one side or even floating
on side or back." Swimbladder disorders.

And some questions that might help the experts here:

How long have you had the fish?

Do you know how old he is?

Has he ever been in this container before? It almost looks like he's
wigging out at his reflection in the bottom - was he swimming like
this before you isolated him?

I'm pretty sure the experts are gonna want to know details about the
tank (size, occupants, plants, recent changes, ammonia, nitrite,
nitrate readings, maint routine).

FWIW,

Liz

Zathoros wrote:
>
> What causes a fish to swim uncontrollably? Should I euthanize this fish or
> will some sort of medication cure it?
>
> http://www.avadb.com/photos/sick-barb.wmv
>
> Thanks,

[Zathoros]

The fish is a female rosey barb, I've had it 3 or 4 months. I presume it's
more or less full grown, and it was the size it is now when I got it. It can
sort of straighten itself out when it is sitting still, or moving slowly.
When it's frightened it can't control itself. It was becoming agitated when
other fish would come near it, so I put it in the breeder box. It makes some
slight effort to eat, but it can't control itself well. Aside from some very
slight discoloration on one side, which could be it's normal pattern, it
does not seem to have any external physical injuries. The ammonia is zero
according to the detector I bought. It's a planted tank 75g, I change out
about 15% of the water once a week or so. Temperature is about 75, though I
recently raised it from about 72. The only semi-aggressive fish in the tank
is a red tailed shark, who seems to chase other fish occasionally.

Thanks

"Liz McGuire" > wrote in message
...
> Just some guesses, not that I have experience, but....
>
> It looks like he has white stringy poop - from what I've read, this
> isn't good. From a book I have:
>
> "Long, pale faecal cast, perhaps with darkening of colour, pop-eye,
> and loss of appetite." Dropsy and Hole-in-the-head disease are their
> possibilities. (Though it doesn't really seem to have the pine-cone
> look associated with dropsy.)
>
> The book doesn't mention it, but I suppose this could be evidence of
> an internal parasite - perhaps someone with experience could comment
> on that.
>
> "Unnatural swimming behaviour, 'listing' to one side or even floating
> on side or back." Swimbladder disorders.
>
> And some questions that might help the experts here:
>
> How long have you had the fish?
>
> Do you know how old he is?
>
> Has he ever been in this container before? It almost looks like he's
> wigging out at his reflection in the bottom - was he swimming like
> this before you isolated him?
>
> I'm pretty sure the experts are gonna want to know details about the
> tank (size, occupants, plants, recent changes, ammonia, nitrite,
> nitrate readings, maint routine).
>
> FWIW,
>
> Liz
>
> Zathoros wrote:
>>
>> What causes a fish to swim uncontrollably? Should I euthanize this fish
>> or
>> will some sort of medication cure it?
>>
>> http://www.avadb.com/photos/sick-barb.wmv
>>
>> Thanks,

[NetMax]

I get a network error trying to view the file, but I think that's just my
setup. Swim bladder symptoms are worst when the fish is stopped, but
when moving, they can correct it to an extent. Nerve damage tends to be
the opposite, leaving them looking ok until they need to move & then
their movements are uncoordinated. Swim bladder disorders can sometimes
be treated, nerve damage no. hth
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Zathoros" > wrote in message
news:N6Plf.8166$Jg5.5884@trnddc07...
> The fish is a female rosey barb, I've had it 3 or 4 months. I presume
> it's more or less full grown, and it was the size it is now when I got
> it. It can sort of straighten itself out when it is sitting still, or
> moving slowly. When it's frightened it can't control itself. It was
> becoming agitated when other fish would come near it, so I put it in
> the breeder box. It makes some slight effort to eat, but it can't
> control itself well. Aside from some very slight discoloration on one
> side, which could be it's normal pattern, it does not seem to have any
> external physical injuries. The ammonia is zero according to the
> detector I bought. It's a planted tank 75g, I change out about 15% of
> the water once a week or so. Temperature is about 75, though I recently
> raised it from about 72. The only semi-aggressive fish in the tank is a
> red tailed shark, who seems to chase other fish occasionally.
>
> Thanks
>
> "Liz McGuire" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Just some guesses, not that I have experience, but....
>>
>> It looks like he has white stringy poop - from what I've read, this
>> isn't good. From a book I have:
>>
>> "Long, pale faecal cast, perhaps with darkening of colour, pop-eye,
>> and loss of appetite." Dropsy and Hole-in-the-head disease are their
>> possibilities. (Though it doesn't really seem to have the pine-cone
>> look associated with dropsy.)
>>
>> The book doesn't mention it, but I suppose this could be evidence of
>> an internal parasite - perhaps someone with experience could comment
>> on that.
>>
>> "Unnatural swimming behaviour, 'listing' to one side or even floating
>> on side or back." Swimbladder disorders.
>>
>> And some questions that might help the experts here:
>>
>> How long have you had the fish?
>>
>> Do you know how old he is?
>>
>> Has he ever been in this container before? It almost looks like he's
>> wigging out at his reflection in the bottom - was he swimming like
>> this before you isolated him?
>>
>> I'm pretty sure the experts are gonna want to know details about the
>> tank (size, occupants, plants, recent changes, ammonia, nitrite,
>> nitrate readings, maint routine).
>>
>> FWIW,
>>
>> Liz
>>
>> Zathoros wrote:
>>>
>>> What causes a fish to swim uncontrollably? Should I euthanize this
>>> fish or
>>> will some sort of medication cure it?
>>>
>>> http://www.avadb.com/photos/sick-barb.wmv
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>
>

[Zathoros]

Ok thanks, I guess I will just kill it, it's not getting any better and I do
not want whatever it is to affect my other fish.

I have windows media player set up to not access the internet myself. I have
to save files locally, then open them.

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
>I get a network error trying to view the file, but I think that's just my
>setup. Swim bladder symptoms are worst when the fish is stopped, but when
>moving, they can correct it to an extent. Nerve damage tends to be the
>opposite, leaving them looking ok until they need to move & then their
>movements are uncoordinated. Swim bladder disorders can sometimes be
>treated, nerve damage no. hth
> --
> www.NetMax.tk
>
> "Zathoros" > wrote in message
> news:N6Plf.8166$Jg5.5884@trnddc07...
>> The fish is a female rosey barb, I've had it 3 or 4 months. I presume
>> it's more or less full grown, and it was the size it is now when I got
>> it. It can sort of straighten itself out when it is sitting still, or
>> moving slowly. When it's frightened it can't control itself. It was
>> becoming agitated when other fish would come near it, so I put it in the
>> breeder box. It makes some slight effort to eat, but it can't control
>> itself well. Aside from some very slight discoloration on one side, which
>> could be it's normal pattern, it does not seem to have any external
>> physical injuries. The ammonia is zero according to the detector I
>> bought. It's a planted tank 75g, I change out about 15% of the water once
>> a week or so. Temperature is about 75, though I recently raised it from
>> about 72. The only semi-aggressive fish in the tank is a red tailed
>> shark, who seems to chase other fish occasionally.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> "Liz McGuire" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Just some guesses, not that I have experience, but....
>>>
>>> It looks like he has white stringy poop - from what I've read, this
>>> isn't good. From a book I have:
>>>
>>> "Long, pale faecal cast, perhaps with darkening of colour, pop-eye,
>>> and loss of appetite." Dropsy and Hole-in-the-head disease are their
>>> possibilities. (Though it doesn't really seem to have the pine-cone
>>> look associated with dropsy.)
>>>
>>> The book doesn't mention it, but I suppose this could be evidence of
>>> an internal parasite - perhaps someone with experience could comment
>>> on that.
>>>
>>> "Unnatural swimming behaviour, 'listing' to one side or even floating
>>> on side or back." Swimbladder disorders.
>>>
>>> And some questions that might help the experts here:
>>>
>>> How long have you had the fish?
>>>
>>> Do you know how old he is?
>>>
>>> Has he ever been in this container before? It almost looks like he's
>>> wigging out at his reflection in the bottom - was he swimming like
>>> this before you isolated him?
>>>
>>> I'm pretty sure the experts are gonna want to know details about the
>>> tank (size, occupants, plants, recent changes, ammonia, nitrite,
>>> nitrate readings, maint routine).
>>>
>>> FWIW,
>>>
>>> Liz
>>>
>>> Zathoros wrote:
>>>>
>>>> What causes a fish to swim uncontrollably? Should I euthanize this fish
>>>> or
>>>> will some sort of medication cure it?
>>>>
>>>> http://www.avadb.com/photos/sick-barb.wmv
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>
>>
>
>