Dying Rosy Barbs

[GazMoor]

About two weeks ago I purchased 6 Rosies at Pets At Home. (Don't trust their fish quality but nowhere else local had them).

My water perameters are all perfect. 0 amm 0 nitrite abt 10 nitrate.

These barbs have been dropping like flies. My odessa barbs and ruby barbs along with all my other fish are all perfectly fine and have been for months.

Only one female showed any signs of distress, she went all bloated and went into hiding before dying. Since then, what look like fit rosy barbs have been just dying suddenly. I think it's that pesky pets at home but I'm not sure- it's easy to blame the lfs.

I have 2 left now and although that's way not enough in a school, I'm adding no more rosies from that store. If these two die then no more rosies for me.

My temp is about 22C and ph at a stable 7.

Totally weird.

Cheers,
GazMoor ?

 

[pip walters]

Rosy barbs can be tricky when they have been imported. They need to be released really slowly, especially if the water in the bag is a little cloudy. As you say, it is easy to blame the LFS (especially the one you got your from as they have consistently bad press!) but the problem may have stemmed from the import end. Ammonia builds in the bags and may effect the fish enough for them to live a couple of weeks but then deteriorate as their internal organs fail. The female that became bloated probably had internal problems.

Its a shame, because if handled correctly when imported, they are a tough fish. Unfortunately, delays at airports etc can effect imported fish. i received a shipment yesterday and the fish were delayed form 7am until around 5pm, because of a problem with the documentation for plants!! Customs officers can be a law unto themselves sometimes

 

[Delapool]

That is really weird as I thought the same that they are pretty tough. The ones I have never had ich or fungus and have dodged the cotton mouth I had completely.

Sometimes it seems tough to be a fish. I had my eye on some cardinal tetras for about 2 weeks and they were looking good, went in after Xmas and they looked really terrible - something had hit them which looked bacterial.

Edit - the lfs has mostly been great though and stopped a number of impulse fish buys

 

[GazMoor]

I've heard that they are quite hardy wee fish too- some folk saying they could live in a toilet lol.

I think I'm going to get some elsewhere as I like them very much. It does my head in when fish die because I keep an extremely strict maintenance routine in the tank and because it's so large that's a lot of buckets of water that my back doesn't enjoy me carrying lol - the joys of fish keeping haha. Wouldn't give it up for the world though hehe.

Thanks for the explanation of importing issues- that could be the problem.

Cheers,
GazMoor ?

 

[GazMoor]

On a side note, the store is only a 5 min drive from my home and the bag water was crystal clear- it must have been when they got them in. Was in there the other day and there are only a couple of Rosies left in that tank I got them from- I'm pretty sure all those fish weren't bought that quickly. I think you hit nail on head- glad it's not been my fault.

Cheers,
GazMoor ?

 

[pip walters]

Yeah, it won't have been the journey to your house, more likely during import... especially if the wholsaler shippednthem straight out after arrival. We get the same trouble with tiger barbs sometimes and occasionally tin foils and also silver dollars. If the water is cloudy in the bag, then we have to be extremely careful with release. It is difficult because you need to get them into better conditions, but you can't do it too quickly!

We got rosys in yesterday with no problems, but had trouble.with one bag of tigers and two bags of green tigers, but they were abnormally delayed by customs.

Try and get neon rosy barbs if you can.... the males are an even more intense colour than standard males.

 

[pip walters]

I've heard that they are quite hardy wee fish too- some folk saying they could live in a toilet lol.

I think I'm going to get some elsewhere as I like them very much. It does my head in when fish die because I keep an extremely strict maintenance routine in the tank and because it's so large that's a lot of buckets of water that my back doesn't enjoy me carrying lol - the joys of fish keeping haha. Wouldn't give it up for the world though hehe.

Thanks for the explanation of importing issues- that could be the problem.

Cheers,
GazMoor ?

Me again!

Sometimes you just can't find any logical explanation. When I worked in aquatic retail, I had 24 small tanks, all set up the same and individually filtered. I could put angel fish in any of the tanks except one. If I put them in this one tank, they just keeled over! Very strange.

 

[GazMoor]

Thanks very much pip walters for explaining all of this to me as only being a hobbyist I really don't have a clue how the lfs get their fish.

I'm in Scotland, if you know about lfs here, do they all import or do the lfs buy from breeders in the country usually? I thought with the horny rosies, just like danios it would be more cost effective to buy in bulk from local breeders?

I usually get fish from breeders in my area, i'm part of a group on facebook where breeders locally all advertise their fish but there is only one rosy barb breeder around and they are about 50 miles away and didn't fancy putting them through that hour or so long journey.

Really much appreciated for your advice and comments- you've got me desperate for the neon rosy barbs now haha.

Just on the rosy barb side of things, do they mix ok with tigers? I opted for the similar looking ruby barbs just incase but would love tigers. I have plenty of room for a decent sized school to keep the aggression between themselves.


Cheers,
GazMoor ?

 

[pip walters]

No problem pal.

Lfs will get most stock from wholesalers. It is a strange thing..... they will buy imported fish that have gone through all the stresses of importation, but seem reluctant to actually pay money for locally bred fish that are hardened to local water cconditions.... they like to give food or other goods in exchange instead.

The main problem with hobbyist breeders is that they generally can't produce enough to provide a continuous supply in the numbers required. We are lucky enough to be in touch with a breeder lf angel fish and electric blue rams, who normally supplies us with enough per week, but only in one size. Occasionally, there is a break in production for a week or two and we are forced too buy imported angels, which don't tend to travel well.

Unfortunately, rosy barbs are generally easy to breed, so are not seen as much of a challenge. Nor are they a big seller these days to be honest. They can be bought quite cheaply via wholesalers, which is another reason lfs tend to stick to imports.

We occasionally supply shops in scotland, where about are you?

 

[pip walters]

Sorry, didn't answer about the tigers. Yes, they should be fine as they tend to ,ostly bother each other when in a group. Rosys should be able to stick upto them if they get too cocky lol. Black rubys are one of my favourite barbs... in full colour they are stunning.

 

[GazMoor]

Thanks again mate

I'm in Inverclyde by the way

Ah I see, it is all making sense to me now. As someone who simply buys fish for my own aquariums it's easy to be ignorant of the whole process.

It's black ruby's I have and I adore them! I intend on getting another 6 to get my lot up to 12- they seem to be the only barb I've noticed to usually shoal. The males are extremely dark and have those very intense red gill coverings.

One of my favorites too are the odessas as they have those beautiful red markings and black spotted greenish fins.

Cheers,
GazMoor ?