My sick green tiger barb

[treedae]

Just yesterday I bought 3 green tiger barbs. Overnight I had one die and this morning noticed one a bit sluggish. Just now I found him lying on the bottom of the tank getting picked at by some of the smaller barbs. I just scooped him with my net and am keeping him in the net submerged in the tank water. He looks completely healthy and now that I have him in the net, he's upright and "swimming". Any ideas?

 

[Menagerie]

You bought them yesterday indicates they were stressed during their move and they may or may not already be ill. Set up a QT tank or Rubbermaid right away. You should always QT new fish for 2-4 weeks before adding them to your main tank. There is an article on QT tanks in the Articles section.

 

[treedae]

ok, the last of the 3 died and he just suddenly went downhill. Near the end, the area underneath his gills were all red like he had an internal hemorrhage. What could have caused this?

 

[Menagerie]

A bacterial infection, ammonia or nitrite poisoning.
Since you JUST bought the fish, can you take them back? What is your LFS "stay alive" policy?

 

[treedae]

my ammonia and nitrites are both 0. I'm def going back to the store (PetLand....a chain in the city) to get my $ back and I'm never going back. Last time I went there I purchased 4 glass catfish who introduced ich to my tank (I'm left with 1 who is very lonely ). Fortunately, I've found another lfs who takes very good care of his fish and he has a much more exotic collection. A little more $, but worth is. What's the point of "saving" money if they all die in the end anyways? (esp if I have to spend $ on medication)

Ok, I'm done venting. Thanks Menagerie.

 

[TankGirl]

Do you know if the water at the LFS is much different than your own? Sometimes a temp difference, or switch in pH or hardness can be very stressful. A slow acclimation period, followed by QT (definitely take Menagerie's prudent advice on that one) might be just the ticket.

 

[treedae]

yeah, I guess I'll have to invest in a QT tank. Don't really have the $ (or space for that matter in my studio), but a 5 gallon might not be too expensive nor space consuming.

 

[tetrin]

i had the same issue twice, once with albino tiger barbs and once with green tiger barbs. i wud buy three and then one would die within an hour or so . i did not know then, but now i know that the lfs maintains a ph of around 7 whereas the ph in my 10g tank between 7.6-8.4. so that could be killing them. but i just got an ot tank and introduce new fish only when they seem ok with the ph-bump. so don't be so angry with the lfs :| ....

 

[TankGirl]

A 10-gal with a cheap sponge filter might be cheaper than a 5gal. You don't need substrate, and once quarrantine is over you clean your sponge filter (or replace the sponge) and keep it running in your other tank until it is needed again. Then move it back to the 10 and it will be full of bacteria.