Zebra Danio sinking?

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eta8635

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Nov 4, 2017
Messages
18
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hello,
I have a 55g aquarium that contains 6 peppered cories, 6 gold barbs, 6 green tiger barbs, 3 odessa barbs and 9 zebra danios. Everything is good in the tank, all levels are good. 1 of my zebra danios seems to sink, poor little bugger needs to always be actively swimming to stay afloat. I'm fairly new to fish keeping, any ideas? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Tank.jpg
 
Sounds like a swim bladder problem. Is the fish's stomach swollen? Possibly constipated? If you can quarantine and feed it a minced boiled pea and to see if it alleviates swelling if present. If it's a disease affecting the swim bladder you may need to QT the fish and give him an antibiotic like Marycn 2.
 
Thank you for taking the time to respond.

He doesn't seem to be bloated. I will get a qt tank and try the boiled peas (can they be from frozen)?

It hurts my heart to watch him struggle, I hope this helps!
 
Ya the frozen would work. Just boil it. Or buy one of those Steamers bag of peas at the grocery store that uses the microwave to steam them and take them out of the shell.

The peas would be for constipation which you would see a bulge in the stomach area. If this isn't present you maybe dealing with internal parasites or disease which requires antibiotics
 
He does have a bulging belly ... I bought a mesh breeding box so I could separate him from the rest (so he would have a chance at eating the peas) but he doesn't seem to have any interest in them. :(
 
You could try Epsom salt. Get a gallon container, add your tank water and one teaspoon of Epsom salt. Stir it in and place your fish in it for 20-30 minutes and return it to it's tank. Try that once a day with the peas or a kelp flakes food. It's hard to say whether he would be constipated or has internal bacteria or parasites that require medicine. Unless you seen him poop of course.
 
I have not seen him poop. He seems to have no interest in eating and now kind of has a curve in his body ... what does the Epsoms Salt do?
 
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