Scrape?

[DMunt]

I have two tiger barbs that have some sort of spot on them. It seems to have affected one, more than the other. The spot looks almost like if you scraped your skin on something. The spot is flat and there is no cottony look to it. It is a rather large spot on one of the Barbs and smaller on the other. I have a total of 5 barbs and they keep attacking the spot on the one Barb. He seems to have lost weight and is obviously stressed from getting picked on. Could this be a wound or is it a bacterial infection. Since it is on two of the fishes I figured it was bacterial. Any advice would be great.

 

[Allivymar]

Could be both; an injury which has gotten infected.

I'd suggest moving the 2 affected fish to a QT tank. It will keep the others from stressing them out even more, and if you treat with meds, will keep your main tanks bacterial colonies safe (most meds will kill off the nitrifying bacteria).

Also, whats your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels? That may be a factor/cause of the infection. And how long have the barbs been in the tank?

 

[DMunt]

Ammonia is at .25. nitrites at 0.5, and nitrates has risen to 20 ppm. I did a 25% water change last night. The tiger barbs have been in tank at least 3 months. I do not have a QT tank, if I establish one what water do I use. I didn't now if I would have to cycle the water for a quarantine tank.
Thanks