Fish swallowed to much air?

[micaiah12]

Is it possible for a fish to like swallow air and not be able to stay below the surface of the water? Because my barb is like struggling to stay down in the water. He just keeps floating up.

 

[Zimmanski]

Is it possible for a fish to like swallow air and not be able to stay below the surface of the water? Because my barb is like struggling to stay down in the water. He just keeps floating up.

It sounds to me like bloat or a swim bladder issue. hopefully someone can respond with a treatment but from my understanding its fairly hard to treat or cure. try googling freshwater bloat or swim bladder dissease

 

[shellieca]

It does sound like swim bladder & its actually usually pretty easy to resolve. If you can QT the fish even better. In most cases you can fast the fish for a few days, you could dose the QT tank with 1 tsp pre-dissolved pure epsom salt (works as laxative) & fast, or you can attempt to get the fish to eat a shelled cooked pea. Does the fish look bloated? If so one of the previously mentioned treatments should work.

 

[Zimmanski]

It does sound like swim bladder & its actually usually pretty easy to resolve. If you can QT the fish even better. In most cases you can fast the fish for a few days, you could dose the QT tank with 1 tsp pre-dissolved pure epsom salt (works as laxative) & fast, or you can attempt to get the fish to eat a shelled cooked pea. Does the fish look bloated? If so one of the previously mentioned treatments should work.

Ahh yes sorry, I got my illnesses mixed up. If its bloat or swim bladder follow the directions shellieca gave. But also try looking at the fish from above, top down, if its bloated and its scales look raised it could also be dropsy. The raised scales can be harder to see looking at the fish from the side.