A very thin Albino Tiger barb with hollow belly

[i3k]

This little guy got issues. Can't really figure out if it's internal parasites or something else. Maybe TB or just stomach issues of some sort?

It started about a month ago. I noticed one of my tiger barbs (youngest one) was not as colorful as the other 4. Over a period of a month, his belly became hollow and he is very thin now. He still eats every day and is an active fish. But no matter how much I feed him, he is getting thinner and thinner. Also, after he eats he stays at the very top and looks like he has a hard time trying to swim down, so he just stays right below the surface. But after he digests the food (3-4 hours) he is able to swim normally again. I started feeding the fish garlic soaked food hoping it will help if it is in fact an internal parasite issue.

What do you guys think? He eats a lot but still losing weight

This tank has been running for years. PWC of 50% are done every 12 days.
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20-30 nitrate
pH is around 7
temp. is 76 - 77

 

[Scalare]

I'm no expert 13k but it does sound like an internal parasite. hopefully a member with experience of this
will help out here. Good Luck!!.

Pete

 

[i3k]

Has anyone had success treating internal parasites with medicated food?

 

[HUKIT]

I have used Jungles medicated food to help treat my africans during a fight with Bloat but never as a single weapon. I would start with food and use a round or two with Metrozoidale in Hikari's Metro+ or Parasite Clear by Jungle, you could use Clout but that's the absolute last chance med in my opinion due to how harsh it is. Metrozoidale is non staining, won't effect your biofilter and it's easy on the fish. Just remember to remove your carbon in your filters if your using it. So I would treat tank and use Metro in this case.

 

[i3k]

Interesting. I have a bottle of clout. But on the bottle it says for treating external parasites and nothing about internal parasites. Does it actually treat internal parasites?

 

[HUKIT]

Yes some people treat Bloat with it, but I would use Metro+ or Parasite Clear which is cheaper too! The only place I've seen Parasite Clear lately is Walmart in a 8pk or online but it only comes in a 100pk now.