Tiger Barbs Dying: No Symptoms

[pinstripe]

For the last two years my seven tiger barbs have been living with one very passive yellow lab cichlid and a few yo yo loaches. The tank has been very stable: no water quality problems, no illnesses.

Now I have lost four barbs in the last 10 days or so. They are not injured and do not look sick; they have a good appetite in the morning but are dead when I come home in the evening. The water tests fine, although I plan to do another change tomorrow just in case. The other fish are behaving normally.

My only ideas are:

1. My tests are bad, or there's something in the water that I'm not testing for. (However, my other tanks are fine.)

2. I recently started using No More Algae Liquid. Maybe they don't like that.

3. Old age. Seems implausible that they'd all die together, though.

As I said, I'll do another water change tomorrow. I'd welcome any other suggestions. Thanks!

 

[tawolcott]

Totally anecdotal but some time back I used an algae gone type product and lost 2 fish in a short time. I did a major water change and tossed the product. No more deaths.

Was it or wasn't it? For me it wasn't even worth the discussion.

 

[meegosh]

Is there algae in the tank that you are trying to get rid of? What type is it?

I had some black hairy algae on my tank and adjusting the light (6-8 hrs a day for my tank) and not feeding as much has drastically helped. I have never used an algae control product like that. I feel that if you have algae, something else is wrong. Ie, tank params, over feeding, etc.. I'd stop using it and try some more water changes.

 

[Zagz]

Large water change of at least 75% and no more algae gone chemicals. That is the place to start. If that works then you have solved the problem. If there are no other symptoms, it seems a likely possibility.

 

[MarineFlake]

check your temp and make sure your not getting some stray voltage. My 2 cents...

 

[pinstripe]

Thanks all for the replies. No more deaths since the water change, but it hasn't been long enough to really say we're out of the woods.

RE: the algae, this one tank gets quite a bit of sunlight (I am not able to move it right now) so there is a fair bit of black-green algae.

 

[meegosh]

I'd recommend reading up on the exact type of algae you have. The site I used to identify my algae was Aquaticscape.com

I'm glad to hear there has been no more losses! Keep up the water changes and keep an eye on your fish

 

[JMonster24]

I've also been having trouble keeping my tiger barbs alive. I have a 10 gal heated at 79 degrees and contained only six tiger barbs and one 3' pleco. The tank has been cycled and randomly one day a weird substance appeared on the surface and smelled funny, almost looked oily but when i put my finger in it, it went away and white chunks formed. I also just recently changed a filter cartridge and did a water change and added water conditioner because my water is very hard. Then the barbs started dropping like flies. They started swimming inverted or would rest on the bottom. They wouldn't eat or do anything. All the tests came back a little positve for Nitrate 40 ppm and .5ppm for nitrite. The water is also very hard and moderately alkaline and the ph is neutral. All six of my barbs died and all thats left is my pleco. I dont want to keep putting fish in if they're going to die... any suggestions?

 

[GouramiFanatic]

The tank has been cycled ... snip ... All the tests came back a little positve for Nitrate 40 ppm and .5ppm for nitrite.

I'm by no means an expert, but for a tank to be completely cycled there should be no ammonia or nitrIte readings. The fact that you're coming up with some tells me that something is wrong. Your nitrAte levels which should have a reading are also a bit high IMO. The water quality here could be to blame, or at least partly to blame.

One last bit, while Tiger Barbs are smaller fish they really do need more swimming space than a 10 gallon. I personally would put them in nothing smaller than a 20 gallon - and that would be my minimum. I'd personally like to go even larger than that.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I'd have to agree with GouramiFanatic.