Barbs breathing at top?

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Kwhite

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
69
Location
Kentucky
Well, a few days ago I was having issues with my ammonia levels into 10gal quarantine tank currently housing 7 small tiger barbs and a rubber nose pleco. Yesterday when I got home from work the tank was cloudy and the barbs are all swimming around at the top of the water looking like they are breathing that way or looking for food. They are eating fine but I'm trying not to over feed. Why are they doing that? I am wondering if I'm cut out for the fish keeping business. I love them but can't seem to keep them in good shape. Ironically the 29 gal currently housing a Pleco, an algae eater and a tetra is doing great. Clear water, fish look extremely happy. I wish I could be sure the barbs are healthy so I can move them to the big tank. Nitrates and nitrites both at 0, ph a little high at 7.8
 
Nope, they look fine. Better than they ever have actually, the stress of moving faded them out a lot and their color has now come back. A couple do look a little silver.
 
Just found my rubber nose pleco dead. Looks like he's been dead a while. I never see my other pleco so I wasn't concerned. Could this be a big part of the tanks problem? A decomposing pleco?
 
Ugh. I couldn't seem to keep the ammonia in check in that 10 gal so I took a chance and moved the barbs to the 29 gal after only a week of quarantine. They already look a ton better. However, they are apparently schooling with my lonely black skirt tetra. What's the deal? I didn't think the two species were friendly towards each other?
 
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