Hi All,
I have what the LFS calls a indian fire barb, looks like a neon rosy barb. Anyway, I have 5 of them with a couple of gold barbs and 3 oto's in a 26 gallon tank.
I have had these barbs for a few months. Now, 1 suddenly died w/o anyway warning a week or so ago. Now, another one of my barbs started hiding a couple days ago, normally they would all be very active and follow me to the tank thinking its time to eat. The 1 barb stays separate from the reset, hovers close to bottom or hides middle-top by the filter. I haven't seen any fish picking on him/her. She hasn't come out to eat in 2 days. Does not appear to breath heavy, she only looks slightly rounder but not enough to yell about. I don't see any blood spots, no white spots, nothing on or around the gills. She has what looks like lost a few scales or color in a couple of spots, so a bit silver where the orange was. I feed once a day mix of flakes and pellets. Water parameters: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all 0. The only thing I have added in past 2 month are 3 plants (java ferns). I have an air stone in the tank. One other call out, I did try some algae crumbles a few days ago in hopes of trying to provide more food for the oto's, the barbs attacked and ate it within minutes. I did a 20% water change today anyway for good measure, will probably do another 20% tomorrow.
I am at a loss here and I don't know what to do, I feel limited due to the plants and oto's. Appreciate any advice.
I have what the LFS calls a indian fire barb, looks like a neon rosy barb. Anyway, I have 5 of them with a couple of gold barbs and 3 oto's in a 26 gallon tank.
I have had these barbs for a few months. Now, 1 suddenly died w/o anyway warning a week or so ago. Now, another one of my barbs started hiding a couple days ago, normally they would all be very active and follow me to the tank thinking its time to eat. The 1 barb stays separate from the reset, hovers close to bottom or hides middle-top by the filter. I haven't seen any fish picking on him/her. She hasn't come out to eat in 2 days. Does not appear to breath heavy, she only looks slightly rounder but not enough to yell about. I don't see any blood spots, no white spots, nothing on or around the gills. She has what looks like lost a few scales or color in a couple of spots, so a bit silver where the orange was. I feed once a day mix of flakes and pellets. Water parameters: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all 0. The only thing I have added in past 2 month are 3 plants (java ferns). I have an air stone in the tank. One other call out, I did try some algae crumbles a few days ago in hopes of trying to provide more food for the oto's, the barbs attacked and ate it within minutes. I did a 20% water change today anyway for good measure, will probably do another 20% tomorrow.
I am at a loss here and I don't know what to do, I feel limited due to the plants and oto's. Appreciate any advice.
