Tiger barbs, sick or not?

[7Enigma]

1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?

1. Tiger barbs almost exclusively (at least the most prevalent). Symptoms of Ich, but I've battled that twice previously. No apparent visible signs. They appear to scratch themselves along the one ceramic pot I have.

2. ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 20-40, temp 78F, pH 6.5-7.5 (CO2 injection)

3. 20gallon high, almost a year

4. AC50, plus heavily planted, and a PH for CO2 dispersion

5. 6 tiger barbs, adult size, 1 gold barb, adult size, 2 unknown silverish barbs, they have not grown much past an 1-1.5" since I've had them. I'm assuming they are at adult size. One 4" BN pleco, 2 Oto's, 1 cory, MTS and pond snails.

6. 50% PWC once a week (or 2 25% once a week), I gravel vac, and occasionally do a diatom filtering

7. All of the fish (except for BN pleco) are from ~Feb-March of this past year

8. Nothing new (plants are new but this occurred before their introduction)

9. Diet is a mix of about 7 different foods, they are constantly rotated, and no change since the beginning. Flake, FD shrimp, FD bloodworms, FD tubifex worms, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, peas, vegetables, etc.

Other info: Hybrid EI dosing strategy so there are a lot of different chemicals being added to the tank for fert dosing. I've given thought to whether this might be causing the irritation, but again no VISIBLE signs on the fish.

Basically I'm looking for a tank med (hopefully inexpensive) I can add that will not harm the biological filter or my plants to a large degree (fish also obviously) that can eliminate a possible pathogen. I'm concerned about something like gill parasites, I have 2 Oto's (which are known to harbor parasites). None of my fish have EVER been treated with any meds. Because of that I have no experience with any meds and their uses/costs/damage that can be done. I think an anti-parasite treatment would be good, but since it will be whole tank treated, I'd like to keep it somewhat inexpensive. Again pretty much I only see the tigers and occasionally the gold barb do this.

It is definately a regular occurrance, not just something that happens every once in a while. I'd like to preempt the possible problems ahead.

Thanks for all of your help. Pic of the tank for reference (the lip of the pot is what they rub up against):

 

[Drew95]

I'm a sick fish rookie myself too - but I've noticed one or two of my Tiger Barbs flashing on the plants if I am late on a water change and the nitrates get too high. You say yours are at 20-40 so it's just a thought. Good luck.

 

[7Enigma]

I guess I'm just wondering if there is a way I can treat my tank for parasites without damaging anything. One more thing off the checklist of possible problems.

 

[Devilishturtles]

You could try a Praziquantel medicine (something like Jungle Parasite Clear). I don't think it will bother your plants, but I'm not 100% sure. The flashing definitley sounds like something irritating them. I don't know enough about the ferts and their effects on fish.

HTH