What Should I Do? Help

[kll1221]

Good News I got my Barbs.


Now the bad news:

My husband came home with 10 *eek* *gasp* and a few days early then I was planning on buying them. He did this last night to surprize me as well you don't need all that info...

anyway this morning one was dead, another was alive but with huge red lesions that were open.

I took both back to PetsMart where they told me my water quality was bad. They didn't test the water I had because the fish was in it. I have tested water every day
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate under 5

the other barbs are just hanging out at the top not swimming or anything.

My other fish are behaving normally.

They told me to buy Melafix to treat tank and that the other barbs will be fine so I put one dose in the tank (that stuff stinks)

anyway that is where I am at and now I feel like I wasn't listening to great advice from you all. My husband was trying to be nice after a huge blowup fight.

Thanks

I posted this in my other thread but now I am really worried about the rest of them. The ALL are hanging out at the top of the tank? Not swimming not doing anything. I have to leave them there through the night. Argh I hate being worried and unsure

 

[revfred]

I think you may have some misinformation from your fish store. Your water parameters are good. The fact that your other fish are doing well also indicates this. It would be unusual for newly acquired fish to develop open wounds if they weren't infected to begin with. I definitely would return the remainder of the fish to the LFS.

 

[kll1221]

One person I spoke with said they would only take back if they died. I will call in morning.

 

[FroggyFox]

How about buying a 2nd filter and throwing all the new fish in a bucket if that store wont take them back? I know I already posted in the other thread...but man, I'm really sorry to hear about this and I'd be upset with your pet store.

ok...as for hanging out at the top of the tank...that can be something that happens when there's something in the water they dont like...or that they're not getting enough oxygen out of the water...do you have any airstones you can throw in to make sure thats not the problem?

Did you test your water parameters to see if adding the new fish made ammonia or nitrite jump?

Let us know how its goin...

 

[kll1221]

No I don't have airstones.

I tested water still same numbers

0 ammonia
0 nitrites

could it be dropsy?

i added aquarium salt. If I take fish back should i still use melafix?

arg so frustrated one step ahead 2 steps back

 

[FroggyFox]

ummm I'm not the best one to answer that...need to grab Lotus or someone good at the disease thing. For YOUR fish it could just be as simple as that they're stressed out from the meds in the tank and all the new fish. For the new fish it could be anything, any number of things combined. Do they have any visible symptoms besides staying at the top of the tank? I'm not good with melafix...or any other meds. ONly one I've ever used was a Jungle cure that seemed to do the trick...I think it worked on fungal and bacterial infections because i wasn't sure what was wrong. Usually people say to just follow the instructions on the package to a T and medicate twice as long as it says to, but do water changes when it says to etc. If they dont seem to be improving after a few days you might look for another option (afterall look who suggested melafix...)

I think if you take them all back you could just do some big water changes and watch your fish closely. If they were strong enough before you added the TB's they might not pick up whatever they have??

And on a relationship note...I trust that you'll let your hubby know it wasn't his fault that the fish he got were sick...it was a very sweet present on his part...even if it didn't work exactly the way he meant it Sorry for the unwarranted blurb!

 

[kll1221]

the thing that scares me is fishing them out of the tank driving them back to have mPetsMart tell me they won't take them back and having all that added stress on them. They are still hoovering at the top of the tank.

Froggy it is ok for the blub and he does understand now. Thanks for your help.

 

[kll1221]

No more barbs for me. I took them all back, lucky for me there was someone else and I got my money back. Not for the Melafix though but that is ok I guess.

 

[Stevie]

No more barbs for me.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Dont give up!!!!

Sure,sure you have had a bad start,but belive me they are worth it!!! Try again,try again!!! Maybe get just one or two at first to see how they get on (just watch that they dont nip every thing in the tank!!) and if there ok go back and buy more!!

If you give up on the tiger barbs,you will be giving up on one of the best fish in the hobby.......you will be giving up on yourself!!!

Dont make the same mistake I did!!!

 

[FroggyFox]

I think she meant just no more of THOSE particular barbs Hopefully you'll get some HEALTHY ones as soon as you're sure that YOUR fish are OK right kll1221??

 

[kll1221]

Yeppers, I still like them but I am a bit afraid. The girl at the store said they are finicky and very hard to keep. I don't want to go there buy some more and have the same problem.

I am thinking I may want mollies again except the fry scares me. I like them and they keep the tank clean. It would be fun for my daughter to watch the babies grow up

 

[FroggyFox]

Livebearer babies are fun...but they take over tanks so quickly. The babies are fun for awhile...but then a lot of people (me included) get tired of them

Tiger barbs have never had that reputation that I know of! ...something tells me that store has a bad TB supplier and some nasty tanks if they have that big of problems with tiger barbs. Can you buy them somewhere else??

 

[kll1221]

I could go to Wal Mart to get fish but no where else really.

My cories seem much happier now too they are swimming more now then they ever were.

 

[Stevie]

I think she meant just no more of THOSE particular barbs Hopefully you'll get some HEALTHY ones as soon as you're sure that YOUR fish are OK right kll1221??

Ohhhhhhhh..............yea,yea..........I knew that!!! *looks away sheepishly*

All Im saying (all be it very strongly) that tiger barbs are ace and you should not be put off by this tiny setback