Dieing Barbs, help me keep my sanity.

B

Blown Engine

AC Members
Sep 19, 2005
5
0
0
48
Rochester, NY
Ok, I have a 64 gal hex tank. I have a whisper power filter with an undergravel system as well. I have created a very aggresive tank, Dinosaur eel, clown knife, rainbow shark, upside down cat, and tiger barbs. The tiger barbs keep trying to run the tank. They even try picking on the knife, I think that will stop as he grows. Now here is my problem, I had six tiger barbs. The I came home from work and two were dead. I got replacements (due to warranty from pet store). One of them died the next day. I checked my water, everything is normal. Then one started to lay on the bottom and acted like it was getting ready to die so I though that maybe I didn't have enough airin the water, so I adjusted the powerhead on the undergravel system to put out more air bubbles. All of a sudden all five barbs were swimming and playing like never before. That was last night, now I got two laying on the bottom getting ready to die. What do I do? Give up on having barbs? Should I add a bubble stone? Help me, please!
:help:
 
any other symptoms before the fish die? can you post your exact numbers from your test results?
 
can't remember numbers

Sorry I can't remember the number from the test. I do remeber PH was 7.2. As for other symptoms, none really, they just sort of spot swimming. I did notice the their back fin was laid back while the others were sticking up. Sorry I am an extreme newbie, before this all I ever kept was a couple of gold fish, and a betta. the two that are laying on the bottom haven't died yet, so I'm headed to the store to get a bubble curtin (stone). Hoping that this helps.
 
ever noticed if the barbs were picking on each other?

happened to me

in a 6 month run i had 12 reduced to 4 due to fighting amongst themselves

is this a new tank?
is ur water cycled? :huh:
 
The airstone won't really help much, but test kits would!! Or at least get NUMBERS for amonia nitrite and nitrate
 
Blown Engine said:
Sorry I can't remember the number from the test.
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That reads to me like it was something other than 0, therefore you are not cycled. A water change would do more good than the airstone and as Holly9937 said, get test kits and post actual numbers.
 
Sorry I had a test kit but my friend had it to test his tank yesterday. I got it back this morning and it wasn't good the ammonia was a 5? Ph was 7.6 range and didn't have a test for the rest. I quickly did a ~30 % water change am and getting ready to test again. How long does it take the cycle to complete? This tank is suppose to be my wife but I end up doing all the work. So I guess this is now my tank. How many barbs, after I finish cycling, would y'all go with? Right now there are five. Thank you for the advice about the water change. I ended up getting the bubble stone anyways, cause the wife liked to idea of bubble from the back of the tank.
 
The bubbles can look pleasing, but won't help your situation. Keep doing water changes and testing until your ammonia reading is much lower. 5 sounds deadly. Readings should be below 0.25. I'd even go lower if your strip colours have a lower reading than that. Try to get it to the reading just above 0 (on my test kit, that's 0.1). I believe a complete cycle can take 4 to 6 weeks. Get ready for lots of water changes. When the ammonia drops, next you will need a nitrIte test kit. Get it now and be ready.
 
kveeti said:
Get ready for lots of water changes...
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Think possibly everyday if you want the fish to live :o . If the amonia was really 5 I would be suprised if there were not casualties already. You'll want to keep that number as close to 0 as possible
 
This is just a guess, I myself have 6 tiger barbs. Anyways, I was thinking that maybe they are just stressed out, or are they actually dieing? All I know is that mine tend to get stressed out after I do much with the tank at all and just sit starting at the ground for a day, then the next day or so they are acting fine again. That's my guess at least, but I could be totally wrong!
 
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