I noticed one of my cherry barbs has what looks like blisters at the end of its tail where the scales end and the fin begins. There are many more on one side than the other. On the same fish I also saw some irritated pinkish flesh in the "armpit" of one of the pectoral fins.
Another cherry barb was swimming sluggishly and was easily caught in a net. I had the net in a slight current and the fish went limp and just let the water push it against the side of the net so it did not have very much energy or strength. On this fish all I could see was dull colors, slightly ruffled scales, and it had a very shiny part on top of its head. If you look at a picture of a cherry barb it has a black spot on top of its head between its eyes. This looked very silvery and reflective which was strange. This fish just did not seem healthy at all but I don't know what to do with it so I left it in the tank for now. If it gets worse I am going to euthanize it.
About a week ago another cherry barb died and it had the agitated flesh under its pectoral fins. I am now worried there might be something contagious.
4-5 weeks ago I added a Bolivian ram and a kribensis. The Bolivian seems very healthy and active but ever since I got the kribensis there has been something wrong with her face. I assumed it was because the male she was kept with when I bought her had bitten off most of her face. It seems to have gotten worse and might be hole-in-the-head. Its like nothing is left on her face but the skull, 2 deep indentations run from her mouth all the way between her eyes to where her gills attack to her head. There are then two holes at the end of this indention. I assumed these were ear holes or something but I am not sure anymore. they seem pretty symmetrical. I will get a better look at her again tomorrow.
I fed the tank to try to get her to come closer so I could see her better. When I first walked up to the tank she had very faded coloration and nipped at the bolivian ram when it swam too close to her, which I have never seen before but wasn't too surprising. She seemed stressed and after adding the food what I think happened is she went to take a bite and something happened to her mouth. Either there is an indentation on top of her mouth or it looked like they were puckered out but could not be opened. Soon after adding the food she freaked out and swam to the back of the tank to hide. When I left she was hiding in a small cave under a rock so I couldn't get a good look.
Sorry for a long post but does that sound like hole-in-head or do I need to take a closer look and try to get a pic? I don't have any good cameras and she is pretty small (3")
Another cherry barb was swimming sluggishly and was easily caught in a net. I had the net in a slight current and the fish went limp and just let the water push it against the side of the net so it did not have very much energy or strength. On this fish all I could see was dull colors, slightly ruffled scales, and it had a very shiny part on top of its head. If you look at a picture of a cherry barb it has a black spot on top of its head between its eyes. This looked very silvery and reflective which was strange. This fish just did not seem healthy at all but I don't know what to do with it so I left it in the tank for now. If it gets worse I am going to euthanize it.
About a week ago another cherry barb died and it had the agitated flesh under its pectoral fins. I am now worried there might be something contagious.
4-5 weeks ago I added a Bolivian ram and a kribensis. The Bolivian seems very healthy and active but ever since I got the kribensis there has been something wrong with her face. I assumed it was because the male she was kept with when I bought her had bitten off most of her face. It seems to have gotten worse and might be hole-in-the-head. Its like nothing is left on her face but the skull, 2 deep indentations run from her mouth all the way between her eyes to where her gills attack to her head. There are then two holes at the end of this indention. I assumed these were ear holes or something but I am not sure anymore. they seem pretty symmetrical. I will get a better look at her again tomorrow.
I fed the tank to try to get her to come closer so I could see her better. When I first walked up to the tank she had very faded coloration and nipped at the bolivian ram when it swam too close to her, which I have never seen before but wasn't too surprising. She seemed stressed and after adding the food what I think happened is she went to take a bite and something happened to her mouth. Either there is an indentation on top of her mouth or it looked like they were puckered out but could not be opened. Soon after adding the food she freaked out and swam to the back of the tank to hide. When I left she was hiding in a small cave under a rock so I couldn't get a good look.
Sorry for a long post but does that sound like hole-in-head or do I need to take a closer look and try to get a pic? I don't have any good cameras and she is pretty small (3")