# dieing albino barb



## lifelonglego (Jul 3, 2010)

Hi, 

I have an albino barb that I think is dieing of stress. Yesterday I found it in my tank apparently unable to really control its position in the water. It was so weak that it could only move where the current pushed it. I assumed that it would be dead really soon, so I took it out of my 75 gallon and put it in my 10 gallon. I put it there because there is less movement and it won't be harassed by the other fish. I also added prime to detoxify nitrates and stresscoat to help it.

Whenever I have found a fish like this in the past, I hadn't intervened and it had ended up dead within the next hour or two. This fish seems to be an exception and 24 hours later it still appears to be in the same state as before. It lies on the gravel and breaths. Occasionally it will get up and move a little bit, but it can't do sustained swimming. I have the tank darkened to reduce stress.

Last night I had considered it to be dead, but it is still just as alive as it was yesterday. I think a water change I did the night before caused it to be so stressed. The water was considerably cooler, so maybe the illness was caused by it swimming into the stream of cold water. Also the pH was quite a bit higher, but it was only a few gallons out of 75, so i don't think that caused it.

Is there anything else I can do to save this fish? Did I handle the situation well, or should I have acted differently. I feel cruel keeping it alive in this state, but I want to give it a shot at any possibility that it may live.

Water Parameters(75gal):
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: between 40 and 160 (it is hard to tell the difference between the shades of red with the liquid)
pH: 7.2

*c/p*


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

Sounds like you are doing everything in your power to keep him a live. Just keep up the good work and good luck.


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## Adnil (Apr 16, 2011)

I hate it when I have a fish that is going like this. Had a Serpae that went off balance once, something with the swim bladder. I was telling my friend that is a Marine Biologist, about how long this fish suffered before it died and she told me when it looks hopeless to put the fish in a jar or bag in the freezer for awhile and it dies from the cold and supposedly without pain. Haven't done this yet, but may try it next time I have a situation like this.

Good luck


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## lcoreo5 (May 23, 2010)

i have the same problem going on... i just did a 75% water change and one of my mollies, one the original fish in my tank, seems to be dieing. she is face down in the gravel and sonetimes does back flips. it makes me so sad because she has been around for almost a year... shes still trying to stay alive.. is there anything i can do to perk her back up?? or is it the end of the road for her?  she has given life to a bunch of babies, but it makes me so sad to see her suffer....


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## lifelonglego (Jul 3, 2010)

Update on the barb situation:

I woke up this morning to find that the barb had finally died. Based on the very slight color change and the stiffness of its body, I'd say that it had been dead for a few hours.

Thanks for your responses and feedback.


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## lcoreo5 (May 23, 2010)

my molly is still fighting....


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## lifelonglego (Jul 3, 2010)

Good luck, I hope your Molly lives.

If it does live, please tell us what you did to save it, so we can better save fish in the future.


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## lcoreo5 (May 23, 2010)

well, i did come here for any advice to see if i can help her... she was doing back flips again today... then she just does a nose stand on the gravel. she also has a long translucent tube coming from her... looks like a hollow poop... i wish i knew what i could do for her, if anything...


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