# Fish coughing and upside down



## mijotter (Jul 26, 2011)

My male Odessa Barb which I have had for a little over a year has started to swim upside down and his tail fin looks in rough shape. He also looked like he was coughing up some kind of white powder or something. I had a Betta in there that ended up with dropsy a couple months back, he was removed and ended up dying. The Barb now also has a swollen belly. Water parameters are good. The tank has been cycled for well over a year now. It's not overstocked.


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

I just spent some time Googling these syptoms. Didn't find much on the coughing up white stuff. Swimming upside down and being bloated appears likely to be a swim bladder illness. Appears not feeding for 2-3 days then feeding blanched peas is an effective treatment.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Are his scales "pine coned"? That would be dropsy again and a treatment of the whole tank would be advised.What are you feeding your fish?


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

As far as I know, Dropsy is a symptom only bettas get. Dropsy actually isn't the disease, it is a symptom caused by something else. What are your actual water parameters? Water change schedule? what and when was your newest fish added to the tank? it sounds like a swimbladder problem to me. If it had dropsy, it would still be swimming upright. Are there any bullies in the tank? You said the tail fin was damaged, does it look like it has white on the edges?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Dropsy
I believe most barbs are members of the carp family,
Puntius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
But Manafel ask good questions.What is your water quality(ammonia,nitrIte and nitrAte) and your water change habbits(how much/how often) will certainly help.


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## inkmaker (Jun 10, 2009)

Manafel said:


> As far as I know, Dropsy is a symptom only bettas get. Dropsy actually isn't the disease, it is a symptom caused by something else.


No, Bettas are not the only species to show the signs of whole body edema. This edema is caused by a shut down of the kidneys. They quit equalizing the water in/out of the fish's body. The most common cause of this liver failure is some kind of bacteria infection disrupting the normal functions. A high density of bacteria in the water is the most likely the source of bacterial infection.

The water parameters may or may not be within normal acceptable limits and the water very dirty with excess food and food products left in the tank for a long period of time. In short, the toilet needed to be flushed sometime ago. A major water change and added salt may save your fish, but it seldom happens once the scales lift after the "Pine Cone " symptoms appear.

Sorry,
Charles H


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## mijotter (Jul 26, 2011)

Their diet is normal Tetra brand fish flakes about once a day. 
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0
pH 7.5
temp 77

He is not pine coning I checked closely. Bloated belly, tail fin rough shape, there is a female odessa that might be nipping at him. 

Obviously going to Q him. Would you recommend a non feeding for a couple of days then try the pea trick first. If that doesn't work perhaps a salt bath? How long does the pea trick take to work if in fact it does?


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## mijotter (Jul 26, 2011)

Anyone? He's still swimming around pretty well. didn't go upside down today. Did a WC yesterday.


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## inkmaker (Jun 10, 2009)

mijotter said:


> Anyone? He's still swimming around pretty well. didn't go upside down today. Did a WC yesterday.


I don't know what the Pea trick is. But I do wonder how much of their water did you change?

Charles H


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## mijotter (Jul 26, 2011)

you know, feed them a pea to relieve constipation...


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## inkmaker (Jun 10, 2009)

mijotter said:


> you know, feed them a pea to relieve constipation...


I don't know that veggies will do anything about the swim bladder problem you describe.

How much water did you change?

Charles H


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## inkmaker (Jun 10, 2009)

inkmaker said:


> How much water did you change?
> 
> Charles H


Well?


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