I have a 3.5" pictus cat in a 20g, with a 3.5" rainbow shark and 3 tiger barbs. I woke up this morning to see my pictus's barbel curled up and short. I am so disappointed because he has been in perfect condition since I got him about 9months ago. Is this normal or is this something I should worry about and treat for. Just recently I treated the tank for ich with coppersafe. I have done 1 partial water change (35%) since (last weekend) treating 2 weeks ago. I am planning on doing another water change today or tomorrow(I try to do it once a week). He doesn't look real happy with his short barbel. His fins are all up and look healthy.
Barbel rot?
- Thread starter rdelbalso
- Start date
Watch the tiger barbs closely. They could easily do something to anything poking out off any fish. Three TBs aren't enough...they will quickly annoy the other fish in the tank to no end. Besides, your pictus will make a meal of them eventually, anyway.
The rainbow also has the ability to do some damage to a pictus cat. I would get the pictus into a tank which reflects his full size, and treat him there before adding some bacteria from the old tank, unless you find out that the old tank is disease-ridden.
The rainbow also has the ability to do some damage to a pictus cat. I would get the pictus into a tank which reflects his full size, and treat him there before adding some bacteria from the old tank, unless you find out that the old tank is disease-ridden.
I agree with Matthew--I suspect that the pictus has been nibbled by some tankmates. Any loss due to a bacterial infection would not have occurred overnight, but over the course of a few days. Barbs are not feeler or fin friendly tankmates.
My barbs actually stay well away from my pictus and i have actually seen little nipping behavior. After reading your responses I realize that it is possible that this happened over the weekend in more than one day. I did look at him last night, but the tank lights were already out. The barbel is not particularly shorter, but completely curled up and kind of puffy at the end. If it is barbel rot and not the barbs nipping at him, or the rainbow shark, what can and what should I do?
Barbel rot almost always occurs as a result of high nitrite and nitrate levels. Check your nitrate. Treat with anti-biotic like maracyn 2.
good luck
good luck
Curly barbels in pictus are usually a symptom of elevated nitrates. Boost your water change schedule and percentage and monitor nitrates in the future. This should clear without antibiotics, it is a symptom of water conditions, not a bacterial disease.
I have difficulty believing you have 0 nitrAtes unless the tank is planted. I have in the past gotton false 0 nitrate readings by doing the AP Nitrate test incorrectly. You are supposed the shake the #2 bottle for 30 seconds before adding the 10 drops. I have also gotten expired nitrate tests that give false low readings. I suggest you check these things, and if you actually have 0 nitrate, I might be forced to do the unthinkable and disagree with RTR and suggest anti-biotic treatment.
good luck
good luck
I did do the test per the instructions with shaking the #2 bottle for 30 seconds and then shaking the vile for 1 min. It is not a planted tank and I have gotten nitrate readings in the last two weeks with this test kit in my other tank. I have never had high nitrate readings in this tank, only a few times has it registered almost 5ppm, every other time it is usually 0ppm.
On a side note, what is a high nitrate reading where one should do an immediate partial water change? I have read a lot about making sure it doesn't get to that point, but no one ever says what that point is. Is it 10ppm, 20, 40, etc?
On a side note, what is a high nitrate reading where one should do an immediate partial water change? I have read a lot about making sure it doesn't get to that point, but no one ever says what that point is. Is it 10ppm, 20, 40, etc?
If the fish are acclimated to it they can actually survive in the hundreds of ppms. The lower the better though. I'd just make it a point to do a 10-15% water change every week. It shouldn't ever be an issue then.