Neon Barbs Flashing

Mari · 04-12-2008, 11:11 PM

Hello everyone!

I have a question about strange behaviors my neon barbs are showing... Now I have had the tank for a few years now and its been running at least two years so this is not a new tank. It is a 20H tank

The neon barbs were just purchased about 3 months ago and for about three weeks they have been acting strange, sometimes hiding behind plants and at other times swimming about normally. I previously had tiger barbs in the tank, along with an opaline gourami. I lost all the tigers within a matter of about a two years, a few to columnaris and the others just passed without my knowing why.

I lost the opaline about two months ago when I first brought the neon barbs in... my only theory was that they picked on him because he wasotherwise happy and healthy and I had him for over 2 years with no issues from him.

Now along with the hiding at times the barbs I currently have are also flashing. I have 3 in the tank, and one is worse than the others, always hiding and not eating. The other two are flashing, but swimming around and eating. They don't have spots to suggest ICH and other than the fact that the mouths are a little light colored ( I am not sure whether they have cotton mouth or their mouths are just that color because they are so bright!?) they seem normal to me.

Does anyone have any idea as to why they may be flashing, or what may be going on with my tank? I have done two water changes within about 3 weeks in an effort to fix this but they are still the same. Any help would be appreciated!

trashion · 04-13-2008, 09:46 AM

2 waterchanges in 3 weeks? What's your normal w/c schedule?

They're probably acting strangely partially because they are not in a school. Barbs need to be kept in groups of 6 or more.

**TheOldSalt** · 04-13-2008, 10:25 AM

It could still be ick, just without the spots showing yet. It happens. Another likely suspect is flukes. Flukes are invisible, but just as big a problem.

Obsidian · 04-13-2008, 11:59 AM

Small but related hi-jack: Do fish ever flash for no reason? I mean do they get itchy like humans do and flash just to scratch it, or is there always a disease type cause for that itch?

**TheOldSalt** · 04-13-2008, 12:58 PM

Sure, they just get itchy. It's when they stay itchy for awhile that you have to figure out why.

04-12-2008, 11:11 PM	#1
Mari Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Des Plaines, Illinois Age: 23 Posts: 83	Neon Barbs Flashing Hello everyone! I have a question about strange behaviors my neon barbs are showing... Now I have had the tank for a few years now and its been running at least two years so this is not a new tank. It is a 20H tank The neon barbs were just purchased about 3 months ago and for about three weeks they have been acting strange, sometimes hiding behind plants and at other times swimming about normally. I previously had tiger barbs in the tank, along with an opaline gourami. I lost all the tigers within a matter of about a two years, a few to columnaris and the others just passed without my knowing why. I lost the opaline about two months ago when I first brought the neon barbs in... my only theory was that they picked on him because he wasotherwise happy and healthy and I had him for over 2 years with no issues from him. Now along with the hiding at times the barbs I currently have are also flashing. I have 3 in the tank, and one is worse than the others, always hiding and not eating. The other two are flashing, but swimming around and eating. They don't have spots to suggest ICH and other than the fact that the mouths are a little light colored ( I am not sure whether they have cotton mouth or their mouths are just that color because they are so bright!?) they seem normal to me. Does anyone have any idea as to why they may be flashing, or what may be going on with my tank? I have done two water changes within about 3 weeks in an effort to fix this but they are still the same. Any help would be appreciated!

04-13-2008, 09:46 AM	#2
trashion girl anachronism Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,313	2 waterchanges in 3 weeks? What's your normal w/c schedule? They're probably acting strangely partially because they are not in a school. Barbs need to be kept in groups of 6 or more. __________________ current setup: 5.5 gallon low-light planted tank -nothing....thinking a mini-community. for reference: my name is Julie

04-13-2008, 11:59 AM	#4
Obsidian Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Age: 37 Posts: 1,039	Small but related hi-jack: Do fish ever flash for no reason? I mean do they get itchy like humans do and flash just to scratch it, or is there always a disease type cause for that itch? __________________ Obsidian 20 gallon 1 Dwarf Gourami; 5 Cherry Barbs; 7 Black Neon Tetras; 3 Peppered Cory's; 1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco (Old Blondie) 10 gallon Breaking it down for storage. 5.5 gallon Betta 100 gallon 7 giant danios; 4 Rosy Barbs, 1 German Blue Ram, 7 Julie Cory cats, 2 Burmese Loaches; 5 Zebra Daios

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04-13-2008, 10:25 AM	#3
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,358	It could still be ick, just without the spots showing yet. It happens. Another likely suspect is flukes. Flukes are invisible, but just as big a problem.

04-13-2008, 12:58 PM	#5
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,358	Sure, they just get itchy. It's when they stay itchy for awhile that you have to figure out why.

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