EAUROUGE - PLEASE HELP (or anyone else who may be able)

[NoWittyName]

Help. Horrible sight.

I wrote on Monday about a tiger barb swimming strangely, but then all was better on Tuesday so we joked about constipation. It's been fine but I've just looked in on them all and it looks horrible.

At first I just noticed a very swollen tummy so I wondered whether we had a tummy full of eggs/pooh or something like that going on. (Of course I have no idea if it's the same fish anyway.)

Anyway, it then turned around (it's swimming quite normally and seems happy) and it's belly looked bright red. Thought it may be full of blood (!) and now I'm looking at it again and can't figure out if it looks as if the scales have come off and the skin is very transparent or even it it's a hole ?!?!

What on earth could it be and do I need to get it out of the tank before all the other fish become the same???

Will go do water test now, but wanted to get you quickly if you're out there.

Okay - test results the same as those posted in last message - all within normal parameters.

It's the lower left part of the fish. Have looked at all other tiger barbs and another seems to be swollen in that area too, but doesn't have the red/transparent/hole type thing. Am really worried.

Eek! That doesn't sound good. It could be tapeworms maybe- have they had any live food?

Only frozen and flakes. No new fish have been introduced for a good couple of months.

Not able to get to a fish shop until Sunday, so just don't know whether I should euthanise it to save others getting the same things - as I say, there's already another one with same swollen area.

Don't mean to sound melodramatic but I feel sick. :(

Tough to say, if it is worms then it can't be transferred between fish. Could also be dropsy but that's usually fairly symmetrical and the scales stick out like a pine cone.

Well the fish with the 'hole' was dead on Saturday morning. When i scooped him out I had a check of the 'hole' and gave it a gentle squeeze. A sphere of an almost clear gelatinous solid came out about half the size of a marble???

Anyway, one more has a swollen left side of belly so we're watching him like a hawk to see if it becomes a 'hole' too. I think that if it does we'll get him out asap to stop anything further. May try to put him in a bag and take him down to the fish shop if it's a time I can get there.

Don't think it dropsy as scales not sticking out. Would there be any other indicators for worms?

Crikey Don't think it could be worms then, it sounds like a tumour or something. Weird that it happened so quickly though. Hopefully the people at the shop will be able to shed some light on it.

I did wonder about a tumour, but a tumour wouldn't be catching so will have to see whether swelling on other one goes the same way, or whether it's just a full belly!!!

Thank you so much for your support. x