Tin Foil Barb Swimming Upside Down

Question
QUESTION: We have a 75 gallon tank with 4 Tin Foil Barbs ( ~10" long) and 2 Silver Dollars (~5" diameter). The tank is approximately 72 degrees and we use a heater. Rena Filstar XP2 filter (off during treatment but still aerating). No seashells...only artificial decor. We feed with pellets. Water changing habits (25%-30% change) are currently every other week. No major changes in feeding habits, food, or water changes recently. All the fish are 17 years old.
One of the Tin Foil Barbs has always been smaller than the others and has been losing parts of its fins for years without issue. In the last few days, he has started swimming upside down. All other fish seem totally fine. Performed water change before treatment. Now withholding food from him and adding salts and Meracyn. He seems to be breathing normally and there are times where he "rights" himself and swims. He also spends a fair amount of time on his back on the bottom of the tank.
I have read that we should separate him in a hospital tank with shallow water (1-1/2") deeper than his height and try to feed him a skinned pea. Are there any other tips you could offer? What is the likelihood he will survive?

ANSWER: Hi Jeanne,

It's a good likelihood he can survive...let me tell you a little story.

I have six tanks and one of mine is this little 7 gallon nano tank that sits on a corner shelf in the diningroom.  Well, in that is a very rare clownfish.

Everything in it has always been stable, and the filter's run perfect for so long (like your tank), that I rarely test the water.  Instead, I do my ritual of 25% bi-weekly and figure heh, it's okay!

Well, I woke up and Mr. Black was swimming ON HIS FACE with his tail up, and body completely upside down.

I tested using a 5 test strip, rather than the liquid tests, and on the strip, it does not have the nitrite test.

Perfect parameters.  Well, on a whim, I pulled out the nitrite drip test from another kit and went over to test, and voilla.  It's nitrite poisoning.

It took him a whole week to right himself once the problem was solved, but he's fine.

So, don't lose hope.  Even experts get bad water once in awhile...even with diligent water changes, it can creep up on you for some reason, out of nowhere, so my advice to you is to do what I did.  Get a test strip and test his Nitrite and Ammonia levels in the water.

It is THE most common cause of this...and he's just the weakest, so he is showing signs first.

After 17 years, you may consider changing out the gravel, washing it and cleaning out your XP thoroughly.

Rena are my favorites for canisters, but canisters are literally nitrate factories.  Manufacturers lie, telling people to change them out every 3 to 6 months, rather than on a monthly baisis, which is truly what is required of them.

Well, they are nitrate filters.  So, they work using a nitrate based biological filtration method...the best method out there.  And, if properly maintained, they are the best filters out there, BUT the reason I don't recommend them is that they are usually not properly maintained.

What happens, in the long run, is 3 months go by, and the nitrates fill full up inside the filter, and begin feeding BACK into the aquarium.

First of all, because of the type of filter they are, there is often no other source of aeration, so the water is stagnent to begin with, and secondly, nitrates cause a whole chemical imbalance to the entire environment.

They cause death, eventually, and people write in with swim bladder disorders, etc. all caused by nitrate factories (canister filters).

So, my advice to you is to clean the thing thoroughly.  It's a magnificent quality filter, if maintained properly. :)

You obviously have the fish-keeping down to a tee, or your fish would not be 17 years old, but even us experts have booboos without even realizing it.

If there is any nitrite on the test strip, change the water out til it's spotless.  Even if it means changing out 75% of the water.

My reasoning is that the gravel and rest of this tank is so old, it will re-cycle the water within a 48 hour period.  It's not going to hurt the fish if you change out extra.

If worried, change out 50% tonight, and in 24 hours, another 50%.  :)

If he does not right himself five days after, then do another 50% change.

You should see some improvement in about 3 days...took mine about 3 days to begin looking like a fish again.

Happy fish-keeping and kudos to you for being so good to your fish that they've lived 17 years. :)

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again, Renee. I realize you may not have had a chance to read my follow-up to my earlier question but I have some test results that I thought might be helpful.

Nitrite tested middle of the stress zone.  Hardness - Very Hard.  Chlorine - Safe.  Alkalinity - High.
pH - Neutral.  Nitrate - Almost off the chart on the high side.

Will replace gravel and do large water change tonight. If you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks again,
Jeannie

ANSWER: Hi Jeannie,

Yep.  Ammonia poisoning as I thought.

Nitrites and nitrates form the chemical, Ammonia.

We've hit the nail on the head as to what's going on here.  Let's continue with all the recommendations.

Change water, clean gravel, clean filtration.  Keep me updated and write all you need. :)

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again. Thought you might want to know that we lost our little guy yesterday. Our tank levels are near perfect now so I'm hoping whatever was wrong with him won't reach our other fish. Thanks so much for your help. I now know where to turn when/if we have future issues.

Answer
Hi Jeannie,

I'm so sorry for your loss. :(  Sometimes, we do the best we can, but death still happens in the animal world.

I, too, had a hard day yesterday.  I tested all my parameters (which is about 12 things...far more than most test for) and my beloved blenny was bloated, dead in the front corner when I woke up.  No marks, no infestation, necropsy showed no parasites or injury to his internal organs...no deterioration...no idea why.  He just up and died.

Being the person on the other end of the stick, after having not lost a fish in years, I cried all morning. I know how hard it was for you to lose your beautiful barb and I sympathize greatly.

I do hope you come to me for answers.  I want to be there to help people prevent the deaths of their fishes.:)

Sending best wishes your way...
Renee