# Cherry Barb A Bit Fat



## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

I have a fat shimmying (not swimming, tires easy) cherry barb. She has always been fat (last 2 years) so it's not uncommon but I think she has gotten fatter. No pine coned scales, but cherries are somewhat smooth and I think it would be hard to tell at lower levels. 

I have her in a little container (QT Tank lost its filter  ) with 2 shelled peas. 

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Last water change was 2 weeks ago (yes I have been lazy) which would explain the somewhat high nitrates. 

My suspicions are Dropsy or constipation. Next comes old age. She and one other male barb are the lone surviving cherry barbs from when the tank was established May 07. The other 4 have died slowly over the last year with at least one associated with a parasite issue that I treated for quite some time to make sure i got it all- fed antiparasite food mashed with garlic for over a month with a few breaks of other food in there. Those fish were cleaned out! All was well after that for 4 months. Lost the last one of those 2 months ago.

Does anyone have any other ideas about what this may be? 

I did introduce 7 new cherries to this tank on Tuesday. They came from petsmart and were in mild blue water from the anti-parasite meds they use for prevention, I believe methalin blue. I have not treated with anything and did not add any of the store water to the tank (of course). All of the other fish appear fine, the juvie cherries look good. Does anyone think it might be a good idea to treat the tank just in case? If it is dropsy or constipation I am really not that worried about the tank, I know those will not harm the other fish. I have to get those fishies healthy healthy healthy so they can go into my 100 gallon! (Then a substrate change and some dwarf puffers. Oooo)

Thanks guys.


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

My guess would be that shes getting old. That also makes her susceptable to many other things.


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

Could it be that it has eggs? or is it a male?


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

My little girl is old and she can't poop. She has been in her little container now for more than 24 hours. No production. She is also not eating the peas so I am going for the epsom salt bath. Poor thing. I feel bad for her spinning and trying to stay on her tummy like that. She doesn't seem to tire out so easy in the little container so at least she is getting as much rest as possible. I have the QT fixed and am just waiting for it to get to temp before I put her in there. I'm going to do the salt bath thing first.


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