You were right in telling her to knock off the meds..........I would want to know the exact water parameters, how long she's had these fish, has she added any new fish to the tank. Fish don't flash on tank objects for no reason and not breeding.

PS there are all kinds of parasites that are not visible especially to an untrained eye

Last edited by Graham (January 4, 2010, 3:26 pm )

new updates

She is testing her water with the test kits that she has. pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. I will be testing her water for other things on Thursday (unless this is all the parameters you think will help, Graham).

She bought 2 tinfoils barbs on December 11th and bought two more on December 18th. She has not had any new fish other than them. It is only two of the barbs (she thinks) that do this rubbing, not all four.
I will post the water parameters once she calls me back.

Aaah new fish... 2 things.....the odds are she has a ''minor'' parasite problem. These fish were not QT'd and stressed out from being in a store and then a new tank. So any ambient parasite levels get raised to minor levels. Then the 2nd thing is the possible nitrite level. That reading is within the kits error level, but it shouldn't be there if it is correct.

When fish flash something is always irritating...usually parasites but it can be water. Fish may not show parasites symptoms on the body in low levels They may be in the gills. Parasites like oodinium, costia, Chil or flukes can all be there

So I'd give the tank a decent water change, and use a shot gun med with formalin and malachite green in it, following the bottle instructions. Toss the Fix junk. I wouldn't worry about the NO2 and adding salt at this point but I would watch that level.

HTH

G

it'll work quite fine...make sure she takes out any activated carbon in the filter