Barbs don't seem ok

HI guys over the past couple of days I have noticed my barbs are all separated. They aren't schooling up just all do their own thing. I think it has to do with the fact that there are only 5 of them, but they used to be more together.

Also one of my males look like this.


I don't know if it's too hard to see, but there is a white area under his "chin" and face area. That doesn't seem normal to me. Also they aren't very active even during feeding time

 

You have a puffer with them? That's dangerous. How big is the tank? I know your tank is cycled. You only have 5 together? Are they ever hiding?

 

Hello Todd...

If the fish are acting differently, that's typically a sign the water chemistry isn't to their liking. What's your water change routine? Smaller tanks need 50 percent water changes every few days, so dissolved fish wastes don't build up and cause health issues.

Barbs are schooling fish. In time, they stop schooling because they don't sense a threat in their environment. They're aggressive toward other species of Barbs too and like to be in groups of 6 to 12 of their own kind.

Planting the tank is helpful. Fish like surface plants and feel comfortable in their environment with a lot of plants and plants are a good supplement to their diet.

Old

 

My 8 cherries never really group up during the day, they just go away to do their own thing and regroup at night. Their lethargy may be an environmental issue or it may be that they don't quite feel secure enough in a group of 5 around the larger species.
Have you seen any bullying perhaps between the puffer and the cherries?

oldsalt777 I've never had a problem between my cherries and rubies, they coexist like a dream)

 

Sarah73 it's a 29 gallon with 5 cherries. I know having the puffer in there is risky but I'm setting up a ten gallon just for him. Brakish, plants whole 9 yards. The females hide sometimes but they do go around the tank and explore most of the time. oldsalt777 I change about 20-30℅ each week and the parameters are always good in the tank. It sounds more like you said how once there is not a threat they stop to school, because they do swim around eachother, but they like to go off on their own, just kinda slow. I do have plants and a large driftwood piece with many caves and hidey holes inside. fatcatfish no bullyimg from the puffer, actually the male pearl gourami I have chases the puffer away more. Not a lot though. I'm assuming it's me overreacting but I'm not sure.

 

Sarah73 it's a 29 gallon with 5 cherries. I know having the puffer in there is risky but I'm setting up a ten gallon just for him. Brakish, plants whole 9 yards. The females hide sometimes but they do go around the tank and explore most of the time. oldsalt777 I change about 20-30℅ each week and the parameters are always good in the tank. It sounds more like you said how once there is not a threat they stop to school, because they do swim around eachother, but they like to go off on their own, just kinda slow. I do have plants and a large driftwood piece with many caves and hidey holes inside. fatcatfish no bullyimg from the puffer, actually the male pearl gourami I have chases the puffer away more. Not a lot though. I'm assuming it's me overreacting but I'm not sure.

When fish go away from their group that means it's a safe tank. If one goes away from the group that could mean it's sick, but that doesn't sound like your tank