Help diagnosing possible dropsy/bloat in cherry barb

[antelope321]

I have 12 cherry barbs in a quarantine tank about 1.5 weeks after purchase. I'm not sure how long it's been but I noticed about 3 days ago this one male looked fatter and bigger than the others. All the other males are thin and swimming fast around, this guy is moving slower and mouth opening/closing. I'm trying to figure it if it would be dropsy/bloating or something else. No one else in the tank looks like they have this as of now - just the single male. I know the pictures aren't the best but maybe someone has some ideas or experienced something similar with their cherrys.

Water parameters are 0 amm/nitrite, ~5pmm nitrate. I just did a 50% water change today. Have not medicated anything in the tank.

My questions I have are

• Does this appear to be dropsy or bloat?
• If needed to be medicated, should I pull him out or do the whole tank? What type of meds are recommended?
• If I pull him out, can he sit in a jar with no filters/heat for a couple days for the meds? I saw a video that a guy took his fish out for 3 days in a glass jar, applied epsom salt and put him back although with no air bubbles or filter seems odd.
• Today would will 2 days since no food in the tank, should I not feed today or take him out to feed the tank? Feeding schedule needed if it's bloat?
• Is he a goner and just a matter of time?
• Any advice/tips?

 

[A201]

If the Barb continues to eat, recovery is likely. On the other hand, a hunger strike is not good and things probably won't end well.

Bloat is often a precursor to an intestinal infection. Don't waste your time trying to medicate for Bloat. Antibiotics rarely cure aquarium fish and often cause more harm than good towards the aquarium environment.

I've had fish live relatively long lives in a bloated condition. In those cases the problem obviously wasn't a bacteral infection, but was likely a genetic predisposition to be bloated.

The listed pic is a very bloated female Rosy Barb I once kept. She was a normal juvenile Rosy Barb upon purchase. Within a year or so her gut began to swell. The Barb continued to eat and act normally for the next two years. She passed away a few months ago.

I don't think what ever is causing the bloating is readily contagious. If things look obvious the poor guy is going belly up, definitely remove him. Otherwise just keep an eye on him, hopefully he pulls through.