My fish appear to be gasping for air. They all seem to be very inactive and are mainly resting on the bottom. The tank has good filtration and water quality is fine, ph 7.2, Nitrite 0 and ammonia 0. The tank has also had a recent water change. Although they are breathing rapidly, none of them are coming to the surface for air so I am confused. Any ideas? The fish in my tank are: Banded leporinus', various ciclids, shovelnose, clown loaches and plecs. The tank has been setup for over 6 months and this is the first time i have noticed this.
Gasping fish!
- Thread starter SteveInEssex
- Start date
Sorry to hear about your dilema. 
First, I'd like to ask you if you have any air pumps going in this tank? Do you have live plants? Can you give the size of your tank, exact filters (best of your ability), and temp of tank. Is your water warmer than usual? Also did you do the water change before or after you noticed them gasping for air?
Any of this info will help me find your possible problems.
First, I'd like to ask you if you have any air pumps going in this tank? Do you have live plants? Can you give the size of your tank, exact filters (best of your ability), and temp of tank. Is your water warmer than usual? Also did you do the water change before or after you noticed them gasping for air?Any of this info will help me find your possible problems.
The tank is a 400 litre Juwel aquarium. It came with a built in internal filter and I added an external eheim professional. I have only noticed the problem after the water change, but as stated i have checked all water parameteres and everything seems fine. I dont have any plants as my fish won't allow it!!! I have noticed the water temp is maybe slightly higher than usual, but nothing major, its around 80 deg when if i recall correctly it may have been 78-79 last time i checked.
That slight temp increase could be enough to reduce the available oxygen. I'd crank up the surface agitation (a powerhead, or a bubbler of some kind). In the short term, try replacing 10-15% with water that is cooler than the tank. If that perks them up, it's probably the low oxygen.
None of the fish you mention will be able to get significant oxygen from the surface. Some fish, like cories, can gulp air and absorb the O2 from their gut, while bettas and gouramies gulp air into the labrynth organ in their heads. Most fish don't have either of these choices, so resort to being quiet and fluttering fins to increase the water movement over their gills.
None of the fish you mention will be able to get significant oxygen from the surface. Some fish, like cories, can gulp air and absorb the O2 from their gut, while bettas and gouramies gulp air into the labrynth organ in their heads. Most fish don't have either of these choices, so resort to being quiet and fluttering fins to increase the water movement over their gills.
Thank you, i was in the process of a water change anyway, and have replaced about 20% with cooler water. The fish were doing what you said about rapidly moving their fins. I will see how they get on now that the water is cooler.
Thanks.
Thanks.
I agree with OG. You may also have tap water that is depleted of Oxygen (more than normal) and you may have added some higher temp water (?). Anyways, I'd definately work on getting some surface agitation with some bubbles. If your water level is high (above the outlets of the filters) you can temporarily lower the water level so that the water is splashing down into the tank. This will quickly oxygenate the tank. Keep an eye on them for about an hour after you start this and see what they look like then. Hopefully, they will perk back up.
If this does work, you need to add some surface agitation to your tank on a more permanent basis, just to make sure this doesn't happen in the future. Or, if you don't mind more effort, you can oxygenate tap water in a large bucket for a day before adding to your tank.
If this does work, you need to add some surface agitation to your tank on a more permanent basis, just to make sure this doesn't happen in the future. Or, if you don't mind more effort, you can oxygenate tap water in a large bucket for a day before adding to your tank.
You should have no oxygen problems with your juwel 400 if the power head is set correctly to create a disturbance on the water surface, even without the additional external filter.
I think your problem might be overstocking, or maybe your cichlids have grown to big,do you have many?
I know the tank is big but you never know.
Just trying to help cheers.
I think your problem might be overstocking, or maybe your cichlids have grown to big,do you have many?
I know the tank is big but you never know.
Just trying to help cheers.
did you remember to put in de-chlorinator?
what about maybe stirring up a pocket of anerobic nastiness.?
how much water did you change the first time?
i have heard tales in spring time about municipal water systems becomes contaminated. test your tap water for nastys... or maybe even call the public utility and ask if they have done anything different to the water. also heard something about chloramane being added instead of chlorine. i dont know what chloramane is..
if the oxuygen is there maybe there is something else there that shouldnt be.
what about maybe stirring up a pocket of anerobic nastiness.?
how much water did you change the first time?
i have heard tales in spring time about municipal water systems becomes contaminated. test your tap water for nastys... or maybe even call the public utility and ask if they have done anything different to the water. also heard something about chloramane being added instead of chlorine. i dont know what chloramane is..
if the oxuygen is there maybe there is something else there that shouldnt be.
Loaches, like corys, can absorb O2 through their digestive tracts and should be gulping air at the surface if its an O2 shortage issue.
Anything that might suggest parasites? Are the gills normal in color? How frequent are the water changes?
Cooler water can hold more gas than warmer water so introducing fresh cool tap will bring more oxygen in but it also can cause a fishy problem equivalent to the bends where gas coming out of solution in tissue can damage their gills, which would be bad if they already have something irritating their gills. Use caution and maybe a different technique for scaling the temp back several degrees.
Anything that might suggest parasites? Are the gills normal in color? How frequent are the water changes?
Cooler water can hold more gas than warmer water so introducing fresh cool tap will bring more oxygen in but it also can cause a fishy problem equivalent to the bends where gas coming out of solution in tissue can damage their gills, which would be bad if they already have something irritating their gills. Use caution and maybe a different technique for scaling the temp back several degrees.
thanks for all the help and advice, thought i should let you know that the fish have returned to normal and are all perfectly fine now. seemed to be just a temp problem, after i lowered the water a few degrees they started swimming normally practically straight away. I didn't realise an increase in temp by 2-3 deg would make such a difference. So thanks again all.