Oxygen content or chemical problem?

[Grassguy]

What are the other readings on your tap. Does it have any chlorine, chloramine, ammonia? Have you tried using an airstone. Might not be good for the plants but help the fish. I personally have an airstone for aesthetics, and my plants are doing fine. I'm not sure this is an answer, but may help. just my 2c

Has you water dept recently done anything different? That may cause a change in what you add to the tank.

 

[bortsamson]

water dept. around here uses chlorine, the water reeks of it.
Now, they may have recently added something to the water to deal with the cold, perhaps
I have a smaller 4 gallon planted that has a betta and a snail, with a UGF powered by an airstone, and the plants in there are doing great, so maybe I will use an airstone or somethin on the other tank too, this morning I moved the output of the fluval up again to actually spill into the water, that should help with oxygen problem
Now, interesting point, since I moved the output of the filter to disturb the surface of the water, the plants seem to be doing better, now, it could be because I started using fertilizer(sp? I'm lazy) but regardless, update, the fish are looking much better and breathing normal---er again, I will have to research this some more, thanks for helping, any more ideas, dont be afraid to tell me, hehe

 

[bortsamson]

ok, I do believe I found the issue

water out of my tank(from tap) PH 7.8
water IN my tank PH 6.6

so, in the process of doing my water change, I exposed my poor fishies to PH shock:shake: :shake: . Nobody is dead, or looking hurt, but i know it did stress them, but I only did this twice
I now age my water and am running the water-to-be-changed thru peat to get the levels the same
I just feel bad for my fish, they suffered cause of my ignorance, but, everyone does make mistakes, right??