Fahaka puffer breathing fast

[Colin_T]

A picture on the back of the aquarium helps the fish feel more secure because it makes the back of the tank feel solid like a stone wall.

Imagine if you didn't know what glass was and you lived in a glass house. You could feel something there but you can't get through it, but you can see through it. It would screw you up. The same thing happens to fish. They swim into the glass but can't understand what glass is.

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Without an ammonia reading from the test kit the results are inconclusive.

You want 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite (NO2) and less than 20ppm nitrate (NO3).

You have less than 20ppm nitrate, which is good but you have some nitrite and that is bad. You might also have ammonia and any ammonia is really bad but you would have to test for ammonia to get an actual reading.

 

[Marc West]

A picture on the back of the aquarium helps the fish feel more secure because it makes the back of the tank feel solid like a stone wall.

Imagine if you didn't know what glass was and you lived in a glass house. You could feel something there but you can't get through it, but you can see through it. It would screw you up. The same thing happens to fish. They swim into the glass but can't understand what glass is.

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Without an ammonia reading form the test kit the results are inconclusive.

You want 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite (NO2) and less than 20ppm nitrate (NO3).

You have less than 20ppm nitrate, which is good but you have some nitrite and that is bad. You might also have ammonia and any ammonia is really bad but you would have to test for ammonia to get an actual reading.

Really appreciate your help Colin, I have some spare background which I will put on tonight. Also have a nitrite test kit coming today so will test as soon as home. Since water change and temp up, fahaka seems better, I have loads of water movement at the surface which you can see from video. So should have plenty of oxygen. I did add a cap full of ammonia remover last night after I tested water. I'm duento test the water tonight.

 

[Marc West]

Really appreciate your help Colin, I have some spare background which I will put on tonight. Also have a nitrite test kit coming today so will test as soon as home. Since water change and temp up, fahaka seems better, I have loads of water movement at the surface which you can see from video. So should have plenty of oxygen. I did add a cap full of ammonia remover last night after I tested water. I'm duento test the water tonight.

Also an ammonia kit coming today too

 

[Colin_T]

Really appreciate your help Colin, I have some spare background which I will put on tonight. Also have a nitrite test kit coming today so will test as soon as home. Since water change and temp up, fahaka seems better, I have loads of water movement at the surface which you can see from video. So should have plenty of oxygen. I did add a cap full of ammonia remover last night after I tested water. I'm duento test the water tonight.

You don't need another nitrite test kit because you have results for nitrite already.

If that was a typo and you meant ammonia test kit, then yes you do need one and it is good you have ordered one.

 

[Marc West]

You don't need another nitrite test kit because you have results for nitrite already.

If that was a typo and you meant ammonia test kit, then yes you do need one and it is good you have ordered one.

Yes was a typo, I'll update my full readings later tonight

 

[Marc West]

Hi colin

New readings are

No3 25
No2 0
Gh 8
Kh 6
Ph 6.4
Cl2 0
Ammonia 0

 

[Colin_T]

The ammonia and nitrite are fine but your nitrates have shot up rapidly and your pH has dropped a lot.

How much food are you adding to the tank?

You don't want sudden or dramatic changes in pH because it can harm the fish.

Maybe retest the water and see if those results are correct. If they are then something is not quite right. The only way nitrates would go up that much is if you put in heaps of food.

The pH shouldn't drop like that when you have a KH of 6.

 

[Marc West]

Just done readings again, I feed fahaka a snail and small fish for breakfast and small snail when I get home.

No3 25
No2 0
Gh 8
Kh 4
Ph 6.4
Cl2 0

Puffer is eating all I put down in 5 - 10 mins depending on size of snail. I will check there no remains of fish in tank but I would see any earlier

 

[Marc West]

The ammonia and nitrite are fine but your nitrates have shot up rapidly and your pH has dropped a lot.

How much food are you adding to the tank?

You don't want sudden or dramatic changes in pH because it can harm the fish.

Maybe retest the water and see if those results are correct. If they are then something is not quite right. The only way nitrates would go up that much is if you put in heaps of food.

The pH shouldn't drop like that when you have a KH of 6.

Just done readings again, I feed fahaka a snail and small fish for breakfast and small snail when I get home.

No3 25
No2 0
Gh 8
Kh 4
Ph 6.4
Cl2 0

Puffer is eating all I put down in 5 - 10 mins depending on size of snail. I will check there no remains of fish in tank but I would see any earlier

 

[Colin_T]

The pH and KH are dropping rapidly. Perhaps add a piece of limestone, some shells or dead coral rubble to the tank or filter to help stabilise the pH.

Add a small amount and monitor the pH over a week. If it continues to drop then add another piece and monitor for another week, etc. Continue doing this until the pH stabilises and doesn't drop.

 

[Marc West]

The pH and KH are dropping rapidly. Perhaps add a piece of limestone, some shells or dead coral rubble to the tank or filter to help stabilise the pH.

Add a small amount and monitor the pH over a week. If it continues to drop then add another piece and monitor for another week, etc. Continue doing this until the pH stabilises and doesn't drop.

Are they dropping due to temp rise? I'll have to find some today at fish shop. Or anything I can add chemicals wise to increase.

 

[Colin_T]

Temperature has nothing to do with pH or KH.

Acids in the water cause pH and KH to drop. Anything that breaks down in the water causes acids to form. These are neutralised by the carbonates and bicarbonates (KH) in the water. If there are too many acids or not enough KH, then the pH will drop.

Limestone, coral rubble and shells are primarily calcium carbonate and will help neutralise the acids so the pH doesn't drop.

 

[Marc West]

Temperature has nothing to do with pH or KH.

Acids in the water cause pH and KH to drop. Anything that breaks down in the water causes acids to form. These are neutralised by the carbonates and bicarbonates (KH) in the water. If there are too many acids or not enough KH, then the pH will drop.

Limestone, coral rubble and shells are primarily calcium carbonate and will help neutralise the acids so the pH doesn't drop.

OK thank you, how much limestone should I add, or is it that case of getting a few small limestone rocks and placing them in the tank ans just monitor daily

 

[Colin_T]

Add a few small pieces and monitor the pH over a week

 

[Marc West]

Add a few small pieces and monitor the pH over a week

Thank you, never had this much of an issue with water before