Fish gasping at surface

[Fiori]

I have been treating my tank for a fungal outbreak and all seemed to be going well. As I have had some problems recently, I decided to give the tank a good vacuum, re-arranged the decor and made more swimming space by removing a piece of bogwood. I did a larger 50 - 60% water change and the fish seemed happy, swimming about in the open a lot more, especially my corys.

Now most of them are hanging about at the surface, which is definitely not normal behaviour for them. The loaches seem ok so far though, but the tetras, platys, harlequins and angelfish are glued to the top. Tested the water - everything is spot on, except the pH seems to have dropped from 6.8 last week, to 6.4 now (is 7 from the tap). Water circulation good, from 2 filters.

Help! What can I do? Is this hypoxia or something else?

 

[WILDER]

How big is the tank, if you have done a large water change it sounds like ph shock if your tap is 7, what is the ph now.

 

[Tolak]

Usually gasping fish indicates an O2 problem, the meds may have caused a cycling problem. Ammo or nitrites inhibit a fish's ability to process O2. I would increase aeration, either by adding an airstone, or dropping the water level if you have a hob filter. Just make sure you don't drop the level below what the heater needs to function properly.

Tolak

 

[Fiori]

Thats the strange thing - the tank is a juwel rio 180, so prolly has about 37 galls of water in it. The pH normally sits at 6.8 as I have coral sand to buffer my very soft water. It sits at 6.8 even after a water change of 30%, which is my usual weekly change. After the bigger one today, it is lower and sitting at 6.4 - assuming that it was 6.8 as usual before I did the water change.

I am wondering if I put too much liquid fertiliser in this time, as I've only been putting in half the recommended dose until today - will it be ok to do a very small change - couple of buckets, on top of what I've done today already?

 

[Fiori]

Ammo and nitrites both at 0 - I also adjusted the water flow pipe to increase the aeration, as much as I can with a Juwel tank and no airstone.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.eutechinst.com/techtips/tech-tips36.htm

 

[Fiori]

Well, I've changed two buckets of water and some of the fish seem a bit happier - I'll keep an eye on them and see how it goes. Maybe it was the liquid fertiliser after all. Thanks everyone for your contributions.

 

[WILDER]

Good to hear that.

 

[Fiori]

Hmmm - they have started again - don't really know what else to try now

 

[WILDER]

I don't no what to suggest either sorry.

 

[Fiori]

Thanks anyway Wilder. Fingers crossed for overnight!

 

[WILDER]

Yes fingers crossed, good luck, let us all no how they go on.

 

[sylvia]

If all sign of the fungus is gone but you are still continuing the treatment, it may be an idea to stop now. More water changes wouldn't hurt either. Consider putting some carbon into the filter for the next week ro so. It may be that the medication is allowing less oxygen to get into the water (though I have no idea what could have caused the pH drop except the fertiliser - I would have thought, having removed the wood, that the pH would increase - then again, the amount of O2 can play a role in pH - I just wouldn't expect the difference to appear now if you've been treating already for a while).

 

[Fiori]

As far as I can see all my fish are still alive this morning, but they are definitely unhappy. Still gasping at the surface! I changed another 2 buckets of water, which temporarily perked them up a bit, but my piggie angel is not eating either, which is not like him at all.

I put a carbon pad in last night, no more medication anyway - I don't know what else to do now. I don't want to lose my fish, especially my angel. Do you think there might be something in the tap water? I have racked my brains and I can't think of anything I should'nt have done - it's all stemmed from doing a large water change yesterday.

 

[Fiori]

My fish are ok - swimming about normally, no more hanging about gasping at the surface and eating fine. Its a mystery - but I am so happy, I thought I had a major problem on my hands. Yeyyy!