Fish Gasping For Air, Help!

[JenHELP]

I have a tank which is 1 1/2 years old. I have 3 guppies and 4 neon tetras. I did a water change earlier today and the tank has gone very cloudy white and 2 of my guppies are gasping at the surface for air! Could it be a bacteria bloom? I wanted to do another water change but I don't have any water that has rested long enough. Will try die or what should I do?! THANKS

 

[dh058977]

If you have used a water conditioner and water that is roughly the same temp as your tank water then you dont need to leave water resting for long periods of time. Have you tested your water? What are the readings?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

It looks like you haven't added dechlorinator to the water you added to the tank. Add some dechlorinator to the tank directly immediately.

 

[JenHELP]

I don't have anything to test my water I keep meaning to buy a test kit. Do you think doing a water change will improve it or make it worse?!

I did add dechlorinator with the water I added earlier. Do you think it is a bacteria bloom?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

It sounds like a bacterial bloom but you must have done something to knock out the filter bacteria and not adding dechlorinator seems the most likely cause. Otherwise it may have been that the temperature or pH of the new water was drastically different to the tank water. Without a test kit you are in a fix because you can't tell whether the tap water is significantly different to the tank water for some reason. It may be that the pipes are being cleaned by the water authority but, again, without a test kit there's no way to tell and doing another water change may make things worse.

Add some dechlorinator to the tank, enough for the whole volume and make sure you are aerating the tank as best you can, either by making sure the filter output is agitating the water surface and/or using a bubble stone. Without some water parameters I can't really help any further.

 

[JenHELP]

I did clean the filter but maybe I cleaned it too much and upset the balance. I did really stir it up and take a fair bit of water out. I'll add some dechlorinator. I know it is a knightmare not knowing the water quality I will get one as soon as I can tomorrow.

If it is also bacterial bloom how do I improve this or is it a time thing and it will improve as I leave it? Thanks for your help by the way!

 

[Prime Ordeal]

If you've knocked the filter out, and it seems from what you say that you have, then you have to make frequent water changes to remove the toxins that are now building up, at least 50% of the water to start with. Also add enough dechlorinator for the whole tank volume when you make the water change and that will detoxify the ammonia. You must get a test kit now though because you need to monitor the ammonia and nitrite so that you know when to make water changes. Any time the ammonia or nitrite gets to 0.25ppm change 50% of the water. this could take a few days or a few weeks to stabilise depending on how badly the filter bacteria were affected.

 

[dh058977]

When you say that you cleaned the filter, how exactly did you do this? A water change with temp matched dechlorinated water is a good idea, as is getting a testing kit!

 

[JenHELP]

I took the filter apart and cleaned all the sponges and carbon in the water a removed from the tank but I did take out about 50% water as well so maybe a just removed too much bacteria.

I'll add some more water in then and add dechlorinator to it first. Fingers crossed the fish stay alive!!

 

[dh058977]

You cant remove bacteria by removing water from your tank. The bacteria is in your filter.

 

[JenHELP]

Oh ok so perhaps it was just cleaning the filter that upset the balance. I do think the cloudy water is slightly improving but they are still gasping. I just hope they don't die.

Also whilst I'm asking these questions. Any recommendations on a good water test kit?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I'd hesitate to call it good, but it is the best compromise between cost and performance: API master freshwater test kit. Cheaper on eBay usually.