Help - Most Of Fish Swimming At Top

[gforce17]

I've read other people with this problem but never had it before. Most of my fish are swimming at the top breathing heavily - neon and bleeding heart tetras, platys particularly. Did 50% water change - Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0.1. Treated tank yesterday with fungus treatment following quantities carefully. Put airstone in temporarily. What should I do? I'm frantic!

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I would do a ~95% water change, removing all but enough water to cover the fish at the tank bottom, gasping at the tank surface is a classic symptom of nitrite poisoning (I think).

 

[Benakaben]

do you have any live oxygenating plants such as elodea in your tank?

 

[gforce17]

I would totally have agreed if the nitrite levels were above 0.3, but I will do another water change. Thanks!

do you have any live oxygenating plants such as elodea in your tank?

The tank is full of very healthy plants - in fact they're growing very quickly. I have a CO2 set up and use fertilisers regularly.

I think the thing that makes this kind of situation hard is when you feel that you're doing everything right and give them so much attention. If you haven't cycled properly or have introduced something different or left the water changes you could understand BUT......

 

[gforce17]

All is well. Thanks!

 

[KISSfn]

Have you checked the CO2 level?

 

[gforce17]

Hi K. All is well now with tank. While you're there, just put new slide into Seneye in other tank and PH is reading higher than before. Got mobile phone message saying PH is higher than my chosen limit but red light on Seneye isn't on. I think they've got some problems with the indicator lights switching on and off at the right times. Should really do this on the other post I suppose.

 

[KISSfn]

Glad all is well with you tank! How long did you soak the slide for?

 

[gforce17]

Just the 24 hours. 48 might be better next time. It's reading 7.74. Is that worryingly high?

 

[KISSfn]

7.74 is fine. It will probably settle in a day. I'm gonna soak my next one for 48 hours in the tank. Seneye told me the pH of a small container (such as for soaking a slide) would be different than your tank and then you would have to wait for it to settle in your tank.

 

[gforce17]

Thanks K.

 

[KISSfn]

Anytime!