Lethargic Fish

[kiriyama]

I will try to give as much info as possible.
Yesterday the end cap from the spraybar came off, I thought I had put it back on securly but obviously not. I was away from home nearly all afternnon and night, returned this evening.
The end cap was off and hardly any flow, nearly all fish including the Dwarf Comps were up the top level of water gasping for air.
MTS wer climbing up the glass also. I tried a few times to get the end cap on but to no avail. I found a spray bar from an old internal filter and made it fit.
Readings
pH 7.8
Nitrate 5ppm (mg/L)
Nitrite 0ppm (mg/L)
Ammonia 0ppm
Don't know how accurate thermometer is but it was reading 29C, the water did feel quite warm to the touch, did 30% water change.

Found 1 dead Julidochromis Dickfeldi
By this point the Dwarf Comps were either hiding in the log for the Plec or laying on there sides on the sand gasping for air.
I stripped the filter, cleaned media, turned teperature down a notch and have the lights out, I have 2 buckets of dechlor water in the room coming up to room temp, another water change tomorrow morning, praying no more casulties
Any suggestions/ideas?

 

[Harlequins]

Sorry to hear about your loss

My ends on the tetratec filters pop off for a pass time,but i haven't lost any fish through it...although i do have a bubbler in there also...

Perhaps you could put an airstone in to increase airation?

I hope the rest will be ok

 

[kiriyama]

I done another water change today, 50%. Couldn't see the other Juli anywhere so took out all the rocks, found her under the Plec. log
The spray bar seems to be doing the job fine and theres a god ripple on the surface. Cleaned filter intake etc. Tank seems fine and fish seem to be picking up a bit, one of the female Dwarf Comps still very pale and shy, fingers crossed. Do you think it is possible that this was caused by the lack of flow ?

 

[WILDER]

Lack of aeration can cause gasping.

R.I.P.

What test kit are you using?