Low Oxygen.............i Guess!

[paulcarey]

Hi all, I hope someone can help me and give me some good tips here.

Woke up this morning to find my Cardinals, Loaches and corys all gasping for air from the surface (loaches all panting really fast on the bottom and Corys coming up for air every 10 seconds or so).

I will list what happened the previous night. I brought two new plants to replace some dead/dying ones, removed a rock that was cluttering up the floor, did a 20% water change (I normally do a 10% every week but due to the uneaten flakes etc on the floor I decided to make a proper job of it). I brought an armoured shrimp and the guy at the store said they like it when the air hose is pointed at an object in the tank so they can sit there and collect particle that float past (I think this may have been my downfall as I thought the surface needs to break to get oxygen into the tank?) I have an air venturi kit attached to the outlet hose which has a mind of it's own but has been working for a few days but decided to give up last night (this can't have been the problem as it has only briefly worked since I got it). Anyway, I've got a Juwel Rekord 120, in it is - 6x cardinals, fighter, dwarf Gourami, dutch ram, 4x pepper corys, 2x burmesse loaches, bristlenose, 2x algae eating shrimps (which have died as a consequence) and an armoured shrimp. This has left me in a panic and itching to get back home (I'm at work now).

Any help will be greatly appreciated,

Thanks.

 

[tttnjfttt]

need to know ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. When you did the water change, did you add in dechlorinator? Is there any chance any chemicals got into the tank, like something was sprayed in the area?

When you get home, definately do another 20% water change, as something is causing major stress for your fish.

 

[paulcarey]

need to know ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. When you did the water change, did you add in dechlorinator? Is there any chance any chemicals got into the tank, like something was sprayed in the area?

When you get home, definately do another 20% water change, as something is causing major stress for your fish.

Dechlorinator was added to one bucket but not to the other, I was in a rush and the bucket had been standing for 4 hours so I thought most of the chlorine had escaped.......please don't say this is the cause, I'll feel so guilty!! No chemicals, nothing sprayed.

I'll do a water change tonight then.

Thanks for your help.

 

[tttnjfttt]

I'm not sure exactly how long it takes chlorine to evaporate, but i'm pretty sure it should have been gone overnight. However, if you have chloramine in your water, it won't evaporate. So that could be a possile cause depending on your local water. I know i was able to find out on my local water company's web page, so there is one search for you. I know you are at work, but if someone is at home, call and have them add some dechlorinator to your tank, it won't hurt.

Also, be sure to test your water. those stats are VERY important right now.

 

[paulcarey]

I'm not sure exactly how long it takes chlorine to evaporate, but i'm pretty sure it should have been gone overnight. However, if you have chloramine in your water, it won't evaporate. So that could be a possile cause depending on your local water. I know i was able to find out on my local water company's web page, so there is one search for you. I know you are at work, but if someone is at home, call and have them add some dechlorinator to your tank, it won't hurt.

Also, be sure to test your water. those stats are VERY important right now.

I'll try and get someone round there soon. I need to get some new test kits so I'll do that sooner rather than later.

Thanks.

I'm not sure exactly how long it takes chlorine to evaporate, but i'm pretty sure it should have been gone overnight. However, if you have chloramine in your water, it won't evaporate. So that could be a possile cause depending on your local water. I know i was able to find out on my local water company's web page, so there is one search for you. I know you are at work, but if someone is at home, call and have them add some dechlorinator to your tank, it won't hurt.

Also, be sure to test your water. those stats are VERY important right now.

I'll try and get someone round there soon. I need to get some new test kits so I'll do that sooner rather than later.

So what you are saying here is you think it might be Chlorine/chloramine in the water rather than low oxygen levels?

Thanks.

 

[SamUK]

you dont need an airstone to add O2 to your water, they only help if you dont have much ripple in the waters surface.

the air bubbles coming from the stone rise too quick to break down into the water, you need good ripples on the water surface to oxygenate it.


basically what im saying or wondering i guess is, does your filter make ripples on the surface?



if it jus happened after the water change and you havent changed anything else (the plants and rocks not included) it does sound like theres more something wrong with the water than a lack of oxygen.

 

[paulcarey]

you dont need an airstone to add O2 to your water, they only help if you dont have much ripple in the waters surface.

the air bubbles coming from the stone rise too quick to break down into the water, you need good ripples on the water surface to oxygenate it.


basically what im saying or wondering i guess is, does your filter make ripples on the surface?



if it jus happened after the water change and you havent changed anything else (the plants and rocks not included) it does sound like theres more something wrong with the water than a lack of oxygen.

Hi Sam,

It wasn't an airstone, it was a venturi kit (valve and small piece of hose that connects to the end of the outlet pipe and adds air bubbles into the jet). What I did change, on the advise of the store was the direction of the outlet hose. I used to have it pointing to the surface to add ripples but then pointed it down so there was no ripple affect at all. When I came down this morning I changed to direction back to the top and after 10-15 mins the cardinals came back down to the bottom/middle but all fish were still panting heavily.

 

[SamUK]

ah sorry.


well i think you made the best move pointing it back to the surface and it would probably take a while for them to recover but i guess youll have to see what there like when your home again.

 

[paulcarey]

ah sorry.


well i think you made the best move pointing it back to the surface and it would probably take a while for them to recover but i guess youll have to see what there like when your home again.

Fingers crossed I think.

 

[paulcarey]

ah sorry.


well i think you made the best move pointing it back to the surface and it would probably take a while for them to recover but i guess youll have to see what there like when your home again.

Fingers crossed I think.

If you are interested, all fish are absolutley fine, must have been the outlet hose.

 

[tttnjfttt]

That's great to hear!

That's great to hear!

 

[paulcarey]

That's great to hear!

That's great to hear!

Tell me about it.................so relieved!