Opening And Closing Mouths Rapidly?

[SamLovesCorys]

Some of my fish (Predominantly Rummynose Tetras and Black Neons) are breathing rapidly, opening and closing their mouths and gills. Ammonia etc are all fine and I did a water change today, so I wondered if it was oxygen levels or just natural behaviour. Do I need to add my air pump?

Thanks, Sam

 

[MBOU]

Emergency water test!!

Did you clean the filter as well? And if so, how? Under the tap?
How much water did you change etc?
How big is tank and how long has it been set up?

Chances are it might be a big ole ammonia/nitrite spike.

Any bottle of cycle/filterstart etc might help but testing is urgent.

 

[TenaciousG_]

hello? He's already said he's tested.
I used to have this problem with my tetras, Air pump defintely needed!

 

[SamLovesCorys]

All tested came out as zero, so i'm going to add my air pump again.

 

[gillicous]

my head and tail light tetras do the same and have done since i had them ,the cardinals on the other hand dont gasp at all i run an air pump also

 

[BeezerGeezer]

All tested came out as zero, so i'm going to add my air pump again.

I'd agree, my red eye tetras panting is the first indication that the o2 is getting low.

 

[MBOU]

I meant retest, double check with a different test kit.

 

[SamLovesCorys]

Is it perhaps natural behaviour(?), because even with an air pump and perfect water conditions they are still doing it.

 

[BeezerGeezer]

Ate they gathered at the surface? That will be a good indication that o2 is low.

 

[Bugdozer]

I had just one fish that was gipping its mouth quickly like this. All the others were normal, and apart from the mouth movement every other aspect of that fish's behaviour was normal. It did not go to the surface. I did about a 70% water change, but it didn't stop gipping, and the following morning it was dead. The behaviour came on immediately after feeding them, and I wonder if it had something stuck in its throat it was trying to swallow. I had thought maybe a temporary high ammonia or nitrite level did it, but it seemed unlikely as that's not something you ever see mentioned in symptoms of that, and if it was bad enough to kill one fish stone dead, the chances of the other fish being completely symptom free struck me as unlikely. It remains the only fish death I've had (so far) and examining the corpse gave me no visible clues.

 

[hensonc4098]

If it is O2 levels, the fish will be at the surface and the addition of an air pump should have shown a difference within a few hours.

If they're eating fine and seem healthy, I wouldn't bother

 

[SamLovesCorys]

I'll take it out then, as they seem healthy and were never at the surface.