Rapid Breathing

[Shaucid]

This morning when I got up to do my morning feeding of my fish I noticed my platies were rapidly breathing and gulping air from the surface, my gourami seemed to be doing fine though. Immediately I whipped out my emergency battery powered air pump and started aerating the water. It's improving slowly, the platies aren't gulping air anymore, but they're still rapidly breathing. I've heard to check the filter system when this happens, what do I look for there? Any help would be appreciated.

-Thanks

 

[the_lock_man]

These symptoms aren't necessarily a lack of oxygen. It could also be ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

If it is a lack of oxygen, you need to make sure that the filter outlet is causing sufficient rippling of the water surface. Pumping air bubbles into the water does little to increase oxygenisation, except for where the bubbles cause more rippling of the water surface.

Just to be sure, also test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as well.

 

[techen]

I would have asked, Did you cycle you're tank? When do you do water changes?

 

[Shaucid]

Nitrite is at 0 PPM, Nitrate is around maybe 0-10 PPM. PH 8.0. I don't have an ammonia test kit. The filter is internal, so it doesn't move the water surface too much. Since I've turned on the air pump the platies are no longer rapidly breathing as much as they used too. Filter model is Aqueon QuietFlow AT10 Internal power filter.

 

[techen]

Nitrite is at 0 PPM, Nitrate is around maybe 0-10 PPM. PH 8.0. I don't have an ammonia test kit. The filter is internal, so it doesn't move the water surface too much. Since I've turned on the air pump the platies are no longer rapidly breathing as much as they used too. Filter model is Aqueon QuietFlow AT10 Internal power filter.

Water change, 50%. If you don't know what the ammonia is I wouldn't risk it.

 

[Shaucid]

I got the tank mid october, set it up on the same day I got it, let it ran for about a week before getting my fish. I don't know about cycling.

I do a 30% water change every week.

 

[techen]

I got the tank mid october, set it up on the same day I got it, let it ran for about a week before getting my fish. I don't know about cycling.

I do a 30% water change every week.

How long you had the fish then?

 

[Shaucid]

I got the gourami about a week after the day I got the aquarium, I got the 3 platies about 2 weeks after I got the gourami. I've completed the water change, Nitrate and Nitrite levels didn't move.

 

[techen]

I got the gourami about a week after the day I got the aquarium, I got the 3 platies about 2 weeks after I got the gourami. I've completed the water change, Nitrate and Nitrite levels didn't move.

Do you add some kind of water safe stuff? Like prime or stresscoat.

 

[Shaucid]

No, I didn't. The only chemical I add to the water is Aqueon Water Conditioner when I do water changes.

 

[techen]

Well the water change should have lowered the ammonia levels so they should relax.

 

[Shaucid]

Yes they have stopped rapidly breathing, I will be buying an ammonia test kit and maybe a permanent air pump just in case. Thanks for the help, it's much appreciated.

 

[ColR1948]

Buy some 'Prime' to add to the fresh water, it acts a dechlorinator plus it will help remove some of the Ammonia, but as already suggested you will need to keep the water changes up as the Ammonia won't go with just one change.

Just had another thought, do you know anybody who has a fully established tank that you could get some filter media off, by adding that to your filter it should speed things up?

 

[the_lock_man]

If you don't have an ammonia test, but do have nitrate and nitrite, am I right in my assumption that these are the paper test strips? If so, I would strongly suggest you ditch them, and buy a proper liquid test kit set (API and Nutrafin are the recommended manufacturers), they cost a bit, but they are so much more accurate, in general, than the paper things.

Also have a read of the clicky link in my signature area, it will detail what you need to be doing, and why you need to be doing it.