Fish gasping for air

21 posts • Page 1 of 3

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Captainbabba
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:53 pm

Fish gasping for air

by Captainbabba

Like the topic says, fish are gasping for air, and my bottom feeders(pleco's and catfish) are breathing very heavy. Just started today, its seems lack of oxygen, just don't know what caused it or what to do. Ammonia and nitrate are at zero, PH is at about 6.4 which is low but that been a problem of mine with this tank for about 6 months now. My theory for the low PH is the tank is overcrowed, I have 18 fish in a 36 gallon tank. The average size of the fish is about three inches, I do weekly water changes. The water is a little cloudy so a algea bloom might be coming, would that cause the fish to gasp for air? Any idea's?
Thanks


jdak702
 
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:26 am

by jdak702

How do you keep your nitrates at 0 with an overstocked tank? I'd just recommend larger water changes. You can raise the pH slowly with baking soda.


Captainbabba
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:53 pm

by Captainbabba

Thanks for the reply. Thats what I was kinda thinking with my theory of the tank being overstocked, if it was overstocked you would think the nitrate and ammonia would not be at 0. I just checked them both today and they were at 0, but thats all I got on the PH being a little low. I actually do the baking soda thing one day in between weekly water changes. I can try bigger water changes but I get nervous about throwing off the bacteria tank cycle.


stingraysrule
 
Posts: 271
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:37 pm

by stingraysrule

You can use crushed coral in your filter to bring up the PH.
Good flowing water and an airstone will also help.
If this is a planted tank than run the airstone when the lights are off if you are using CO2.
CO2 will bring your PH down, but should not effect the fish. The PH is different with CO2, than the OTHER PH, which might be caused with driftwood.


mro2you2
 
Posts: 625
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:37 pm

by mro2you2

get a bubble wand or something.


myklein2
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 1:38 am

by myklein2

If your ammonia is at zero your nitrite is probably at zero. Your nitrate is not at zero. An overstocked and overfed fish tank will cause the water to become cloudy and have an increased nitrate level. Your biological filtration turns ammonia and nitrite into nitrate.

You have to do more water changes and try to cut back on feeding.

Your pH is not causing the lack of oxygen.


myklein2
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 1:38 am

by myklein2

You can add aeration to your tank to increase the amount of oxygen in the water, but it is usually a minimal increase. You need an air pump with an airstone or bubble wand. The air bubbles they create does not add oxygen to the water. There is only a slight increase of oxygen from the popping of the air bubbles on the water surface.

The easiest way to increase oxygen in the water is to lower your water level. By having the water fall further into your tank from the filter it will agitate the water (like popping bubbles on the surface from an air stone) and aerate the water.


jdak702
 
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:26 am

by jdak702

Well done myklein2... +1 to everything.


Captainbabba
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:53 pm

by Captainbabba

Thanks guys. I actually tried a couple of those things yesterday. I put a air stone going, lowered the water a little when I did a water change and fed them less the last two days. Some fish still seem stressed but their not gasping for air anymore and thankfully no one died. Definitly have to work on finding new homes for a few of my fish.


mro2you2
 
Posts: 625
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:37 pm

by mro2you2

agreed on that statement and a powerhead near the surface would help.

Fish gasping for air

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