Fish breathing heavy

[Plecolover18]

On Sunday I got 2 discus, after I got them I raised my temp up to 86 degrees, then this afternoon all the fish even the discus started to breath heavy, so I looked it up online and it said it was oxygen content in the water. I have low nitrates nitrite PH and ammonia so that's no and issue, I also added a Bubbler to add air. I lost a cory catfish today and Im try to keep my discus Alive can you guys conform that it's lack of oxygen and the heavy breathing will get better soon?

 

[Countrydodgegal]

The higher you put the temputure the less oxygen there is in the water. Try bringing it down to around 80-82 if you like it on the higher side. Make sure no one has white spots on them it could be ich that's sounds like what I'm going threw right now. If you have fish that can tolerate it add some aquarium salt it will help them breath

 

[bshenanagins]

Corries really don't belong in a discus tank as the temperatures are really too high for them so I can see why you lost one. The heavy breathing can also be stress, how did you acclimate them?

 

[Cactuspixie]

The higher you put the temputure the less oxygen there is in the water. Try bringing it down to around 80-82 if you like it on the higher side. Make sure no one has white spots on them it could be ich that's sounds like what I'm going threw right now. If you have fish that can tolerate it add some aquarium salt it will help them breath

Salt won't help them breathe, but fresh clean oxygenated water will.
To OP- The tank (along with some of your others listed in your profile) has stock with incompatible needs, so whatever you do the interests of one or other species will be compromised.

 

[Plecolover18]

Salt won't help them breathe, but fresh clean oxygenated water will. To OP- The tank (along with some of your others listed in your profile) has stock with incompatible needs, so whatever you do the interests of one or other species will be compromised.

I always do research on fish before I get them and a always talk to my LFS first plus that bio is not up to date!

 

[Fishfur]

You say low nitrites, nitrates, pH and ammonia, but that really does not tell us enough. Can you give us specific readings from the tank ?

You can lower the water level so that water from the filter splashes, and add another air stone, all of which will increase gas exchange, which will assist in bettering the oxygen level, but very warm water can't hold as much as it can at cooler temperatures, it's simply the way it works. I would drop the temp to 80-82 at most, at least until the fish are comfortable and appear to breathing normally for a week or so.

It appears to be the case that they may breed better at the higher end of their temperature range, and even grow faster, but if they can't breathe well that's not going to be much of an issue.

And I agree, cories are not warm water fishes. They prefer it much cooler and are going to suffer ongoing stress, which will shorten their lives, in a tank kept at 80 or higher. They can tolerate it for short periods, but it's not what they want or do best in.

Mine are doing very well at 72-74, and it has been colder than that at times. Temperature control is difficult here as I have no control over the heating in my apartment, and can't afford a system that uses a thermostat for the fans.