HELP !!!!! Tetra fish gasping at the top of my tank

[Jovey_Jove]

Ey I've had my tank for a year now I noticed when I got home today all my fish are at the top of my tank gasping, mouth movement very fast open and closing checked ammonia level check 0, what can it be I need expert help plz !!!!

 

[pip walters]

Could be
A - dissolved oxygen is low. Has the temperature increased at all?
B - parasite infection affecting the gills. Gill flukes, chilodonella, trichodina irritate the gills causing the fish to produce excessive mucucs which clogs the gills making it harder to breathe. Blocked gills can also become infected with Branchyomices which further damage the gills. Can you see if the gills appear swollen or excessively 'open' and can you see any fluffy or slimy mucus in and around the gills? A dip with 15 grams of aquarium salt per litre (use water from the tank) can help clear the gills.

Check your other parameters nitrite pH nitrate.... toxic shock can also cause rapid breathing. Then, perform a 30-40% water change to dilute any problem there may be with water quality.

 

[Jovey_Jove]

Yeah I put 100w heater temp increased not fast but all happend yesterday, from 25 26 to about 28, and today the fish are acting normally, no2 =0 no3 = 0 and ph 7.5, I have rasboras, tetras n 1 gobie and 2 betas, one of my female white one got red dot on her side n her lips looking quiet red aswell, yday they where acting very strange at the top of the tank all of the tetras n rasboras n gobies today they are relaxed, swiming normally only thing is there mouth opens a little what can that be ? Is it normal? Thank you for your help you a professional, I think it was from the heater deffenetly but now not sure about there mouth abit opening any news about that ?

 

[pip walters]

When you say open a little, do you mean they are 'gaping' and not closing the mouth properly or only opening the mouth now and then?

It is unusual to have 0 NO3 in a filtered tank, are you confident that your test kits are accurate? Keep a close eye on these water parameters over the next few days and do small water changes if you notice any rise in ammonia and nitrite - if deoxygenation has taken place, then there may have been de-nitrification, where the bacteria use the oxygen molecules from nitrate instead of from the water and release the nitrogen can be reduced back to ammonia.

The red dot and mouth may be bacteria.

Have you done a water change?

 

[Jovey_Jove]

There just opening n closing don't look serious is it normal ? Just there mouth, I moved the female out of the community she's in a 20 litre, and yeah I'm sure it's 0, it's drops should be very accurate why does it sound strange ? And I think it was just the heater I put it abit to up yesterday that's why they where at the top but today they seem fine, you think it could be something else, ?

 

[pip walters]

It sounds strange because nitrate is the end product of the nitrogen cycle, so there is normally some in the water unless it is chemically removed or totally used up by plants or algae

It sounds like it may just have been temperature/low oxygen, but keep a close eye out for any changes in water quality and fish behaviour

 

[Jovey_Jove]

Yeah will thnx I use salt, that might kill of nitrate I do have a lot of plants aswell

 

[BBradbury]

Fish in Trouble

Ey I've had my tank for a year now I noticed when I got home today all my fish are at the top of my tank gasping, mouth movement very fast open and closing checked ammonia level check 0, what can it be I need expert help plz !!!!

Hello Jov...

I'd suggest a good water change and check your filtration. It may not be working properly. The filter should be providing good water movement at the surface. In other words, getting oxygen in the water and allowing carbon dioxide to escape. You could attach a length of tubing to an air pump and run the tube down the side of the tank. Plug in the air pump and you'll have instant water movement.

Tank temperature is important too. Most aquarium fish prefer their water in the 76 - 80 degree range.

B

 

[Jovey_Jove]

I'm going to do a 50% water change on Saturday, or maybe tomorrow, I moved the filtre so the water is flowing abit more, tempreture is around 78 79, now they look fine I think because I put a heater in to high, but I'm monintering them just incase guys don't want nothing strange happening, plus I'm getting a 200 l after Christmas going to move all the tetras there n leave my beta gobie and one plec some shrimps in the 100, n put my frog in the 100 aswell rite now I'm making him grow abit in a 15 litre

 

[Jovey_Jove]

I think it was just water filthy, cuz I noticed it was yellowish I did a 50 percent water change cleaned my filtre and now the water is stunning