Fish gasping for air

[chickenkev]

Hi foksl, I would appreciate some help. I have a 120 Jewel aquarium, 6x Harlequin rasbora, 1x angelfish and 1x red-tailed shark. To be honest, I have neglected them a bit, and I haven't taken any measurements recently, or done any water changes for many weeks. There was one plant in the tank, and an extensive brush algae problem.

Yesterday I decided to have a clean out, so I did a 100% water change, scrubbed the sides and put in clean gravel. I removed the single plant also, although alive it was looking worse for wear.I changed 3/7 filter pads in an effort to keep the biological filter. Last evening and this morning fish were fine. On coming home from work, all the fish are gasping at the top. The water has gone cloudy compared to last night when it was crystal clear. I did use water conditioner.

Temp is 27.2 (stable compared to before change) pH 8.5 approx (very hard water around here, but of course this is also unchanged), ammonia 0, nitrites 0.2mg/l and nitrate 5mg/l.

I have turned the water nozzle to agitate the surface and am off to do a 20% water change. Please give me any further advice or help, thanks

 

[miran3773]

Waters in shock, gasping at top usually means lack of oxygen in water therefore there trying to get some.

 

[Wilkes]

Waters in shock, gasping at top usually means lack of oxygen in water therefore there trying to get some.

Or the water is too hot but if you mentioned it's a steady 27 then I'm not sure... I would do another 25% wc

 

[Starka]

I hope everything turns out well.
Doing a too big of a wc and can send fish into a shocked state, cus they are used to the water prams in the tank compared to the fresh water going in.
I don't think that more wc will help, but maybe someone can chime in that knows for sure.

 

[Starka]

If you think is low oxygen you could take out some water so the filter will splash making more oxygen in the tank or get a bubbler to break the surface more.

 

[chickenkev]

Thanks for your replies everyone, I am a bit happier as they seem more settled and have come back down now. Never seen my red-tail up at the top before, but he is back prowling around the bottom now. Undoubtedly positioning the filter jet outlet to break the surface and aerate the water more is what has helped. I suppose there was a lot of plant material in the tank yesterday and almost none today, this may what has made the difference? Less oxygen, although many people have no live plants in their tanks, as you say the fish may just get used to what they are living in. Not sure about the cloudiness though. When I have the chance I think I will get some more plants to put in.

Will not be letting it get into such a state again.

 

[Starka]

Glad everyone is doing better
I wonder if its a bacteria bloom? I don't know much about those.