Fishes cannot breath

[Antimoine]

I've got a 33g aquarium populated with a loach, an algea eater, a dozen mixed rasbora and neons and danios, a molly and a choco gourami. A few of my fishes are trying hard to breath and i'm wondering if the tank is oxygenated enough. I was told that the filter created enough water movement for that but since I noticed that I placed 2 airstones as well.

And btw the stats areh 7.2, temp 25, am 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5, I have live plants too.

Please tell me if there is enough air or if something else is wrong.

 

[rich311k]

If O2 was the problem they should start breathing better soon after the introduction of the airstones. Are they hanging out at the top? Otherwise there could be other things wrong with them.

 

[Antimoine]

Well they were at the top this morning when I introduced the stones but I'll know if they're ok later today.

Should I install the airstones as a definitive solution or is the filter flow usually enough?
Is there too many fishes in the tank ?

 

[Menagerie]

What size is the filter and has it been cleaned lately?

 

[Antimoine]

The filter is a Aquaclear 610 (or 200 or 50, it's old), It was cleaned like 2 months ago when I had a nitrate peak (40). All is ok now.

 

[rich311k]

You should rinse the sponges out least once a month in old tank water. Weekly if they get dirty fast. The reduced water flow can reduce you O2 saturation as well as making the filter less efficient.

 

[Antimoine]

Well .... I'm back home and I have a casuality.... 1 dead rasbora.
As for the sponge it is rinsed twice a month, every 2 pwc....
I'm desperate now there has to be soething wrong.

 

[Zagz]

Aside from laboured breathing any other symptoms? I would do a larger water change as even though the numbers might be all right, it can't hurt. I had a similar instance with my 125 gal and parameters were good, did a water change and everyone returned to normal.

 

[rich311k]

Are the fish gasping at the top? Or are they just breathing hard? What kind of test kit do you use and how old is it?

 

[Antimoine]

Water change ... Done
And the fishes are just breathing hard.
As for the test kit, 6 months old, a liquid master test kit plus additions for kh gh etc..
I don't know the brand but it seems common enough (I see it everywhere)

 

[lmw80]

Do they calm down at night when the lights are out? Is the tank somewhere where the fish can get easily spooked or stressed?

Also, you said a few of the fish are breathing hard...which ones? My guess that the gourami would be one of them. Seems like you have tight quarters in that 33 gallon and when gouramis get stressed (from being in too tight an area or with too many other fish in too tight an area), they can have heavier breathing and eratic swimming or rock back and forth.

 

[Antimoine]

The tank is placed so the cats cannot reach it...
The choco gourami is an inch long at most and breathing ok.
Danios and rasboras are brathing hard....

So my tank could be overpopulated?

 

[Menagerie]

I've got a 33g aquarium populated with a loach, an algea eater, a dozen mixed rasbora and neons and danios, a molly and a choco gourami.

I didn't think it was overpopulated. How large are the loach and algea eater (do you know exactly what kind each is)? Is it a total of 12 rasbora and neons and danios or 12 of each? I just want to be sure I read it correctly.

Getting back to the breathing. Tell us exactly what fish are breathing hard. Are the fins clamped? Do you notice a difference in their gills? If the airstones are still in there, are the fish still breating hard? Is the flow from the filter strong?

 

[Antimoine]

Well... Guess what?
They're all ok now, after only 2 days with airstones and the introduction of a plant looking like an onion to get nitrates to 0. The rasboras were the ones breathing hard and I'll wait a few days before replacing the dead one.

Thanks for the help, i'll keep u informed if something goes bad.

 

[Zagz]

Glad to hear they are doing better. Definately keep an eye on them and keep us updated.