My fish are always gasping for air no matter how hard I try or research to solve this problem. I heard it can be water parameters or not enough oxygen dissolving. I tried putting plants in the tank and they just turn black and die. People have told me it could be water conditions so I have started a RO system in the last 3 weeks doing a 25% water weekly change. The water change has put a little shock on my fish because of the pH drop I think. Before my pH was 8.6. My nitrates are at 30 most of the time. My temperature in my tank normally runs between 66 to 68. Feel free to ask me any questions. I can also send you a video of my tank. I would say I lose 1 to 2 fish a Month. The beginning stages of their death is when they start to lay on the bottom of the tank all day and out of nowhere they just die
Fish gasping
- Thread starter davidwolf
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Is this the 115g tank? You put a video with a battleship in it etc?
There appears to be plenty of surface agitation in there.
Are you seeing any ammonia in your test?
Do things improve temporarily after a water change?
There appears to be plenty of surface agitation in there.
Are you seeing any ammonia in your test?
Do things improve temporarily after a water change?
Change 50% of your water and you remove 50% of the nitrate, assuming you have 0 nitrate in the water you are adding. Does your water going in have any nitrate?
The 25% water changes you are doing might not have a noticable effect on your water test. Lets say your nitrate is 35ppm. Your 25% water change would take it down to 26ppm. Can you really the difference between 35 and 26ppm on a water test? They will both look something like 30.
PS. If your 25% weekly water change is keeping your water around 30ppm thats just fine. Be aware though as your fish grow, more waste, more water changes to keep the water good.
The 25% water changes you are doing might not have a noticable effect on your water test. Lets say your nitrate is 35ppm. Your 25% water change would take it down to 26ppm. Can you really the difference between 35 and 26ppm on a water test? They will both look something like 30.
PS. If your 25% weekly water change is keeping your water around 30ppm thats just fine. Be aware though as your fish grow, more waste, more water changes to keep the water good.
Last edited:
Water xhange
My tap water naturally has high nitrate like 30ppm. I recently bought an RO system. I have done three 25% water changes on it so far. It has really dropped the ph. I believe the last water change did shock to fish because of the ph drop i think. Do you think a 50% water change with the RO water be OK.
Do you think I have too many fish in my tank.
A 115 gallon. Is 4 dojos. 2 placos. 2 hillstrem Lotus. 4 baby goldfish. 2 smail coy. 1 sassa . 2 sub kings. 1 small loinhead.
My tap water naturally has high nitrate like 30ppm. I recently bought an RO system. I have done three 25% water changes on it so far. It has really dropped the ph. I believe the last water change did shock to fish because of the ph drop i think. Do you think a 50% water change with the RO water be OK.
Do you think I have too many fish in my tank.
A 115 gallon. Is 4 dojos. 2 placos. 2 hillstrem Lotus. 4 baby goldfish. 2 smail coy. 1 sassa . 2 sub kings. 1 small loinhead.
Are you remineralising the RO water?
RO water contains no dissolved minerals. This means you are not only removing the impurities you dont want, but also the minerals your tank needs. So you need to add these back if you are doing water changes with just RO water.
Did the issues with your fish start before or after you switched to RO water for your water changes?
RO isnt something i do, so i cant really advise further than the broad concept. Maybe you should start a new thread and get specific advice on this. I know its common to do a 50/50 mix of RO/tap water so you get the minerals from the tap water side or there are products like seachem equilibrium that you add to RO to remineralise.
Did the issues with your fish start before or after you switched to RO water for your water changes?
RO isnt something i do, so i cant really advise further than the broad concept. Maybe you should start a new thread and get specific advice on this. I know its common to do a 50/50 mix of RO/tap water so you get the minerals from the tap water side or there are products like seachem equilibrium that you add to RO to remineralise.
Old
My fish started gasping for air long before I even had ro water. I always assume because our water is very hard And have high nitrate. Ro water was the way to go. The sad thing though is I haven't seen any improvement.
My fish started gasping for air long before I even had ro water. I always assume because our water is very hard And have high nitrate. Ro water was the way to go. The sad thing though is I haven't seen any improvement.
Do you know your ammonia level?
Nitrite?
Thats nitrate. What is your nitrite?
King Fisher
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hard water or 8.6 doesn't kill fish. Your nitrate level also doesn't kill fish. I'd look at possible disease in your tank affecting your fish.
Similar threads
