# fish are breathing hard



## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

OK, I just got fish for the tank I have been working on the last 2 or 3 months. I had my CO2 set where I thought it was on the safe side. Well I introduced some fish into it, using drip acclimation. Now the 2 Dwarf Puffers are breathing hard, and surfacing what seems to be alot. I have been measuring my co2 with the kh-ph chart. I have 9degrees kh and ph is 7.2 and according to the chart that should be 17 ppm co2. What am I doing wrong, am I just paranoid. I shut off co2 and put a powerhead at the surface to try to get rid of co2. I also did water changes, but that didn't seem to help. I have a 20g tank, that isn't to heavly planted, at least not yet. I am using co2 injection and have a filstar xp1 filter.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Any issue with other fish? If you've killed CO2 and the condition does not improve, then you may have bad fish, or the water chemistry is not very good. Change 50% of the water with tap water at the same temperature. One 3 mm CO2 bubble per second is a safe start.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

I turned off co2 totally and was doing less then 1 bubble/ sec. I did 3 50% water changes already and barely lowered if it did at all. I figured that would bring it down alot. What am I doing wrong? My otos seem to be doing alright, they are new too.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

I just tested my tap water that has a kh of 9 degrees. Isn't that pretty high for tap water?

according to my API pH test and KH test and using the CO2 chart, I have a CO2 level of 17-26 or so. What is wrong here????


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## EahInMass (Aug 29, 2006)

I know if I do a water change with my tap water and don't let it settle in a bucket overnight that the same happens to my fish. It seems there is too much air in the water and it suffocates my fish if I fill the tank with water from the faucet using the python gravel cleaner. I am no expert on water parameters, this is just my experience when doing water changes with the water I have here. Good luck.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

thanks. I put the test tube right to the faucet and didn't let it settle, so that could be it. I have another 5 gal and those fish/shrimp are doing good. I never let that water settle either, o well. We will see.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

here is a vid if it helps

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a37/nicklovgre/?action=view&current=MOV03883.flv


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

maybe just leaving the tank alone is my best bet huh?


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Did you use Prime or a de-chlorinator?


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

epicfish said:


> Did you use Prime or a de-chlorinator?


 Yes prime


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

One weird thing the otos are doing is I see a lil bubble come from them, and before the bubble even surfaces they surface and come right back down to feed.


edit: then I read this.....
Gulping for Air

Fishkeepers will also notice that sometimes otocinclus will swim rapidly up to the surface of the tank and take a gulp of air. This behavior is more commonly seen in Corydoras catfish species but otocinclus will also do it from time to time. It's just a way for them to get more oxygen. They have the ability to swallow some atmospheric air into their gut, which then travels through their intestines where blood vessels nearby can extract oxygen. It's a natural thing for them to do.


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## Naja002 (Nov 15, 2005)

I deal with a lot of feeder fish (comets, minnows and shiners) for the aquatic snakes in my sig. One thing I have found is that adding them to the tanks with high C02--they stress and some die. Now I turn off the C02 and aerate the tanks before adding the fish. Once they are in--I crank the C02 back on. I just turn off the main C02 tank valve, so I won't have to fiddle with the needle valves later......

HTH


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

thanks naja, I will remember that for next time. Do you think they are just use to having no CO2 injection?


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## Naja002 (Nov 15, 2005)

In my case: Yes. They come from a bait store and the water is very well aerated. There is a noticeable difference since I have started turning off the C02.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

You should be okay with tap water if it is at the same or slightly warmer temperature. Since your otos are okay, I would place the blame on the quality of the fish.

If you don't overstock and have a tank with sufficient surface area to dissolve O2, then the fish should be okay.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

I have a 20 long with now 2 DPs and 1 oto, one got stuck somewhere and died. Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate levels are all at 0. They seem to breath hard, that is about it. They don't surface anymore. But I also have a KH level of 9 degrees and PH 7.2.


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