# Heavy breathing Jewels (also posted under health & illne



## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

So I have had these two Jewels for about 2 weeks. They are small at about 2 inches each and currently in a 26 gallon tank by themselves. I have noticed that the one tends to hang out in a cave most of the time and the other roams the tank. Over the last week, I have noticed a few things that seem strange.

First, the cave one is not a good eater. It does eat if I give sinking food, but only a little bit. I also noticed this fish had a stringy white poop (only noticed it once), but I have noticed this often when fish are new and it usually improves, so I simply noted it.

Second, the roamer had a spot on his left side just behind the head, a couple of millimeters above his gill. It looked like he had gotten in a fight and lost a scale or two, but that night it looked raised and cauliflower like (although tiny). I treated with Jungle Lifeguard and overnight the cauliflower appearance went away and it simply looks like missing scales again, but with a slight rasied area under it and the surrounding area. I treated them for four days with the last dose yesterday morning.

Third, their respiratory rate has been increasing over the last week or so. This morning it looked way too fast and they looked paler than before. I did a 50 % water change and their respiratory rate came right down. They still looked pale when I left for work.

The two seem to get along well and hang out together when either the one comes out of the cave or the other goes into the cave. The one in the cave definitely has a bright red breeding color to it under the chin, but the other does not.

Water parameters were good before the change and better after, the only slightly strange things being the pH and the overall hardness. The pH was about 6.7 and with water change it went up to 7.0. The general hardness was 160 PPM and with water change went down to the lowest measureable (sorry, I can't remember the exact number, but it was less than 80 PPM). Ammonia and Nitrite was zero, Nitrate was less than 20 PPM, and carbonate hardness was low.

They are in a tank with a temperture of 77 F. I do weekly 30 % water changes and treat the water with Seachem Prime. The tank has plants and I had added 5 seachem flourish tabs about a week ago which I removed this morning when I did the water change. (Maybe I put too many in?) I have a fluval 205 filter and a magnum HOT 250 on the tank (not sure the HOT is working properly as of this mornings water change, but the fluval definitely is.) Also in the tank is rock and substrate (innert rocks and substrate).

Any thoughts or suggestions????? I am really worried


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## samaki (Oct 25, 2002)

hi it's quite hard to say what can be the cause, the one that carried the little removed scales is perhaps sick(bacterias) and sometime feel weaker , that's why yu saw it pale but i'm no sure at all.
xris


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