# heavy breathing fish



## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

i have a 100g with alot of fish in it.might say over stocked.i got a fluval 404 +403 as filtration.i do 25%-30% water changes every 4 days.
i have noticed the fish breathing heavy.i checked the water perameters and it say my nitrates are a bit high or normal depending on the day i check it but the nitrite and amonia are fine.what can cause the fish to breath heavy?could the filters put carbonmonoxide into the water somehow thus lowering the oxygen levels?fish otherwise seem healthy and active.could it be stress?


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## Alisonj (Aug 24, 2008)

We have had that happen once or twice. The first time we checked our nitrate and it wasnt really high but we did a quick water change and everything seemed okay. So maybe the fish were stressed out enough to be more sensitive to the level at that time.
The second time we had a fish breathing really hard but all our water parameters etc were fine and we had no idea what was happening. The fish ended up dying and then within a day there was ick spots on a couple of fish. So we think that the fish had ick but it just wasnt visible enough for us to see it.
Stress can cause heavy breathing as well but you have really good filtration happening. Do you have air stones too? Maybe add as many air stones as you can and drop the water level a bit so they get some more agitation off the top. Maybe in case it is something like ICK, try the salt treatment and see if that helps things?
Good luck


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## Alisonj (Aug 24, 2008)

Sorry double post?


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## Alisonj (Aug 24, 2008)

sorry no idea why it keeps posting!


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

It could be stressed out fish from bully/bullies or water quality or other things. 
What do the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels read. When you say good, it doesn't answer much. Test the tap water you are adding to the tank with the water changes as well.
What is the temperature of the tank water? 
Do you have ample surface agitation to allow 02/CO2 exchange?
How often do you service the filters?
Are you using dechlorinator that detoxifies chloramines or only chlorines?
Any recent changes in/to the tank since the problem?


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

your making it to complicated thx anyways


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

I am not trying to make it complicated. I apologize for that but if you would like answers to your problem, these are the kinds of answers we need from you.
If there is something you don't understand just ask. All of us here in the forum like to help others and this our only intention. I'm sorry I was misunderstood.


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

no you weren't misunderstood and i appreciate the help but im not looking for some big complicated explanation.i find most of the time people make the hobby more complicated than it needs to be.im not to worried about it.i haven't lost a fish in there due to illness in a long time. its no big deal.just don't wanted to know if others had the problem.if there was anything that i thought was the cause i would have put it down.but the things you ask like water perameters and air stones ,filter maintanence.i ruled all those things out before asking the question.
i think the problem is i have been adding a fish here and a fish there from different sources and im not taking the time to quarintine them properly.so maybe something got into the tank unknowingly.i will treat the the tank and the fish and see if that helps and only buy fish from people that i trust.if not then i will do it right and quarintine new fish from now on.thx for all your help


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

I guess you found the answer to your question. :thumb:


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## Alisonj (Aug 24, 2008)

Ya adding new fish can defintely cause stress for sure. I too have been quilty of not properly quarantining them and then paying the price.


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

smellsfishy1 said:


> I guess you found the answer to your question. :thumb:


thx.yes i did


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

i tried a couple of things and i think i figured out why they do it in my tank.it could be one of a few things.i ruled out illness cause fish seem to be really healthy and active.
so i have come up with a few reasons.1 the flow in the tank ,when they swim in it they breath more water and looks like there breathing heavy
2.with top closed theres no fresh air getting in the tank ,when i open the tank to feed them theres a smell of stale hot air.i have left top open and it seems to help,plus i lowered the water level to just under the outspouts of the filters.just enough to stir the water surface.3.i added a hydro sponge instead of a bubble wand for more good bacteria.4 i changed the media in one of the filters to grow more good bacteria.
with all these things done im not worried about the problem anymore.thx for all your help


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