Heavy Breathing, need help from community tank experienced.

[leafhorn]

Hi guys need your help liao loh!

Need opinions from cichlid community tank experienced like Art, Cloud and LSZ.

I noticed my fishes are breathing heavy in my malawi hap tank, you know, mouth open and close constantly. I compared them to the fishes mbuna tank, the mbuna dont open and close their mouths, only like once or twice every minute only or none at all.

So the hap tank fishes does so, especially the smaller fishes. Behavior wise is very normal, swim around and occasional bickering and short chase, and eager to eat food.

I noticed this after a 25% water change, they might be already like this before water change but I never notice maybe.

Its 90 gallon filtered by an Eheim 2026 (Efimech, coral chips, without Ehisubstrat) and a Ototto Fluidized Bed Filter. About 40 fishes sized about 2 inch and 15 fishes sized about 4 inch. Spraybar of cannister is used plus an airpump for extra aeration.

Water test immediately before water change at 7 pm

nitrite 0
nitrate I never bother to really read, I guess 25 mg/litre or so.
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

Water test 3 hours after water change at 11 pm.

nitrite 0
nitrate 25
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

So after this test I thought the nitrate number not nice so I did ANOTHER 25% water change, and after that the open and close mouth thingy lessened, the bigger fishes don't do that so often and the smaller fishes not as heavy and some fishes both big and small stop doing that. But some are still doing that and I fear for long term or its signs of something bad to come.

I come to some conclusion, and need your opinions on this because I am very concerned.

I rule out sickness and disease because all fishes are quarantined properly before. Could high nitrates cause the heavy breathing? I know ammonia and nitrite will cause this and more serious stuff but nitrites? Nitrites are usually tolerable if under 50 mg/litre right?

The past 2 days I fed them a lot of bloodworm, to speed their growth about 8 cubes per feeding plus some crushed pellets. Feed 3 times per day, as a result this two days the tank have many shit flying around and the fishes are constantly shitting. I dont have an ammonia test kit, but I dont think its ammonia. By the way its not new tank symdron as the tank is precycled for about 2 weeks and after adding fishes, its already another 1 to 2 weeks liao, so total nearly one month.

Or could it be the rocks I am using is leeching out heavy metals? As some of you know I bought some cheap rocks which I am not exactly sure if they are aquarium safe but they likely are. I know heavy metal in water hurts their gills and may kill them overtime.

I am very worried, please help.

[leafhorn]

Hi guys need your help liao loh!

Need opinions from cichlid community tank experienced like Art, Cloud and LSZ.

I noticed my fishes are breathing heavy in my malawi hap tank, you know, mouth open and close constantly. I compared them to the fishes mbuna tank, the mbuna dont open and close their mouths, only like once or twice every minute only or none at all.

So the hap tank fishes does so, especially the smaller fishes. Behavior wise is very normal, swim around and occasional bickering and short chase, and eager to eat food.

I noticed this after a 25% water change, they might be already like this before water change but I never notice maybe.

Its 90 gallon filtered by an Eheim 2026 (Efimech, coral chips, without Ehisubstrat) and a Ototto Fluidized Bed Filter. About 40 fishes sized about 2 inch and 15 fishes sized about 4 inch. Spraybar of cannister is used plus an airpump for extra aeration.

Water test immediately before water change at 7 pm

nitrite 0
nitrate I never bother to really read, I guess 25 mg/litre or so.
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

Water test 3 hours after water change at 11 pm.

nitrite 0
nitrate 25
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

So after this test I thought the nitrate number not nice so I did ANOTHER 25% water change, and after that the open and close mouth thingy lessened, the bigger fishes don't do that so often and the smaller fishes not as heavy and some fishes both big and small stop doing that. But some are still doing that and I fear for long term or its signs of something bad to come.

I come to some conclusion, and need your opinions on this because I am very concerned.

I rule out sickness and disease because all fishes are quarantined properly before. Could high nitrates cause the heavy breathing? I know ammonia and nitrite will cause this and more serious stuff but nitrites? Nitrites are usually tolerable if under 50 mg/litre right?

The past 2 days I fed them a lot of bloodworm, to speed their growth about 8 cubes per feeding plus some crushed pellets. Feed 3 times per day, as a result this two days the tank have many shit flying around and the fishes are constantly shitting. I dont have an ammonia test kit, but I dont think its ammonia. By the way its not new tank symdron as the tank is precycled for about 2 weeks and after adding fishes, its already another 1 to 2 weeks liao, so total nearly one month.

Or could it be the rocks I am using is leeching out heavy metals? As some of you know I bought some cheap rocks which I am not exactly sure if they are aquarium safe but they likely are. I know heavy metal in water hurts their gills and may kill them overtime.

I am very worried, please help.

[leafhorn]

Hi guys need your help liao loh!

Need opinions from cichlid community tank experienced like Art, Cloud and LSZ.

I noticed my fishes are breathing heavy in my malawi hap tank, you know, mouth open and close constantly. I compared them to the fishes mbuna tank, the mbuna dont open and close their mouths, only like once or twice every minute only or none at all.

So the hap tank fishes does so, especially the smaller fishes. Behavior wise is very normal, swim around and occasional bickering and short chase, and eager to eat food.

I noticed this after a 25% water change, they might be already like this before water change but I never notice maybe.

Its 90 gallon filtered by an Eheim 2026 (Efimech, coral chips, without Ehisubstrat) and a Ototto Fluidized Bed Filter. About 40 fishes sized about 2 inch and 15 fishes sized about 4 inch. Spraybar of cannister is used plus an airpump for extra aeration.

Water test immediately before water change at 7 pm

nitrite 0
nitrate I never bother to really read, I guess 25 mg/litre or so.
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

Water test 3 hours after water change at 11 pm.

nitrite 0
nitrate 25
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

So after this test I thought the nitrate number not nice so I did ANOTHER 25% water change, and after that the open and close mouth thingy lessened, the bigger fishes don't do that so often and the smaller fishes not as heavy and some fishes both big and small stop doing that. But some are still doing that and I fear for long term or its signs of something bad to come.

I come to some conclusion, and need your opinions on this because I am very concerned.

I rule out sickness and disease because all fishes are quarantined properly before. Could high nitrates cause the heavy breathing? I know ammonia and nitrite will cause this and more serious stuff but nitrites? Nitrites are usually tolerable if under 50 mg/litre right?

The past 2 days I fed them a lot of bloodworm, to speed their growth about 8 cubes per feeding plus some crushed pellets. Feed 3 times per day, as a result this two days the tank have many shit flying around and the fishes are constantly shitting. I dont have an ammonia test kit, but I dont think its ammonia. By the way its not new tank symdron as the tank is precycled for about 2 weeks and after adding fishes, its already another 1 to 2 weeks liao, so total nearly one month.

Or could it be the rocks I am using is leeching out heavy metals? As some of you know I bought some cheap rocks which I am not exactly sure if they are aquarium safe but they likely are. I know heavy metal in water hurts their gills and may kill them overtime.

I am very worried, please help.

[leafhorn]

Hi guys need your help liao loh!

Need opinions from cichlid community tank experienced like Art, Cloud and LSZ.

I noticed my fishes are breathing heavy in my malawi hap tank, you know, mouth open and close constantly. I compared them to the fishes mbuna tank, the mbuna dont open and close their mouths, only like once or twice every minute only or none at all.

So the hap tank fishes does so, especially the smaller fishes. Behavior wise is very normal, swim around and occasional bickering and short chase, and eager to eat food.

I noticed this after a 25% water change, they might be already like this before water change but I never notice maybe.

Its 90 gallon filtered by an Eheim 2026 (Efimech, coral chips, without Ehisubstrat) and a Ototto Fluidized Bed Filter. About 40 fishes sized about 2 inch and 15 fishes sized about 4 inch. Spraybar of cannister is used plus an airpump for extra aeration.

Water test immediately before water change at 7 pm

nitrite 0
nitrate I never bother to really read, I guess 25 mg/litre or so.
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

Water test 3 hours after water change at 11 pm.

nitrite 0
nitrate 25
gh 10
kh 10
ph 8

So after this test I thought the nitrate number not nice so I did ANOTHER 25% water change, and after that the open and close mouth thingy lessened, the bigger fishes don't do that so often and the smaller fishes not as heavy and some fishes both big and small stop doing that. But some are still doing that and I fear for long term or its signs of something bad to come.

I come to some conclusion, and need your opinions on this because I am very concerned.

I rule out sickness and disease because all fishes are quarantined properly before. Could high nitrates cause the heavy breathing? I know ammonia and nitrite will cause this and more serious stuff but nitrites? Nitrites are usually tolerable if under 50 mg/litre right?

The past 2 days I fed them a lot of bloodworm, to speed their growth about 8 cubes per feeding plus some crushed pellets. Feed 3 times per day, as a result this two days the tank have many shit flying around and the fishes are constantly shitting. I dont have an ammonia test kit, but I dont think its ammonia. By the way its not new tank symdron as the tank is precycled for about 2 weeks and after adding fishes, its already another 1 to 2 weeks liao, so total nearly one month.

Or could it be the rocks I am using is leeching out heavy metals? As some of you know I bought some cheap rocks which I am not exactly sure if they are aquarium safe but they likely are. I know heavy metal in water hurts their gills and may kill them overtime.

I am very worried, please help.

[lsz]

heavy breathing of an obvious sign that something is wrong....and unfortunately it is often the "prelude" to something more serious.

Basically, it happens when the fish is no longer able to obtain oxygen at the normal rate.
Either
(1)the oxygen content of the water is too low in the first place,
(2)or there is something that causes difficulty for the fish to obtain oxygen in the water.

Lets look at (2) first.
You mentioned you had not taken ammonia readings...i feel that it may just be the problem.
Why is ammonia still there..you may ask?
you said that u had cycled the tank for 2 weeks...but wat happened after that? did u add most or all the fish within a very short period of time?
If so, there is a good chance that whatever filtration you have simply cannot catch up with the load. And in the very first place, 2 weeks for full cycling is too short too.

and EVEN if you had the filters established to some extent (not 100% established, i am sure in any case) , Fundamentally, your filtration are not enough. We are talking abt 55 or more very active, heavy eating fish here. 2026 for a 90gallon for such fish confirm cannot handle. To add to that, you dont really have much space for nitrifying bacteria to establish on in the first place. Even if you have ehfisubstrate in it , it is not gonna be able to handle ...and for your case, you are not having it...it is worse.

Your fluized bed is not gonna save you this time.

to give you a picture of the amount of filtration you need for your tank size and load (plus you feed heavily) .... i will say you need at least 2x2028 and also water changes at least twice a week, each time 50%.

about (1) , yes it is another factor that arises from the same issue --> your fish load.

i feel it is a combination of both (1) and (2)
and both their effects will compliment/add towards/attenuate each other's....


you have to break out of this loop before more serious things set in.
a few things you can do :

increase filtration drastically
decrease fish stock drastically
change water frequently
add salt ... helps to relief gill discomfort a little. Add one heaping tablespoon for every 40litres.

but salt is like a short term solution ..something to buy time while you try to find a solution.
prolonged, high usage of salt is known to cause malawi bloat.

[lsz]

the causes for increased respiratory rate are too numerous..
but the first step you should do is definitely keep water quality in check

[leafhorn]

thanx, will do as advised, find more space for the fishes, more regular water changes and maybe should add some filteration.

[leafhorn]

Yah, I also dont like the fish die throw, why die donno thingy, I try to observe my fishes behavior daily if possible.

My mom wonders why I can watch fish for so long, first hour is examine presence of wounds and signs of disease, second hour then admire the fishes and enjoy watching them.

Because now a bit paranoid after ganna internal parasite before when everyday got fishes die.