Wide open gills and fast breathing?

[chris allsop]

10 Days to weeks ago i noticed two of my fish have there gills really wide open and are breathing alot quicker than the other discus and staying near the waters surface.
None of the other fish are effected.
Water params are good, i have not added any new fish/ plants etc for at least 6 months or longer, all equipment is working fine.
The 2 effected are at the bottom of the pecking order, do i put them in another tank were i still have small discus to give them a rest and take it from there or leave them there and treat with meds?

GILL FLoukes are the only thing i can think of but i dont want to just give them somthing and hope for the best. any ideas?
one of them is one of my breeders so i dont want to loose her.

[pcsb23]

Chris, normally I'd be looking to the water, flared gills and near the surface usually indicate something isn't quite right. I knwo you say the check out, but....

A bit more info would help, how bisg is the tank and how many fish, w/c regime etc...

Its possible it could be a parasite or similar and it could just be stress too but first line of defence is to up the w/c either amount or frequency (or both) for a while and see how it goes.

[billeagan]

Agree with Paul... I don't see them hanging at the top with flukes.

What are your ammonia, nitrate and nitritie readings?

Have you done a large wc recently?

[White Worm]

How do you do your water changes and do you have airstones / bubbles in the tank.

[chris allsop]

AMM/ nitrie are both a 0, nitrate is at 10ppm, ph 6.4 gh40 kh10, temp 90.

They seem to hang out near the filter pipes.

there are 8 discus and 5 catfish in the tank, which holds about 115 uk gallons. its been running 7 months. It has to big canister filters either end. Change about 12 to 18 gallons twice a week.

[chris allsop]

i do have an air stone and the tank has a good surface area.

[traco]

The temp is pretty high, my juvenile discus I have at 86 and my adults at 82. With the temp at 90, less oxygen. If they are hanging around the filter pipes, could be the oxygen level is low and that is why they are by some turbulance (sp) coming back into the tank (not sure, but someone more knowledgeable should be able to clarify).

[pcsb23]

Chris,

I would be tempted to lower the temp a little like Barb says, 84f, 29C is a good number. Also I would seriously consider upping the amount of water you change. 2 30% w/c a week would be the minimum I would do, probably nearer 3 x 50% for me. Just some thoughts.

[chris allsop]

Supose im a victim of my own desire because i have three tanks, one marine and its hard changing that much water at the minute, but im moving into my own house next month so more water changes will be alot easier than they are now, and i will be doing alot more. i will lower temp but to be honest its not the temperature that is caurseing the problems, just wish i know what was.

[pcsb23]

Chris, try and get a look at the colour of the gill filaments, if they are pale then its possible that they do in fact have a fluke issue, if they are a deep pink/red colour then flukes are more or less ruled out, if they are a scuddy brownish colour that wiould indcate bad water conditions no2 or other toxin.

[t_j]

I had this same problem a while back it happen a couple of times and only after a water change never could figure out what the problem was, but they did stop. The only thing I can think of that it could have been is when I wasn't using Prime but at the same time I don't remember when this was happening before or after I started using Prime . Would you use Prime on a planted tank and IME could this be from not using Prime??

[pcsb23]

I had this same problem a while back it happen a couple of times and only after a water change never could figure out what the problem was, but they did stop. The only thing I can think of that it could have been is when I wasn't using Prime but at the same time I don't remember when this was happening before or after I started using Prime . Would you use Prime on a planted tank and IME could this be from not using Prime??

Tiffany, yes you would use Prime or similar on a planted tank.

[chris allsop]

i lost the fish a few days ago, the other one is looking better, touch wook.
ive treated for flukes and thing are hopefully looking better.
Propare gutted i lost that fish cos it was one of my breaders and the best looking fish ive ever saw, always happens to the favorite dont it!!

[brewmaster15]

Sorry to hear that Chris,

yes, it always seems its your best or most favorite!

-al

[pcsb23]

Sorry Chris, always a bummer when it happens. I'm begining to think it may be bacterial, flukes would be most unlikely to take an adult fish unless it was a massive out break. Watch the other carefully.