fish gasping at surface after w/c

[fishcop]

Need help!

Fish are gasping at surface after a water change.

Ph- 6.3
Temp- 82 f
Hardness- Gh 1, Kh 1 degree
RO 75% Tap 25%
I change 30% weekly (yeah, I know, but it's been stable 2yrs like this)
water is clear, no odor

Tank
40g
substrate- gravel and flourite
planted moderately
some drift wood

Filtration
Fluval 304 running sponge filter, prefilter medium,
and whatever the fluval final medium is, little noodles

Lighting
2x 48" lifeglow flourescents
12hrs on, 12hrs off

Diet
hakiri bloodworms, Tetra color bits

Fish- Discus, clown loaches, rummynose, 2 rams

Tank has been stable for 2 yrs.

I've lowered temp from 84 to 80, added salt at 1tbs/10gals,
and increased surface agitation (i don't have an airstone...)


Onset was very close to w/c. I then did another w/c when I noticed their distress, and now it seems much worse.

There has been some improvement with the addition of salt and the lowered temp.

I did a nitrite test and I'm up to .25 ppm from 0ppm.

Nothing showing for Amonia.


Anybody have any ideas? How fast will my fish crash if this keeps up?

Thanks-

Fishcop

[Discusgeo]

I think you water has too much clorine in it. Did you let the water age in a holding tank that is supplied with air from a pump? Did you try to even add a decloranator to the water. My guess this is what is causing the problem. as there is not enough oxygen in the water for your discus, that is what they are gasping for AIR! Increase the amount of air going into the tank, lowering the water temp to 80 is good and there is less oxygen at high temps. I don't think the salt did any good for the Discus either.

[fishcop]

I should have mentioned that I do add AMQUEL and age the water overnight (except for the emergency w/c I did this afternoon.)

So the chlorine....I don't think so.


Thanks, though.

[Carol_Roberts]

Many cities are busy flushing their pipes this time of year . . . are you on city water?

[Ardan]

HI,
Gasping at the surface is usually a respiration problem. Not enough O2 to blood, sometimes caused by chlorine burns to gills.


I agree that their might be more chlorine in the water at this time of year.
Very likely something changed in the city water.

Add extra amquel and extra aeration. Salt at 2 tblsp/10 gal (noniodized) may help with the nitrite and the stress.

hth

[jeep]

Carol's right. When the city flushes their lines you can have elevated amounts of bacteria, ammonia, chlorine etc...

Ardan's right. More o2, add salt (will do nothing but good) and double up on Amquel.

P.S. I had the same problem and it worked for me...

[fishcop]

I'll double up on the amquel and bump the salt again. This morning everyone seems much better; although they are still breathing at a higher rate, their behavior is back to normal.

Thanks for the help.

[Mike_Selley]

I recently had a similar nitrite problem and finally figured out the seeded filter I put on the tank wasn't quite enough to carry the fish load. I put a seeded cell pore cartridge in with the Emperor filter on the tank and the nitrites went away. Just a thought. :)

[cobalt]

hi
another thought,
due 2 some legislation here they started adding flouride to the water, the flouride used here is really toxic to fish, they added it without warning to!
who really knows whats in the water? I get monthly a printout from the water works but I know it isn't realistic but a cover up...
Cobalt