Suddenly hiding and rapid breathing

[kaceyo]

This morning all my newest arrivals (got on 9-20-05) are hiding and breathing very rapidly. Yesterday all was well (seemingly), today not. The ammo is slightly elevated due to a dieoff of the biofilter during a prophylactic treatment last week. The pH is 6.6 though so it shouldn't be the problem. I just did a 50% w/c and will do another this evening, by then the ammo starts to show up on ammo test again.
There are no other symptoms really, they just all hide together behind the sponge filter and breath rapidly. No darting or scratching. Even so I'm thinking of doing a fluke treatment. I wanted to check first to see if you folks might point out something I'm missing.
Thanks,

Kacey

[geyerfam]

are your fish discolored at all? I am having a problem that started similarly, but progressed to darkening, white slime and clamped fins. Eventually they begin struggling to stay vertical. I have lost 4 discus in the last three days. I can't figure it out. No changes have been made. Parameters all constant over past year or so...It seems strange for all of them to be struck at once...
Tracy

[kaceyo]

Hi Tracy,
Nope, no discoloring or darkening. They just hide behind things and breath fast. They even came out to eat but not as much as usual.

Kacey

[Carol_Roberts]

I don't think flukes are the problem . . . . sounds more like water or chemical. What did you treat with last week theat impacted the biofilter?

[kaceyo]

Hi Carol,
You are right, it's not flukes. Whatever it was it left as quick as it appeared. Must have been a 24hr bug cuz they were immobile behind the filters for 24 hrs. Breathing so fast it was scary. The filter die-off happened while the sponge filter was running in a bucket w/out heat for 8 or 9 hrs while I treated the tank with 35% HP at 1.5 drops p/gal. After the treatment I did a 60% w/c and returned the filter. I even added a few drops of clear ammo to the bucket which brought it up to aprox 1ppm. The next morning I tested for ammo to make sure filter was OK and it showed 0.5ppm just from 12 hrs at night with no feedings.
I think something temporarily contaminated the tank water but I can't figure out what. They're fine now so I hope thats the end of it.
Thanks,

Kacey