Why is my discus breathing fast?

Discus flicks and scatches on rocks, bogwood or sides of tank etc. This is normally ectoparasitic infestation (protozoan or skin fluke) reddened areas on skin and sometimes rapid breathing. Carry out a 35% water change wiping down all the sides of the aquarium.

Why is my fish rapid breathing?

Rapid breathing could indicate a number of things. It could be stress from traffic in your home, or from a harassing fish. New fish will breathe rapidly from the shock of being transported. You should also test your water for high ammonia, nitrate, pH, and nitrite levels.

Why does my discus stay at the top of the tank?

A fish may linger near the surface because he’s trying to breathe more easily. Remember, fish breathe dissolved oxygen—not oxygen that is already combined in the H2O molecule. Naturally, these dissolved oxygen levels tend to be higher near the surface, where interaction between air and water takes place.

How fast should fish be breathing?

While there is some difference between species, (Chinese algae eaters will breathe twice as fast as any other fish their size) most tropical fish of the size kept in smaller aquariums should breathe at a rate of between 70 and 120 gill beats per minute.

How do you know if discus is stressed?

Strange Swimming: When fish are stressed, they often develop odd swimming patterns. If your fish is swimming frantically without going anywhere, crashing at the bottom of his tank, rubbing himself on gravel or rocks, or locking his fins at his side, he may be experiencing significant stress.

How do I know if my fish tank has too much oxygen?

The signs of too much oxygen in a fish tank are bubbles escaping the surface and increased dissolved oxygen levels. Fish will also show abnormal swimming behavior, open mouth breathing, excessive appetite, or lethargy. If left unchecked for too long, it can be fatal to the fishes’ health.

How do you tell if a discus is stressed?

If your fish is swimming frantically without going anywhere, crashing at the bottom of his tank, rubbing himself on gravel or rocks, or locking his fins at his side, he may be experiencing significant stress.

Why my discus are in the surface?

Better than any airstone, is surface agitation, point ythe outflow from your filter towards the surface so the water, this allows not only oxygen to enter the water, but also carbon dioxide to exit the water.

How do you tell if a fish is breathing heavy?

If they’re being chases around, if there’s an aggressive tankmate, they’re going to breathe heavy. Fish should have a very unlabored breathing. It should be very steady. Without being a marine biologist, you should be able to recognize normal breathing versus heavy breathing.

Is it possible to over oxygenate a fish tank?

Too much oxygen in water can lead to the potentially lethal gas bubble disease, in which gas comes out of solution inside the fish, creating bubbles in its skin and around its eyes. (Excess nitrogen, however, is a far more common cause of this disease.)

What does ammonia stress look like in fish?

Unfortunately, by the time signs of ammonia stress are noticeable in fish – lethargy, appetite loss, gasping, inflammation of the gills, eyes or fins – it may be too late to take corrective action that can save the fish.

Does water conditioner remove ammonia?

Water conditioners are like little miracles in a bottle. Just like you’d use a cycling product to add more ammonia to a new tank, you use a water conditioner to get rid of ammonia, nitrite, and even nitrate. And the 2 products are almost the same thing.

Why is my discus swimming in circles?

That said, the most common reasons for aquarium fish swimming erratically, depending on what you consider erratic, is either stress (glass surfing), ammonia poisoning and poor water quality (in circles and darting motion), and swim bladder disease (floating to the top, swimming sideways or sinking to the bottom).

What do fish look like with ammonia poisoning?

Red or Purple Gills and Bloody Patches The fish’s gills will take on a red or lilac color, making them look like it’s bleeding. As the problem progresses, the fish’s tissues will begin to deteriorate, evidenced by red streaks or bloody patches on their body and fins caused by ammonia burns.

How do you know if a fish has ammonia poisoning?

Symptoms include:

  1. Purple, red or bleeding gills.
  2. Fish may clamp, may appear darker in color.
  3. Red streaking on the fins or body.
  4. Fish may gasp for air at the surface of the tank water.
  5. Torn & jagged fins.
  6. Fish may appear weak and lay at the bottom of the tank.