Fast breathing post water change

lighteningthes

lighteningthes

Member
Ok, Saturday I did a small water change, 10 gallons for my 75 tank. Setup is Eheim Ecco canister for up to 80 gallons, aquaclear 50 power head and 2 aqua clear 70's. I have about 70lbs of rock and 20 pounds of live sand with 80 pounds of crushed coral. For Valentines day I got two new fishies and a small piece of Vantua live rock.
Picked up a small blue line trigger, maybe 2 inches and a keyhole angel. about 3.5 inches. Current stock is niger triger and sail fin tang each about 3 inches, a small maroon clown and three three stripped damsels. Prior to the two new fishes my water was about 78 degrees, 0 across the board and 8.0 for PH and salinity at 1.023. Last night I tested the water and found trates to be at 20. I did a small change again today, about 10 gallons, I added stress coat and nitromax to my new water prior to adding the change water to the tank.
Its been about 5 hours since the change and I see my little guys breathing pretty fast. What should I check or do?
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
What is your ammonia and nitrite reading? 'Trates might be spiking because of the new additions. BTW, sounds like you're definitely at your limit for a 75. Probably past it, but I'm not judging.

Fish gasp when chemistry goes off, when O2 levels drop, and with physical stressors.....like the addition of new fish, for instance. If your Amm and 'trite levels are fine, you might want to watch and make sure you're getting enough oxygenation in the water. Got a protein skimmer?
 
lighteningthes

lighteningthes

Member
No skimmer yet, that is next on the list. My ammonia and nitrites are still at zero so I am hoping is just stress of the new critters. I think I am at the limit too and they were the last to go in, we upgrade to a larger tank this year so they will all have room again. I have removed half the glass lid to allow more gas exchange and moved the return line higher from the water to create more surface agitation.
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
when was the last time you cleaned you canister? if its not allowing as much water to flow through the new water may not have been oxygenated enough after being pushed through,,, do you always add chemicals to your new water? and do you use rodi? if not have you had the water you use tested? and since apparently you did not QT it could be a few different things, but if you put in new fish a day or so before you did the change, they could still be trying to adjust to the new enviroment and you just changed it again?
 
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