Abnormal behaviour

[bugjemm]

Bit of advice needed for a newbie to the forum pretty please...

I've had my loach tank set up for about six months. It currently houses 2 Pakistani, 4 polka dot, 2 queen, 2 occelated, 2 sumo and 2 horsefaces alongside a golden algae eater, some blue tetras and some baby kribensis.

All has been well and they were happy and thriving. Last week we noticed that the thermostat was broken and wouldn't heat the tank above 22 degrees. We replaced the thermostat yesterday during a partial water change and the temperature increased during the day to 26 degrees. Last night we noticed my tetras gasping at the surface and most of my loaches are gasping down at the bottom, with one sumo at the surface.

We've checked the water quality with an Aqua Quick Test and everything is ok. The temperature this morning is 22 degrees.

Any suggestions as to what's wrong/what I can do to save the tank?

Thanks in advance!

Jemma

[JonRead]

Hi Jemma,

I'm not really an expert, but would suggest a couple of things...

Firstly, I'm not really a fan of "quick test" strips, I find them less accurate (or at least, less able to detect small concentrations) than the admittedly more complicated test kits. Can you post your water parameters?

Secondly, try getting some air in the tank ASAP. Raising the output of a filter above the waterline to create surface disturbances, using a spray bar, and adding an airstone under a filter outlet can all work.

Other things you can try for "unknown" ailments is a good old water change, and perhaps adding activated carbon in your filter.

It sounds like you realise that 22 degrees is somewhat on the cold side. Do you have a separate thermostat/heater, and if so is the heater working OK?

Hope this is of some use - no doubt some of the experts will chime in with better advice shortly!

Jon

[Diana]

Warm water holds less oxygen than cool water. Your fish are gasping because of a lack of oxygen.
Increase the water movement or lower the temperature. Since the warmer temperature really is where the fish need it to be, the answer is to increase water movement.

Bubbles help only a little bit. There is not much gas exchange at the surface of each bubble. The way bubbles help is by disturbing the surface of the water, and the bubbles do move a rather small amount of water from the lower area of the tank to the upper. It is not much, but it can help.
A powerhead or a good filter is better at doing this. Raise up the filter outlet or lower the water level so that the returning water creates a distinct ripple, or even splashes a bit.

Most Loaches come from rivers with lots of water movement. If you are using a Hang On Back filter with a cartridge then make sure it is pumping at least 10 times your tank volume per hour. If you are using a canister make sure it is rated at at least 5 times your tank volume per hour. This is a medium sort of amount of water movement. Loaches like more water movement than this. Add one or more powerheads to increase the water movement.

[bugjemm]

Thanks for the replies - I've been snowed under with work so not had time to say thanks before now but I did take note of your comments.

I was aware that the temperature was low and had been gradually turning the temperature up on the original thermostat, reasling when we reached the top of the temperature range with no change in temperature that the thermostat was kaput! The temperature is now settled at 25 degrees.

We put an airstone in as a temporary measure, and all occupants thankfully settled down and returned to normal behaviour within a day or so of my original post.

The plan now is to upgrade the pump to increase water flow from the standard, inbuilt jewel filter system.

Thanks again for your replies.

Jemma